Sweet, Buttery, Salted Caramel Sauce
November 1, 2025
Since the holidays are just around the corner, I thought it would be an ideal time to share my favorite homemade, salted caramel sauce recipe. Because, who doesn't love caramel? The first time I made this, I was surpised how much more flavorful it tastes compared to supermarket brands. Plus no high-fructose corn syrup or artificial anything! It's a simple 4-ingredient, salted caramel recipe that can be made at home with ease - only 10 minutes of active cook time. This easy method creates a rich, buttery caramel that tastes absolutely AMAZING, with no candy thermometer needed! Try it drizzled over ice cream, desserts, fruit, pancakes or even stirred into iced coffee. Now, there's a happy way to start the day!
So, without further ado, here's the recipe:
Salted Caramel Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 cup pure cane sugar
- 6 Tbsp unsalted butter (cut into chunks)
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1 tsp salt
Instructions
- Add sugar to a stainless steel saucepan over medium heat. As it melts, caramel can go from perfect to burnt in mere seconds, so keep a close eye on it. Swirl occasionally if needed to help sugar melt evenly. It will turn a warm amber color, which means it's caramelizing.
- Once sugar is melted, turn off heat. Add butter. This will cause the mixture to bubble up, so keep stirring until combined.
- Gradually add cream, mixing till smooth.
- Troubleshooting: At this point, if caramel clumps or crystalizes, simply return to stove over low heat, stirring until smoothly re-melted.
- Blend in salt.
- Let caramel sit in saucepan about 20 minutes to cool.
- Pour sauce into a sealable glass container, like a mason jar, and store in fridge for 2-3 weeks or freeze for up to 3 months (thaw in fridge before using).
- To serve, warm up over low heat or simply set on counter for 30 minutes until softened.
This scrumptious caramel is 89 calories per tablespoon. We can also turn this base recipe into our own, by incorporating additional ingredients, like pure vanilla extract or a pinch of cinnamon to deepen the flavor even more. A jar of this sweet, buttery, salted caramel sauce is perfect for gifting, too! 😉