15-Minute Caramel Sauce

4.25 from 4 votes

This 15-Minute Caramel Sauce is the perfect topping for anything you'd ever dream of putting caramel on!

Prep Time5

Cook Time10

Total Time15

Servings: servings (1 ¼ cups)

Calories: 175kcal

Add the sugar to a heavy saucepan over low heat without stirring. All the sugar crystals should dissolve and the mixture should be amber in color.
¾ cup granulated white sugar
Gradually add the cubes of softened butter, mixing briskly between each addition to prevent the mixture from seizing. The butter will bubble and sputter but keep whisking until it is incorporated. Then, slowly pour the warm heavy cream into the pot while whisking constantly to prevent seizing. Boil for 30 seconds while whisking briskly.
¼ cup salted butter, ½ cup heavy cream
Remove from the heat and whisk in the salt and vanilla until incorporated. Immediately pour the caramel sauce into a heat-safe container to stop the cooking process. Use in recipes that call for caramel sauce or to top ice cream or lattes. Enjoy!
1 teaspoon vanilla extract, ¼ teaspoon salt

Cut the butter for the caramel sauce into small cubes and allow it to come to room temperature before slowly adding to the caramel. This helps prevent the caramel from seizing. Cold butter would shock the extremely hot melted sugar and cause it to seize and harden into clumps.
Warm the cream for the sauce slightly until it is at least 100℉ before very slowly streaming it into the caramel to prevent seizing.
Increase the salt amount to ½ teaspoon or to taste for a salted caramel sauce.