Rich and smooth Homemade Salted Caramel Sauce is simple and easy to make. Sugar, Butter, Cream and Sea Salt with a heavy-bottomed pan are all you need to make this gorgeous salted caramel sauce. Perfect on top of your ice cream sundae, drizzled on top of homemade apple pie or straight out of the jar with a spoon!
Of all the recipes on my site, this is probably one of my most made recipes, I honestly have made this homemade salted caramel sauce over 50 times. That might be low balling it actually. None the less this recipe is a winner. Mainly because it's so versatile and also a perfect gift. I have made this recipe as a homemade gift multiple times and lemme tell you it is well received!
It's also great to have a batch in your fridge when the moment strikes and you need some caramel with your apples or to swirl in your tres leches cake.
Let's get to the recipe.
Jump to:
How do you make Homemade Salted Caramel Sauce?
To start make sure you lay your ingredients out. I place the sugar in a heavy-bottomed pan, the heavy cream in a measuring cup, cut the butter up into small pieces and have your delicious sea salt nearby. Stop whatever you are doing, this recipe requires full attention, no walking away or you will end up with burnt caramel, and there is no going back from burnt caramel!
While you can eyeball this recipe to an amber color when the sugar is all melted, I love to use my Thermapen MK4 to just double-check I am at the right temperature.
To ensure success I highly recommend using an instant-read thermometer. I get SOOO much use out of my Thermapen Mk4 (affiliate link). From cooking filet mignon, tempering chocolate, roast turkey, making caramel, and more!
Turn your stove burner on to medium heat and start whisking the sugar around. The sugar will start to clump, keep whisking. I also use the whisk to break up some of the bigger clumps.
Within a few more minutes the sugar will completely be clumped up. keep going and it will start to liquidize and break down. The color will start to darken as well. Keep Whisking! Then you will start to see a caramel color.
The color will darken and become more amber than caramel, now you could trust your gut (which I do now, but I have made this recipe over 50 times) or you can use your thermometer to check the temperature is 350F. When the temperature is reached, turn the heat to low and add the pre-cut butter pieces and whisk. Be careful not to let the hot mixture splatter on you!
Then turn the heat off and pour your cream in, I do this in two batches since it all boils up. Whisk until completely combined then sprinkle in sea salt. Let cool and pour into a storage container.
Occasionally my caramel sauce ends up with a few sugar lumps if so I just place a metal sieve on top of the storage container and pour the caramel in that way to remove the lumps.
I am addicted to Talenti Gelato, their containers are perfect for salted caramel storage. Although, this recipe makes quite a bit so you need two or a large container.
How long does Homemade Salted Caramel last?
I store my salted caramel sauce in the fridge, in an airtight container, which makes this last for a long time. The longest I have gone is about a month. I love to prep a batch of salted caramel sauce and so it's ready to go for whatever recipe I need it for. Or for those times when you just need a spoonful to get you through the day!
You must be a lover of caramel to be reading this recipe so next time try my chewy caramels recipe.
What kind of salt should I use to make Salted Caramel?
I usually use French sea salt- Fleur de Sel. Or I use an English salt- Maldon Sea Salt Flakes. Both are absolutely gorgeous in the caramel. Also, on top of cookies.
What can I use Salted Caramel Sauce in
- Salted Caramel Crepe Cake
- Salted Caramel Upside Down Apple Pie
- Salted Caramel Tres Leches Cake
- Salted Caramel Creme Brulee
- Pretzel Crusted Salted Caramel Chocolate Chip Cookie Cups
- Salted Caramel Cheesecake
Salted caramel is sweet, rich and creamy with a hint of salt at the end. The depth of flavor is spectacular.
★★★★★ Please let me know if you make this recipe by leaving a star rating and comment below!
Make sure to join our Newsletter and follow us on Pinterest, Instagram, Facebook, & Twitter.
PrintRecipe Card
Salted Caramel Sauce
Rich and smooth Homemade Salted Caramel Sauce is simple and easy to make. Sugar, Butter, Cream and Sea Salt with a heavy bottomed pan are all you need to make this gorgeous salted caramel sauce. Perfect on top of your ice cream sundae, drizzled on top of homemade apple pie or straight out of the jar with a spoon!
- Total Time: 20 Minutes
- Yield: Just over 2 Cups 1x
Ingredients
- 400 grams (2 cups) Granulated Sugar
- 6oz (1 ½ sticks/ ¾ Cup) Unsalted Butter
- 8oz (1 Cup) Heavy Whipping Cream
- 1 Tablespoon Fleur de Sel (I usually use a bit more but go with your taste)
Instructions
- In a thick bottomed heavy saucepan cook the sugar on low-medium heat. Using a whisk, whisk the sugar frequently. The sugar will begin to turn to an amber color.
- Watch the sugar carefully as it can burn quite easily. Once it reaches 350F/170C add all of the butter whisking quickly to combine, be careful the mixture will bubble.
- Remove the saucepan from the heat and whisk in heavy cream, this will take a minute or two just keep mixing to combine.
- Mix in the sea salt and let the caramel cool.
- Once cool pour into an airtight container. A mason jar, plastic container, reused spaghetti sauce jar..etc.
- Store the caramel in the fridge for up to two weeks.
Notes
*Occasionally my caramel sauce ends up with a few sugar lumps if so I just place a metal sieve on top of the storage container and pour the caramel in that way to remove the lumps.
- Prep Time: 5
- Cook Time: 15
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Cooking
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: salted caramel sauce recipe, sea salt sauce, gooey caramel sauce
*This post was originally posted on January 6th, 2013
Kathleen says
How much salted caramel does this make? Thanks!
Elizabeth says
Hi Kathleen the recipe makes roughly 2 cups of salted caramel! This is soo good, LMK if you try it!
Karly says
This looks so delicious! All I need is a spoon!
Elizabeth says
OMG yes!!
Susan Gibson says
This stuff is WONDERFUL! At least my second batch was! Not sure what happened with the first batch, as just as it reached 350...it bubbled up and overflowed, spilling all down the sides of my pot, on my grates & onto my stove top. I actually saw the thermometer go from 325 to 350...turned off the fire and lifted the pot...but it still overflowed. Like a big dummy, I tried to salvage it by adding the butter and cream as directed...but it was nasty...burnt!
The mess was awful, but once I got past panic mode, it all cleaned up well...with hot water on a sponge and a little patience!
I got brave and tried it again today...& it is perfect! I thought the butter would never blend in...but eventually, it did! I kept the fire pretty low, so it may have taken longer than the recipe states...but i wasn’t taking any chances!
Hubby loves it and is already planning to dip apple slices in it, drizzle it over ice cream....& I’m pretty sure he has already gotten a spoon and dipped into it!
★★★★★
Elizabeth Waterson says
Oh no, Susan!!! I am so sorry you had a bad batch -- if the heat is too high the temperature can definitely jump (which all of our stoves are different so who knows!). I would definitely stay on the side of lower temp than higher, such a heartbreak when it burns. The more you make it the more you will start to just know when it is done even without the thermometer. I hope you enjoy it on all the things, I always have a jar in my fridge! Thank you for coming back to review the recipe. XX Liz
Patty says
I'm making it again tonight. It was incredible. But vanilla bean ice cream, flavored coffee with it and now I need it for cheesecake.
★★★★★
Patty says
I'm making it again tonight. It was incredible. Topped vanilla bean ice cream, flavored coffee with it and now I need it for cheesecake.
★★★★★
Elizabeth Waterson says
Thank you so much for the review Patty, I am so happy to hear you've had success multiple times!! XX Liz
Ashlea Denton says
Is it supposed to be liquidy before it cools?
Elizabeth Waterson says
Hi Ashlea, yes it is quite liquidy before, it thickens as it cools. Please let me know how it turned out for you! XX Liz
Ethan says
At 350 I added butter then cream and the salt instant hardened into a rock. Twice in a row.
Elizabeth Waterson says
Hi, Ethan thanks for reaching out. Are you saying that just the salt hardened into a rock or the whole mixture did?
Karla says
Yum!!!!!! I just made it for the kids to eat some apples dipped in this golden goodness!!! I’m not a cook whatsoever but I just made my very own caramel!!!! So easy to follow and the sea salt recommendation was amazing!!!
★★★★★
Elizabeth Waterson says
Aww, thank you so much for coming back to rate and review the recipe Karla. I am so glad you enjoyed this caramel, it's so versatile on so many treats!! XX Liz
Sandra York says
I usually heat the cream with the butter than pour it in the sugar. If your cream is cold it will harden the sugar.
Julie says
This was an amazing recipe. It turned out beautiful and tastes fabulous. I would recommend to any level cook as it is beyond simple to make. I personally prefer it with a teaspoon of pure vanilla extract.
★★★★★
Elizabeth Waterson says
Hi Julie, thank you so much for coming back to leave a star rating and review, I truly appreciate it! So glad you enjoyed it so much and you're right vanilla is a great addition! XX Liz
Elizabeth says
Ok this is not good.the butter did not incorporate into the sugar and it is balls of sugar in a butter soup.
★
Elizabeth Waterson says
Hi Elizabeth, I am so sorry you did not have success with the recipe. Makes me so sad! I am wondering if your sugar was not melted all the way and had reached the proper temperature before adding the butter. I have made this recipe well over 25 times, occasionally I have a few sugar lumps I just strain the sauce through a mesh sieve to remove but it always incorporates if I keep mixing. Please feel free to message me on Instagram too, we can send photos back and forth and I can try to help troubleshoot. XX Liz