Easy Homemade Caramel Sauce Recipe (4 Ingredients) + Video
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Homemade caramel sauce with a hint of butterscotch flavor is ready in a flash. Make this no-fail recipe today with 4 simple ingredients! Making your own caramel sauce is so fun to do! This will be your new favorite way to feed your sweet tooth!
This easy caramel sauce is the perfect no fuss option for when your day is extra hectic. Just whisk everything together on the stove for about 5 minutes and you’re done!
Drizzle it over all kinds of sweet treats like ice cream, cheesecake, trifles, pie, and even dessert salad.
You can even use it in breakfast recipes like my caramel apple cinnamon rolls or as a dip for fruit slices, churros, graham crackers, and more!
What’s In Homemade Caramel Sauce?
- Brown sugar – I prefer this to granulated because it’s less likely to burn, and the molasses creates an extra depth of flavor.
Either light or dark should work just fine. - Heavy cream – Sometimes labeled whipping cream, this can be found in the refrigerated dairy case with the milk and half and half. “Light” versions will not work with this recipe, so stick with full fat.
- Unsalted butter – Because different brands contain different amounts of salt, stick with unsalted for a consistent flavor.
If you find that the finished product is too sweet, stir in a pinch of sea salt for balance. - Vanilla – I use pure vanilla extract, but feel free to experiment with imitation or paste based on your flavor preferences.
Tips and Tricks
- Use room temperature ingredients. If you have the extra time, measure out your chilled items and let them sit on the counter for 30 minutes before getting started.
- Try milk instead. If you don’t want to make a special trip to the store, you can use whole milk with an extra tablespoon of butter in place of the heavy cream.
It may not be quite as thick, but it will work in a pinch! - Not thickening? Let it cool completely before making any additions or adjustments.
If it is still too thin for your liking, start a new batch with either more sugar or less cream.
FAQ – Common Recipe Questions
Sure! The consistency may be a bit thinner, but your easy caramel sauce should taste just as delicious.
Keep in an airtight jar or container and enjoy within 2 weeks for best results.
That side, we may have lost a jar or two in the back for much longer than that, and it was fine once I warmed it back up.
It’s normal for it to appear a bit “chunky” after a few days – just warm it back up and give it a good stir to get it silky smooth again.
If that doesn’t work, return it to a pan on the stove and slowly heat it with a little cream or milk.
This delicious caramel sauce can be used on ice cream sundaes, brownies, cookies, vanilla ice cream, and more! Don’t forget that it would be perfect for caramel apples, too. I also add all the caramel flavors to the apple slices on a plate!
Once you make this easy caramel sauce recipe, the end result gives you plenty of options.
With a little patience, you can easily work your way through all the dessert ideas that you want to use this easy recipe for.
The full recipe is simple to make, and keep the recipe card handy for the second time you want to make it. The flavor of this is so good, you won’t just be making this a single time!
For sure. This great recipe can be used however you want. I also love to add a small amount of salt and make a yummy homemade salted caramel sauce. I’ll then stir a bit of the creamy caramel sauce into my cup of coffee and sip the day away.
The first time you try this trick, it just might take place of your coffee creamer. I keep a bit in a glass jar or mason jar so that I can have access to it easily the next time that I want to add a little bit to my desserts or drinks.
The first step is making homemade caramel recipes, and the next step is keeping it stored correctly so that you can use it again. The good news is that it’s the best salted caramel sauce recipe out there!
Enjoy!
With love, from our simple kitchen to yours.
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Other Sauce & Syrup Recipes
Easy Homemade Caramel Sauce Recipe (4 Ingredients) + Video
Ingredients
- 2 cups light brown sugar, packed
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons vanilla
Instructions
- Combine ingredients in a medium saucepan over medium heat whisking occasionally. Cook for about 5 minutes, remove from heat and add vanilla.
- Whisk to combine and return to heat for another minute until thickened.
- Serve and enjoy!
Video
Nutrition
All nutritional information is based on third party calculations and is only an estimate. Each recipe’s nutritional value will vary depending on the ingredients used, measuring methods, and portion sizes.
Originally published September 2012, updated and republished March 2024
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Could you use this recipe to make carmel corn and bake in oven? Or will it be to much liquid
That would be a lot of caramel corn, but it sounds delightful. Give it a shot and let us know how it goes. Enjoy!
Hi there, LOVE the recipes you post!! I was wondering if I could use full fat milk instead of the cream??? I'd love to make the sauce tonight, but can't get to the store 🙁
xoxoxo
You could absolutely swap the two. Add an extra tablespoon of butter with the milk to replace the cream. Obviously, the cream will create the best result but this substitution works in a pinch. Enjoy and let us know how it goes.
I used French Vanilla Coffee Creamer, in place of heavy cream. Delicious. Note: did not use fat free creamer.
I thought this was going to be how to make it in a crock pot 🙁
Could you add some chocolate to the sauce to thicken it ?
I need for fondue or will it become a ganach, which is also good 🙂
Would this be a part of a new comfort food in my menu? I'm guessing YES!
Enjoy, Diego!!!
Omg, if it tastes like Butterscotch I will love it..Thanks for the recipe!!!
Enjoy and let us know how it goes!!
I used heaving whipping cream and it didn’t thicken as much as I’d like. I plan to use some on my thumbprint cookies but this is too thin. How could I thicken it without losing too much flavor
My caramel didn’t thicken as much as I wanted. How can I thicken it without loosing too much flavor. I used heavy whipping cream. I wanted to use this in my thumbprint cookies but it’s too thin. Thx
I used 18% cream and it is definitely not as thick as I would like! Hopefully it thickens while cooling. Next time I will use whipping cream! Anyone tried to thicken it? If so, please share how you did it!
Carmel always thickens as it cools. If ppl are finding they would like their Carmel thicker I would recommend using either more sugar or less cream. I have not tried this recipie yet (but plan to first thing in the morning) but often make Carmel with several recipies where failure is possible and probable some days and decreasing the liquid does help.
Easy recipe and this caramel sauce is a no fail recipe. So good on our homemade ice cream!
It came out perfect, thick but you can still pour or drizzle over ice cream, even after cooling and placed in the fridge.
Best and easies caramel sauce I ever made. Thanks
can make “dairy” free with lactose free butter & lactose free milk or better yet… lactose free Half & Half!
going to try this tomorrow!
Is it okay to can the caramel sauce so I always have some on hand?
This caramel sauce recipe from The Slow Roasted Italian is an absolute game-changer! So easy to make and incredibly delicious. Donna and Chad always nail it with their recipes!
Hi Zuri!
We’re so glad you enjoyed the recipe.
TSRI Team Member,
Devlyn