15-Minute Caramel Sauce

Recipe photos updated on April 20, 2020.  This 15-Minute Caramel Sauce is the perfect topping for anything you'd ever dream of putting caramel on! Try drizzling it on top of my Instant Pot Rice Pudding!  Or use it to make my cinnamon roll recipe!

Have you ever wanted to make caramel sauce at home, but felt too intimidated to melt/caramelize sugar?  If yes, I've got you covered with this ridiculously easy recipe for homemade caramel sauce!  It's SO easy, I promise.  If I can make it, so can YOU!

↑ Just look at that... liquid gold! 😍

Let's talk about how easy it is to cook up this delightful 15-minute caramel sauce.

First thing: sugar.  We use simple granulated white sugar for this caramel sauce. Super simple but super important, we start with white sugar and bring it to such a high temperature that it melts into a golden brown syrup.  I suggest that you use a heavy saucepan that is safe to very high temperatures for melting sugar. We don't want our pot melting with our sugar! 😜  So, melt the sugar over medium heat, stirring often with a silicone spatula. The sugar will form clumps as it melts, but don't worry, this is completely normal.  All the clumps of sugar will melt into the syrup as you stir.  When all the sugar is melted and the mixture is amber in colour, remove from the heat.

Next: salted butter.  I prefer using salted butter to make this recipe, simply because I always use salted butter in my baking, but unsalted would be fine too.  Add the butter to the melted sugar while whisking briskly.  The mixture will bubble up so be sure to step back to avoid being splattered with the hot sugar while whisking.  Make sure the butter is fully incorporated before slowly pouring in the whipping cream. Again, make sure you whisk the mixture to get that cream incorporated as soon as possible.   Pouring in the cream too quickly might cause the caramel to seize.  Simply avoid this by pouring in a small steady stream as you whisk.

Lastly, stir in vanilla extract + salt.  Pour the caramel sauce into a heat-safe container (such as a measuring cup) to cool.  Let the caramel sauce cool before using it to top ice cream or lattes or use it in any recipe that calls for caramel sauce. Stay tuned for an exciting new recipe coming out next week featuring this luscious homemade 15-minute caramel sauce!

📖 Recipe

Love and Cookies,

Naomi

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If you make this 15-Minute Caramel Sauce or any of my recipes, I’d love to see pictures of your baking adventures on Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter! Hashtag them #kneadsomesweets!