Easy Caramel Sauce
Follow this easy recipe to make homemade caramel sauce - salted or not. It only takes 10 minutes and 5 simple ingredients. Then drizzle it on everything!
Ingredients
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup water
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter (, cut into pieces)
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- pinch of salt
Directions
- 1
Add the sugar and water to a 3-quart heavy bottomed saucepan; stir a little so it sits in a flat, even layer.
- 2
Warm pot over medium heat and cook until the sugar dissolves, turns clear, and starts to bubble. (It will be cloudy at first, but will turn into a clear, bubbling liquid.) This takes about 3-4 minutes.
- 3
(At this point, do not stir again - simply allow to bubble, swirl the saucepan occasionally and brush down the sides of the pan, as needed, to prevent crystallization.)
- 4
Sugar will form clumps, but continue swirling and cooking until the mixture thickens and turns a deep amber color like honey (this can take anywhere from 8-12 minutes), keeping a watchful eye so the mixture doesn’t burn.
- 5
Carefully add the butter and whisk until completely melted. (The caramel will bubble up rapidly, so be careful and continue to whisk.)
- 6
Remove the saucepan from the heat and slowly pour in the cream, whisking continuously until all of the cream has been incorporated.
- 7
Whisk in the vanilla and salt.
- 8
Set aside to cool in the pan for 10 minutes.
- 9
Then pour into a lidded glass jar and allow to cool completely. (It will thicken as it cools.)