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Homemade Caramel Sauce (no corn syrup!)

December 6, 2011 by Laura 173 Comments

This post may contain affiliate links which won’t change your price but will share some commission.

A few weeks ago, Busy Mom in AL left a comment stating that she’d used my Caramel Frosting recipe to make Caramel Sauce. Then, a little while later, the people at Challenge Butter sent me a package and asked me to come up with a recipe using their butter. Well, what’s a girl to do but make Homemade Caramel Sauce with one of those sticks of butter, and then blog about her experience?

I didn’t think you’d mind. Especially if you think about the possibilities this Caramel Sauce presents. Not only can you make it for your own family and serve it on ice cream or cheesecake – wouldn’t this make a perfect Gift in a Jar?

Why yes, I believe it would.

And then, what if you took it a step further and created a big Ice Cream Sundae Basket to give as a gift? In your basket you could include a jar of this Caramel Sauce, a jar of Homemade Hot Fudge Sauce, a container of nuts, an ice cream scoop, some bowls and spoons – who wouldn’t love to receive this inexpensive, yet thoughtful and fun gift?

Alright, now I’m giddy and need to figure out who I can make an Ice Cream Sundae Gift Basket for.

Here is the very simple – and sort of healthy because at least it doesn’t have corn syrup in it – recipe:

Homemade Caramel SauceYum

2 cups sucanat or brown sugar
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup cream (heavy whipping cream)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Place the sucanat, butter, and cream into a medium sized saucepan.

Cook over medium to high heat until ingredients are melted and well mixed, stirring constantly. Bring mixture to a boil and boil for one minute, while continuing to stir.

Pour mixture into a mixing bowl and add vanilla extract.

Serve immediately or pour into a pint sized jar for a gift. Store in refrigerator and reheat before serving if desired. (This recipe makes one pint jar or two cups of sauce.)

Beyond ice cream, cheesecake, and the Ice Cream Sundae Gift Basket, don’t you think I should come up with some sort of Caramel Swirl Brownie recipe? Or maybe a Turtle Fudge Something or Other? We could even use it as an apple dip I bet!

Homemade_Caramel_Sauce

Interested in giving this as a gift? Here is a fun FREE printable gift tag you can use along with this sauce.

CaramelSauceTag-prev

caramel_dip_with_apples

What do you think? How could you use this Homemade Caramel Sauce?

Heavenly Homemaker's Club Members: Access your homepage and all your fantastic resources here! Not a member yet? Please join us!

Filed Under: Desserts, Holiday Help, Recipes Tagged With: caramel sauce, corn syrup, healthy, HFCS, sucanat

Comments

  1. Rebekah Walden says

    December 6, 2011 at 9:29 pm

    What a great recipe. Can’t wait to try it and I love the gift basket idea. Thanks for such good stuff.

    Reply
  2. Misty says

    December 6, 2011 at 9:31 pm

    I am seeing caramel pop corn in my future!

    Reply
  3. Rebekah Beasley says

    December 6, 2011 at 9:37 pm

    Can you make some type of coffee/cappuccino concoction? That would be yummy!

    Reply
    • Laura says

      December 6, 2011 at 9:54 pm

      Great idea!

      Reply
    • Kim says

      December 7, 2011 at 11:58 am

      Or how about a Starbucks knock off……salted Carmel mocha!!!!!!!

      Reply
  4. Deb says

    December 6, 2011 at 9:39 pm

    I made an apple crisp this fall and put on homemade caramel sauce and I always make chewy caramels at Christmas..I don’t use the mixer though, just stir FOREVER on the stove, then remove from the heat and stir in vanilla……

    Reply
    • Laura says

      December 6, 2011 at 10:10 pm

      I love the idea of drizzling this over apple crisp. :)

      Reply
  5. gayle says

    December 6, 2011 at 9:53 pm

    Laura: I needed a recipe for caramel sauce for guests this Saturday and I find this FB post waiting for me! Question: I always look for unsalted butter (and other products) that does not have “natural flavoring” as an ingredient. I have read many times that “natural flavoring” is code of MSG. Why would better need anything other than cream? I would appreciate your insight on this.

    Reply
    • Laura says

      December 6, 2011 at 9:56 pm

      My guess is that natural flavoring is added because most butter from the store is made from milk from cows that are fed corn. This makes a much less flavorful butter, because grass fed cows produce a rich, yellow, tasty butter! That’s my guess – they’re trying to give it a more “buttery” flavor? Silly.

      Reply
  6. Amanda Canfield says

    December 6, 2011 at 9:59 pm

    I dip graham crackers in caramel sauce.

    Reply
    • Laura says

      December 6, 2011 at 10:10 pm

      Yum.

      Reply
  7. Marsha_M says

    December 6, 2011 at 10:34 pm

    Where was this a couple of months ago when I needed to make some??? The recipe I used burned and tasted terrible…I have much greater hope for this one! Thank you Laura!

    Reply
    • Laura says

      December 7, 2011 at 10:42 am

      I did that before too, when I experimented previously. Burned caramel is just not good. :(

      Reply
  8. Melody says

    December 6, 2011 at 10:38 pm

    That would be good drizzled on top of my Turtle Shells.

    Reply
  9. christina says

    December 6, 2011 at 10:39 pm

    I am thinking a caramel iced coffee with my morning leftover coffee is in my future! Or a frappe..how delicious!

    Reply
  10. Amy C says

    December 6, 2011 at 11:58 pm

    mmmm. so good. I love caramel sauce!

    Reply
  11. Margaret says

    December 7, 2011 at 3:54 am

    OH MY!!! This sound wonderful. I like the popcorn suggestion.And Ice cream, apple crisp, brownies, coffee OH MY!!!

    Reply
  12. Mary says

    December 7, 2011 at 5:34 am

    If you’re still trying to figure out who you can make one of those Ice Cream Sundae Gift Baskets for…. ;-)

    Reply
    • Laura says

      December 7, 2011 at 10:42 am

      :)

      Reply
  13. Kate says

    December 7, 2011 at 7:17 am

    Oooo! You had me at “no corn syrup”! My husband can’t eat corn, which makes LOTS of store-bought things off limits for him. Your recipes are such a blessing, Laura. Thank you!!! :)

    Reply
  14. Cathy B. says

    December 7, 2011 at 7:23 am

    I am so excited to have come across this recipe this morning! I help lead a girls’ group at my church, and for our meeting tomorrow night I’m putting together a hot cocoa bar. I was going to get some caramel sauce to add to the choices for the girls; but when I read the list of ingredients, I just couldn’t do it. Now I can make this! Thank you, thank you, Laura! All of your recipes that I’ve tried so far have been great!

    Reply
  15. sheree says

    December 7, 2011 at 7:40 am

    Can it be canned? Water bath or pressure canned? I would love to make it as gifts but hauling around refridgerated products is a pain because often they are given at a holiday party where there just isn’t room for more than one or two jars in the hosts fridge and the other guests stuff tends to get warm.

    Reply
    • Laura says

      December 7, 2011 at 10:43 am

      I’m really not sure. I don’t think it would work to water bath it as I don’t think it has any acid in it to keep it good – plus it has dairy in it. It may work to pressure cook it, but I don’t have experience with this to tell you if it would work or how it would work!

      Reply
      • Deborah says

        December 29, 2011 at 11:38 am

        Laura, first time seeing your sight. Good job! Just a suggestion. When people ask about canning, have them contact the county extension agency near them. Canning dairy in a pressure canner is VERY difficult because of density. I have been dealing with this for some time and one of my recipes (although I KNOW would sell, unless I would have it done commercially, it would NOT work at home. I wish you well with your posts. Blessings, Deborah

        Reply
  16. Vicki says

    December 7, 2011 at 8:43 am

    carmel sauce is so yummy stirred into coffee with cream! nice sweet treat!

    Reply
  17. Julie Brown says

    December 7, 2011 at 8:48 am

    My question goes along with Sheree’s. This recipe sounds so great! I would LOVE to make one of the gift baskets for my mom/sister/mom-in-law but they love in TX and I’m in MO. Do you think I could make the recipe, ship it, and it still be ok? Or, maybe I could put the dry ingredients in a container with the instructions along with the rest of the gift basket.

    Julie Brown

    Reply
    • Laura says

      December 7, 2011 at 10:44 am

      I’m really not sure about canning it. The water bath method would probably not be okay since it is mostly dairy products. Pressure cooking might work, but I’m not sure because I don’t have experience with it.

      Reply
  18. louise Stenner says

    December 7, 2011 at 9:08 am

    my daughter put me on to this website and I just need to find more hours in the day to do all these wonderful ideas!! overload!this recipe sounds perfect for my neighbours – and I may have to drizzle it on pecan bars nd freeze it for that crunchy topping…thank you!

    Reply
  19. Tami says

    December 7, 2011 at 9:08 am

    Laura, do your recipes, like this yummy Caramel Sauce recipe, have vanilla measurements for the homemade vanilla or store bought vanilla? I have a jar of your friends Jill’s vanilla and I don’t want to add too much! Thanks for the fabulous recipes…I use a lot of them in my home daycare, especially to make homemade snacks for the kids that don’t contain all the crud…..

    Reply
    • Laura says

      December 7, 2011 at 10:44 am

      I always post the “regular” vanilla amount in recipes, and then use half of this amount when I use my homemade vanilla. :)

      Reply
  20. Tara says

    December 7, 2011 at 10:09 am

    I am pretty sure I would just use it with a spoon.

    Reply
    • Laura says

      December 7, 2011 at 10:45 am

      Perfect idea. :)

      Reply
    • BPinTN says

      December 8, 2011 at 5:34 am

      That’s what I was going to say. Just eat it as is! But then you’d have to make more for everyone elelse. No double dipping!

      Reply
  21. Karen says

    December 7, 2011 at 10:32 am

    I do believe this may work for my crack brownies! :) I certainly hope so, because otherwise I make it with the packaged Kraft caramels and evap. milk. I believe I need to make a batch using this recipe and see how it turns out. :) I will let you know and send you a picture!

    Reply
  22. Heather says

    December 7, 2011 at 11:18 am

    How long do you think this would keep in the fridge? I’m assuming it should be refrigerated vs sitting out on the counter since it has dairy…

    Reply
    • Laura says

      December 7, 2011 at 11:26 am

      Yes, it does need to be kept in the fridge, and I’d say it would last 2-3 weeks, maybe?

      Reply
  23. JoannaTopazT says

    December 7, 2011 at 11:36 am

    Caramel corn popcorn, perhaps?

    Reply
  24. Stacy Makes Cents says

    December 7, 2011 at 11:41 am

    Yum! We love caramel sauce up in the Myers house. *Slobber* Bring on the butter challenge!

    Reply
  25. [email protected] says

    December 7, 2011 at 12:27 pm

    My husband will absolutely LOVE this! I am a peanut butter girl, but he’s a caramel man, and I’ve never had much luck with making it. Can’t wait to try this! I found your blog via Stacy of Stacy Makes Cents!

    Reply
  26. Rejoicedover says

    December 7, 2011 at 1:48 pm

    I’m thinking a gift basket — one jar of caramel sauce and one
    Brownie mix in a jar…then they could make their own Turtle brownies!

    Reply
  27. Frieda says

    December 7, 2011 at 3:40 pm

    Thanks for the giveaway. I would love to win this to give to my sister for Christmas!

    Reply
  28. Leanne says

    December 7, 2011 at 8:52 pm

    Carmel sauce in my coffee! I have long thick curly hair…I think this clip would be perfect!

    Reply
  29. Erin says

    December 8, 2011 at 4:08 am

    How about adding a little brandy? Over vanilla ice cream, with almonds…

    Reply
  30. Eddie says

    December 8, 2011 at 4:54 am

    This looks delicious – I probably shouldn’t have read your post before breakfast because now I can’t think of anything else I’d like to eat!

    Reply
  31. allie bruski says

    December 8, 2011 at 8:45 pm

    Thank you!! Can’t wait to try! Looks so pretty

    Reply
  32. Christina says

    December 8, 2011 at 10:15 pm

    Hi Laura,
    this is a silly Q, but what is the pantry/shelf life for carmel sauce? What a great gift idea. Here’s a recipe that I found http://bakedbree.com/pumpkin-salted-caramel-blondies, that I plan on making w/your carmel sauce.

    Reply
    • Laura says

      December 9, 2011 at 3:39 pm

      I’d keep it in the refrigerator since it has so much dairy in it. I would think it should last 2-3 weeks.

      Reply
  33. Cindy says

    December 9, 2011 at 11:49 pm

    I just tried your recipe after a failed attempt of another. Worked great! Very good flavor. I am glad to see a recipe w/o the corn syrup. Yes there is more butter but less cream no real difference except great tasting and easy. Thanks.

    Reply
  34. Staci says

    December 10, 2011 at 9:41 am

    I found a way to eat this for BREAKFAST!!! As I was making waffles a whipped up a batch of this. Then I thinly cut an apple. We put the apples on the waffles, drizzled the caramel sauce on, and had Caramel Apple Waffles for breakfast. It was extremely quiet at the table as everyone was so busy eating.
    Thanks Laura

    Reply
  35. HERITAGE51 says

    December 12, 2011 at 9:57 am

    over ice cream is the best!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    Reply
  36. Allie says

    December 14, 2011 at 2:58 pm

    This recipe is DEEEELICIOUS!!!!!!!! Thank you :)

    Reply
  37. sue says

    December 15, 2011 at 11:42 am

    Hi Laura –

    quick question, please! :) I followed your recipe to the letter, with one exception: I used my Bosch Universal (on highest speed) for 3 minutes to cool the sauce. The caramel popcorn is in the oven now, but the final caramel sauce turned out much thicker than your image. I was not able to pour it in a jar, but instead scooped it. I wonder if I didn’t over-cool it by whipping it on high for 3 minutes…?

    Anyhow, could you elaborate about the speed at which you whipped your sauce? My caramel is delicious, no question, but it’s too thick to be a “sauce.”

    Thanks!

    Reply
    • Laura says

      December 18, 2011 at 9:25 pm

      It does sound like it got whipped too much. Will it thin out if you heat it again? I just whipped it with my hand mixer on medium speed for a 2-3 minutes.

      Reply
      • sue says

        December 18, 2011 at 11:07 pm

        thanks for the insight! It doesn’t seem to re-liquefy by putting the jar in a pan of warm water, so I’m thinking it’s a lost cause. :\

        Ah well. Hopefully those who received our caramel popcorn thought it was delicious, regardless! :)

        Reply
  38. Kathy says

    December 15, 2011 at 11:17 pm

    We just tried this caramel sauce it is so divine! Looking forward to enjoying it some more on popcorn. This is definitely a great gift idea :0)

    Reply
  39. Susan says

    December 19, 2011 at 5:50 pm

    I made this with 2% milk instead of heavy cream and it turned out just fine.

    Reply
  40. Sally says

    December 20, 2011 at 11:47 am

    Can you use this for an apple caramel pie? I would prefer to use one without the corn syrup, plus it looks delicious!

    Reply
    • Laura says

      December 20, 2011 at 12:42 pm

      Sure, think that would work!

      Reply
  41. Katie says

    December 20, 2011 at 12:25 pm

    I just made this and had a similar result as Sue. Mine came out almost like a sugar paste, though it was more liquid before I used the mixer to whip it. I think I’ll try re-heating it and maybe adding some cream. At this point I don’t have much to lose in trying!

    I did double the recipe so I’m wondering if I under or over cooked it possibly.

    Reply
    • Katie says

      December 23, 2011 at 9:58 am

      Just wanted to come back and say that I scrapped my first batch and tried again today. I did a single batch today and it turned out beautifully. And DELICIOUS! I realized that I really cooked the first batch way too long. This time I only let it boil for about 30 seconds.

      I am giving them as gifts – in a “skillet cookie” set with a 6″ Lodge Cast Iron Skillet, A Quart Jar with cookie mix, and the caramel and your hot fudge recipe (the caramel and fudge are half pints).

      Thanks so much for the recipes!

      Reply
  42. Kristy Taylor says

    December 22, 2011 at 7:05 pm

    I’m going to serve this on warm,whole-grain bread pudding. Another use would be drizzled on vanilla yogurt, and then sprinkle with chopped pecans.

    Reply
    • Katie says

      December 23, 2011 at 9:59 am

      Oh yum. Thank you for the yogurt idea!

      Reply
  43. susan says

    December 23, 2011 at 12:49 pm

    Thank You Laura. You saved the day. Just realized I didn’t have a gift for my daddy. He’s getting your Hot Fudge Sauce, Caramel sauce, and a coupon for homemade ice cream for christmas.

    Reply
  44. Sabrina says

    December 24, 2011 at 2:18 pm

    I’m on my third attempt at making your caramel sauce. The first was grainy, the second was lumpy and grainy. Hopefully this batch will work out or I’ll have to go back to the drawing board.

    Reply
    • Sabrina says

      December 24, 2011 at 8:47 pm

      I skipped the vanilla and 3 minutes of mixing and just poured it directly from the pot to the jar and it worked out great.

      Reply
    • Rebecca says

      January 5, 2012 at 9:59 pm

      Ditto on the graininess! Any ideas on what I did wrong?

      Reply
      • Susan says

        October 30, 2015 at 1:08 pm

        Mine turned out super grainy as well. I tried boiling it for an additional minute, but it was still grainy. Anyone get this right have a suggestion? I add a tablespoon of bourbon at the end along with the vanilla-mmmmmm

        Reply
  45. Deborah says

    December 29, 2011 at 11:42 am

    Sorry, tried to post comment, but still kept saying error
    on the page, so will try this method. Anytime someone asks
    about canning it is a good idea to call the county extension
    agency. They told me the reason one of my sauces could not
    be home pressure canned is the fact that it is sooo dense.
    Looking forward to trying your “no corn syrup” caramel sauce.
    Good job on the sight.

    Reply
  46. Sandi Hall says

    January 4, 2012 at 7:40 pm

    I can’t tell you how excited I am to see this recipe! I am allergic to corn- corn syrup, corn starch, dextrose, popcorn, etc. I have to be careful what I buy, so this is a yummy way to enjoy something sweet! Thanks so much!

    Reply
  47. Rebecca says

    January 5, 2012 at 10:00 pm

    If mine turned out grainy, anyone have an idea what I did wrong? Thanks!

    Reply
    • [email protected] says

      January 14, 2012 at 1:28 pm

      I wonder if the brown sugar or sucanat didn’t fully dissolve while it boiled. Maybe try boiling it for just a bit longer next time???

      Reply
  48. Calvin says

    January 11, 2012 at 1:26 pm

    Didn’t have heavy cream so used sweeten condensed milk and 1/3 cup milk. Hmmmmm hmmmm. Nice on icecream. Will be tryin it in coffee. Just pinned your the page.

    Reply
  49. Heather T. says

    January 26, 2012 at 7:46 am

    any idea how it would work on caramel apples, maybe dipped then put in the refrigerator, or do I need to stick to the “caramels” from the store?

    Reply
    • [email protected] says

      February 2, 2012 at 12:34 pm

      I don’t know that it would work as well to caramel apples. It may not
      stick on as thick as the store bought. Refrigeration would help, but if they sat out for any length of time the caramel may all fall off.

      Reply
  50. Joy says

    January 26, 2012 at 8:51 am

    Once this cools and is refrigerated, how thick does it get? Could I just spoon it into my hot coffee without reheating it first?

    Reply
    • [email protected] says

      February 2, 2012 at 12:40 pm

      It should work to just spoon out what you would like to use. :)

      Reply
  51. Jamie says

    January 31, 2012 at 10:21 pm

    O…M…G. I have been searching for one. I miss caramel sauce so very much. Thank you. Can’t wait to try this. I must stop reading recipes at 11:30 at night. It makes me too anxious to start cooking!

    Reply
  52. bonnie sikes says

    February 3, 2012 at 8:23 pm

    i have made five batches of this caramel and have only gotten one correct.. i have followed the steps each time but cant seem to get anymore to be smooth like its supposed to be.. can you please help me??? how can i make every batch smooth and not gritty??? please help…

    Reply
    • bonnie sikes says

      February 3, 2012 at 8:32 pm

      i have tried boiling it for the time on the recipe and also letting it
      boil for alittle longer and ended up last time boiling it for 5 mins
      and it still turned out grainy not smooth… can you tell me what i am
      doing wrong?

      Reply
      • Laura says

        February 8, 2012 at 3:37 pm

        Yikes, I can’t figure out what might be going wrong on this. :( So sorry it’s not working for you!!

        Reply
      • Kaley says

        March 1, 2012 at 9:36 pm

        Try melting the butter before hand and blending the Sucranat in a blender to make it it smooth. No
        t too smooth like confectioners sugar, but to the texture of regular sugar. Hope this helps :)

        Reply
        • bonnie sikes says

          March 2, 2012 at 7:46 pm

          ok ill try that.. thank you.. i had just about given up hope on making it correctly… hope it works..

          Reply
      • blinkme says

        May 21, 2012 at 6:17 pm

        They problem here is that your sugar is crystallizing. That’s why most recipes actually tell you NOT to stir until the sugar gets in the 300 degree range. It’s also why most caramel recipes call for a little bit of corn syrup to prevent crystals from forming. If you don’t want to use corn syrum, try adding a teaspoon or two of cream of tartar instead. Might work.

        Reply
      • Beth says

        November 12, 2012 at 2:32 pm

        Answer to gritty sauce: this is simple to fix. When you are
        dissolving sugar ingredients to make a syrup, make sure ALL the sugar
        is dissolved by heating over medium to low heat before bringing the
        mixture to a boil. Check the sides of your pan for grains of sugar
        as well. This also applies to fudge. BE CAREFUL not to scrape sugar
        that might be on the sides down into your syrup or when you are
        emptying the pan. If you absolutely must scrape the sides of your pan,
        put that part by itself onto another plate.
        Why it happens: when you heat the syrup ingredients, the molecules
        expand and the sugar molecules find cozy places to hide and when the
        syrup cools down, the sugar is tucked in between everything else. BUT
        when the mixture boils before the sugar grains are completely
        dissolved, the sugar molecules doesn’t get to find cozy hiding places
        so they start gathering around the big leftover grains of sugar, and
        poof you end up with grainy syrup, fudge, etc.

        Reply
      • Chris Kindem says

        November 14, 2012 at 10:44 am

        I tried making the caramel sauce before reading other people’s comments and the replies. Consequently, I ended up with gritty sauce. So my question is — is it possible to do anything to the gritty sauce I have already made that will turn it into a creamy sauce? I don’t imagine there is, since the gritty-ness happened during the cooking process and involves molecular structure that has already taken place, but I thought it couldn’t hurt to ask!
        Thanks for your help!

        Reply
        • [email protected] says

          December 14, 2012 at 11:28 am

          I have no idea…I am doubting it will work to do much to it now, but if you wanted to try maybe you could reheat it again and add a little liquid to see if you can get it to dissolve??? It could be worth a try. :)

          Reply
  53. Virginia Brown says

    February 6, 2012 at 5:30 pm

    Amen! I read every night to relax my mind to help me fall asleep, BUT reading recipes does NOT help! :o)

    Reply
  54. Trudi says

    February 7, 2012 at 6:49 pm

    Hi Laura — Bless you for this recipe and the Hot Fudge Sauce recipe! I can’t wait to make them! One question . . . how long can these sauces be stored in the refrigerator? Thanks!!

    Reply
    • [email protected] says

      March 6, 2012 at 10:23 am

      They will keep for about 2 months!

      Reply
      • kim says

        January 26, 2015 at 8:53 pm

        Hahaha, this will not be a question one you make and taste them! ;) mine don’t last very long at all.

        Reply
  55. Meghan says

    February 8, 2012 at 11:35 am

    Laura- Thank you for all the hard work you have done in creating delicious recipes for the world of blog addicts, like myself, to experiment with and use. Like I’ve said before I’m a newly stay at home momma again and I vowed to do things right this time around. With some careful planning and a massive cook day after church on Sundays I’ve managed to stock my freezer & pantry with HEALTHY HOMEMADE goodies that give me the conveniences of boxed foods without all the yucky ingredients!! I can spend more time with my kiddos during the week and still get to soccer practice and gymnastics on time!!! Thank you, thank you, thank you from the bottom of my heart!!!

    BTW- this recipe is DIVINE!!!!

    Reply
  56. Bernadette says

    February 24, 2012 at 12:22 pm

    Just a thought for the caramel sauce being gritty… I have read on other blogs that caramel requires a “heavy bottom pan” so it doesnt scald or something. Maybe it is the pan?

    Reply
  57. Zach says

    April 18, 2012 at 8:46 am

    It was so easy and perfect thank you!!!

    Reply
  58. kentucky Lady 717 says

    April 28, 2012 at 5:07 pm

    Thanks for this recipe….I am making it to put over ice cream….after going to the store to buy some and read all the ingredients that were in it…….I said no way……I will make my own…..I know Laura will have a recipe :) I really wanted BUTTERSCOTCH TOPPING, but this will do……

    Reply
  59. Lisa says

    April 29, 2012 at 2:24 pm

    I didn’t have any cream, so just used whole milk and it turned out fine. My son loves caramel popcorn and had to have it and I wasn’t about to run out to the store. Just thought I’d share.

    Reply
    • Lison Hackett says

      June 6, 2012 at 5:54 am

      Thank you for mentioning whole milk instead . I have no cream and am lactose intolerant . So I will be using lactose free whole milk !!! Can’t wait to try it !

      Reply
  60. Anne Carithers says

    June 7, 2012 at 5:11 pm

    For lactose intolerance, goat milk can help. Since the cream is still in the milk it is thicker than cows milk. I’ve used it in place of cream for homemade ice cream.

    Reply
  61. Becky Hyatt says

    June 15, 2012 at 7:40 am

    ok, so I just made this and i think i would bathe in this stuff – actually no, strike that – then I wouldn’t be able to eat it!

    This stuff is amazing! I followed another reader’s suggestion about blending up the sucanat to more of a powder and the sauce was absolutely perfect – silky smooth and mmmmmmmmm.

    thanks for a great recipe!

    Reply
  62. Kentucky Lady 717 says

    June 20, 2012 at 2:34 pm

    THANK YOU LAURA FOR THIS…I LOVE CARAMEL ON ICE CREAM, WILL DEFINITELY BE MAKING THIS….
    DO YOU KNOW HOW LONG THIS WILL KEEP ?

    Reply
  63. Kentucky Lady 717 says

    June 20, 2012 at 2:39 pm

    Sorry Laura, I just read all the comments and have my answer….and see that I had already commented some time ago……funny I don’t remember seeing this before :) guess I’m having a senior moment :)

    Reply
  64. lazlo rugoff says

    July 23, 2012 at 5:14 am

    Just wondering, could you mix the caramel with a fork as our beater as not at home and we don’t have a beater. Thanks

    Reply
    • Laura says

      July 26, 2012 at 5:34 am

      Yes, I believe you could – it just may take some time and make your arm a little tired. Worth it though for caramel sauce!

      Reply
  65. Kristina says

    August 23, 2012 at 2:16 pm

    Hi!
    I am thankful to have found your blog! You have made cooking with real food easy and simple! We are at the very beginning of our real food journy. I really really really enjoy caramel latte do you think this would work in it?

    thanks a bunch

    Reply
    • Laura says

      August 23, 2012 at 2:47 pm

      Yes, definitely!

      Reply
  66. tiana says

    September 14, 2012 at 6:54 pm

    We got a family full of lactose intolerant people, but this looks yummy.. what can we use as a substitute for the heavy cream that would work out?
    Thanks

    Reply
    • Laura says

      September 17, 2012 at 7:54 pm

      Hmm, off the top of my head I can’t think of what would work in place of the cream in this recipe. If I come up with anything I’ll come back and comment again!

      Reply
      • Laura says

        September 17, 2012 at 7:55 pm

        Ah, I’ve got it! (maybe) How about a can of coconut milk? I bet that would work!

        Reply
  67. Holley Ohar says

    October 11, 2012 at 1:10 pm

    I made this the other night, I used light cream because I didn’t have heavy and I also mixed light and dark brown sugar due to a shortage (it was the middle of the night when I flund this recipe) it sounded so good I had to make it right then! It came out DELICIOUS, TO DIE FOR!!! I was wondering if tbis same recipe could be turned into caramel chews / soft candy by cooking it longer or hotter, I am brand new to making caramel but this one recipe is so good!! Thank you!

    Reply
  68. Linda st. Laurent says

    December 1, 2012 at 6:40 pm

    Hello I was wondering if this has to be refrigerated after you put it into a jar?

    Reply
    • Laura says

      December 1, 2012 at 11:15 pm

      It is best to keep this in the fridge, but if it’s left out for a few hours, it’s no problem.

      Reply
  69. Jaclyn says

    December 2, 2012 at 9:23 am

    Do you think this could be canned (like fresh produce) to be made shelf-stable? If so, how would I do that? Thx, Laura.

    Reply
    • Laura says

      December 3, 2012 at 8:06 pm

      I would imagine so, but you’d have to pressure cook it in this case, and I’m not sure how to do that!

      Reply
  70. Patty says

    December 2, 2012 at 11:06 am

    Is this packed Sucanet or brown sugar or just spooned into measuring cup?

    Reply
    • Laura says

      December 3, 2012 at 8:06 pm

      I just spoon it into a measuring cup. :)

      Reply
  71. Melissa says

    December 2, 2012 at 11:41 am

    I am new to your site and am loving it! The only problem I am having with your “gifts in a jar” series is deciding if I should go ahead and start making some now or wait until the last minute to decide – after I’ve seen all your ideas! How many of these do you plan to post?

    Reply
    • Laura says

      December 3, 2012 at 1:06 pm

      I have 12 to share and plan to share them 12 days in a row. Most of them can be made ahead of time. :)

      Reply
  72. Mona Greer says

    December 2, 2012 at 11:47 am

    Hi Laura, 12/2/12
    Question :) Since several are having problems with the sugar being grainy, could you use powdered sugar and how much ? Just a thought…..
    And I have a recipe for PECAN BARS and it calls for I think 1/2 cup of corn syrup and I don’t want to use corn syrup….could I use 1/2 cup of this caramel sauce instead ? Thanks

    Reply
    • Amy says

      December 3, 2012 at 2:33 am

      Mona: you might try honey in place of the corn syrup (though I’d be game to try the caramel sauce in its place!). I was making homemade marshmallows one time & ran out of my organic corn syrup. My mom suggested substituting with honey & it worked!

      Reply
    • Laura says

      December 3, 2012 at 8:07 pm

      I used honey to make a pecan pie (recipe coming this week!) and it worked great!

      Reply
  73. Jamie Bradshaw says

    December 2, 2012 at 2:40 pm

    Does this need to be refrigerated sealed in the jars for mailing to friends and family across the miles?

    Reply
    • Laura says

      December 3, 2012 at 10:45 pm

      That would probably be a good idea.

      Reply
  74. Melissa Walters says

    December 3, 2012 at 11:26 am

    I made this last night and it turned out amazingly delicious. Smooth and sweet. In answer to some of the problems with grainy.
    Completely melt your butter first in the pan. Allow it to become slightly golden. Add in your cream and finish with your sugar. Do all this at a lower temp and slowly bring up the heat. Stirring with a whisk all the while.
    This recipe is perfect and most of all it does not contain Corn Syrup! Yuck :) Thanks for sharing this.

    Reply
    • dolci says

      April 5, 2014 at 8:45 am

      **FOLLOW THESE INSTRUCTIONS!!**
      Melissa Water’s instructions worked like a charm! I was completely intimidated for nothing. Using a heavy bottom medium sauce pan and grinding the sucanat into powdery consistency first, I followed this word for word and my caramel sauce was thick, creamy and effortless.

      Reply
  75. Mona Greer says

    December 4, 2012 at 3:56 pm

    I am wanting to try this so bad, but don’t want to end up with grainy mixture like some say they are having…….I’m wondering if you could use powdered sugar instead of regular sugar???? As it would dissolve better than white sugar…..but brown sugar should dissolve easy too…..does anyone know ?

    Reply
    • Laura says

      December 4, 2012 at 4:09 pm

      I really don’t think powdered sugar would work for this – it would not give it a caramel taste. I’ve never had trouble with this being grainy, and I’ve used both brown sugar and sucanat. The sugar dissolves with the butter and cream, then you boil it and it is nice and smooth!

      Reply
      • Kimberly says

        December 7, 2012 at 2:24 pm

        To avoid becoming grainy, I very slowly melted the butter, sugar, cream mixture and stayed very patient to melt it as best as I could, and it came out fabulous!

        Reply
  76. Kim Kirkpatrick says

    December 6, 2012 at 6:22 am

    Do you think it would work if you used honey or maple syrup? We do not use use brown sugar or sucanat.

    Reply
    • Laura says

      December 8, 2012 at 9:17 pm

      I’m really not sure since I’ve never tried it. Maybe cut the recipe in half to give it a try with honey and see if it works?

      Reply
      • Stephanie says

        July 25, 2013 at 10:36 pm

        I would love to know if the Honey or maple syrup sub worked.
        We don’t use brown sugar or sucanat either.

        Reply
        • Laura says

          July 26, 2013 at 7:18 am

          Yes, you could use honey or maple syrup. I’d go with 3/4 cup.

          Reply
  77. Erika Carlson says

    December 14, 2012 at 11:26 am

    Mine was smooth until it cooled…ideas? Im trying again lower heat to melt longer b4 boiling…any ideas?

    Reply
    • Laura says

      December 17, 2012 at 5:39 pm

      I’m not sure – mine has always stayed smooth after cooling. My guess is that it maybe got overcooked, so it crystalized a little bit?

      Reply
  78. Rachel Olson says

    December 14, 2012 at 3:10 pm

    Thank you! We just made this to go with apples. We just finished reading an Amelia Bedelia book where she made carmel apples for the school children. Fun spontaneous activity!

    Reply
  79. Jeanine says

    December 15, 2012 at 10:31 pm

    I made 3 batches tonite and YUM!!!! poured it over popcorn for gift boxes! turned out perfectly!

    Reply
  80. Amy H says

    January 3, 2013 at 7:32 pm

    Delicious caramel sauce! Mine came out perfect. I put it into 2 pint jars and am going to share with with my neighbor!!!

    Reply
  81. Nadene says

    January 4, 2013 at 6:13 pm

    I made a dairy free version using canned coconut milk and coconut oil. Turned out so yummy!

    Reply
  82. Susan Parker says

    January 4, 2013 at 11:58 pm

    Have you ever used (or heard of Wheylow? I know some peole, even diabetics who use this. I don’t know what sucanant is, but no I can not handle Slenda (severe headaches for 3-4 hours when taken). I tried Wheylow at a friend’s house, and some deserts she made, and there wasn’t any artificial taste or aftertaste…tasted sweet and god like sugar. Just don’t know much about substitutes for white or brown sugar (grew up with that, and still use in many recipes).

    Here is link (also know they now sell Wheylow at Whole Foods…

    http://www.wheylow.com/Articles.asp?ID=252

    Hope you can help me, so I can serve my family less sugar and something healthier.

    Susan

    Reply
    • Laura says

      January 8, 2013 at 10:26 pm

      I’ve not heard of it, but if it’s an artificial sweetener, I’d avoid it. Sucanat is cane sugar, just unprocessed so conatains more nutrients. Splenda is aritficial so I do not use it. :)

      Reply
  83. [email protected] says

    January 5, 2013 at 10:56 am

    Can you use regular milk if you don’t have heavy cream? Love me some caramel :)

    Reply
    • [email protected] says

      January 31, 2013 at 4:53 pm

      Yes! Just use slightly less milk.

      Reply
  84. AircaCox says

    February 10, 2013 at 11:30 am

    I make something very similar to this but as a caramel dip. Instead of cream or milk. I add a bar of softened cream cheese.

    Reply
  85. Adrienne says

    February 13, 2013 at 8:34 pm

    I made this tonight with Vanilla flavored almond milk instead of cream. It came out a little thinner than I’d have liked, but it tastes wonderful!

    Reply
  86. Birding Bunch says

    March 6, 2013 at 10:44 am

    This sounds great. I was looking to avoid corn syrup, though I have some to use up :( I’d like it a squeezable consistency right from the fridge. If I place this in a squeeze bottle, will it be too hard to get out?

    Besides ice cream and other desserts, I’ve come to enjoy caramel syrup in my morning coffee. Tastes as good as from the fancy coffee shops. :)

    Reply
    • Laura says

      March 13, 2013 at 4:09 pm

      After being refrigerated, I think that it would be too thick to get out of a squeeze bottle. :)

      Reply
  87. Misty M. says

    July 12, 2013 at 11:55 am

    I don’t use regular sugar at all I like truvia, stevia or xylitol on occation. Do you think that could be subbed in place of the sugar?

    Reply
    • [email protected] says

      July 22, 2013 at 10:12 am

      I am sure it would be worth a try, I just have no idea on what the substitution measurements would be for that. :)

      Reply
  88. weddingdance says

    August 24, 2013 at 1:20 pm

    Hi, new to your blog, just had a craving for caramel corn and don’t have any corn syrup handy, so stopped by. What’s wrong with corn syrup? I see a lot of people saying it’s yucky. Is it bad for you? Thanks,

    Reply
    • Laura says

      August 26, 2013 at 3:10 pm

      It is bad for us. Here is an article that explains it better than I could: http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2007/07/10/how-high-fructose-corn-syrup-damages-your-body.aspx

      Reply
      • weddingdnace says

        August 27, 2013 at 9:01 am

        Ah, I see, thanks! I’m kind of a ‘whole foods’ gal, hardly any processed food (except marshmallow Fluff!) so only use corn syrup in cooking, and one bottle lasts me about five years. I’ll bet there’s a lot ‘hidden’ in food that has labels on it. Thanks again!

        Reply
  89. Mona G. says

    August 26, 2013 at 7:10 pm

    I have made CARAMEL SAUCE twice and it came out perfect both times…..after being in the fridge, it is so thick you have to spoon it out….I just take 2 tsps. out , heat in microwave and pour over ice cream….also tried a tsp. in cooked oatmeal for breakfast one morning :)

    This was Pioneer Woman’s recipe tho. haven’t tried Laura’s recipe yet, but will…..just hate getting mixer out….and with this recipe you don’t need mixer…..

    Reply
  90. Kay says

    September 13, 2013 at 5:33 pm

    Gosh! THIS WAS DELICIOUS caramel sauce. Thank you for sharing the recipe!! It made my whole night.

    Reply
  91. Ellen says

    September 30, 2013 at 7:09 pm

    Why didn’t my caramel sauce get a nice caramel color? The taste is great, but no color!

    Reply
    • Laura says

      October 1, 2013 at 1:25 pm

      Not sure. Glad it tastes good though!

      Reply
  92. Cynthia says

    October 23, 2013 at 8:31 pm

    Laura, have you ever tried using this to make caramel
    apples? We are going to give it a try this week!
    Thank you and God Bless,
    Cynthia

    Reply
    • Cynthia says

      October 24, 2013 at 6:32 pm

      FYI… I read through all the comments and just made the caramel sauce! WHAT a HIT!! We mad caramel apples and the kids LOVE them! Thank you so much!
      ~Cynthia

      Reply
  93. Danielle says

    November 7, 2013 at 9:37 am

    Pinned that one Laura!

    Reply
  94. sonja says

    November 24, 2013 at 6:07 pm

    Tried this recipe and it was excellent!i love the fact that the ingredients are all natural

    Reply
  95. Aly says

    December 29, 2013 at 6:40 pm

    Tried this on a whim, very pregnant and needed carmel. It is amazing and sooo easy! It turned out great! I am making this for neighborhood gifts!

    Reply
  96. katya says

    January 25, 2014 at 2:42 am

    You say to keep it refrigerated. Will it harden in the fridge or will it stay liquidy?

    Reply
    • Laura says

      January 25, 2014 at 3:42 pm

      It will thicken some, and need to be reheated before using it. :)

      Reply
  97. Arlene Mullen says

    May 27, 2014 at 9:32 am

    Love this caramel sauce! We have used to to make the caramel covered popcorn. Also we have used to to make homemade creamer. We mix half &half, milk, your caramel sauce and what ever flavoring you want. It is amazing.

    Reply
  98. Heidi says

    September 15, 2014 at 10:58 pm

    Hi Laura,
    Have you tried this caramel for making caramel apples? I also wondered if your hot fudge would work for that also. Thank you in advance! : ))

    Reply
    • [email protected] says

      November 17, 2014 at 9:46 am

      I am not sure how well those would “set up” however it would be a delicious dip for apples! The hot fudge would be delicious to dip in as well!

      Reply
  99. Rebekah says

    September 28, 2014 at 6:50 pm

    I thought the recipe used to say that you were supposed to beat it for several minutes after cooking.

    Reply
    • [email protected] says

      November 17, 2014 at 9:45 am

      It did! Laura discovered that it was an unnecessary step and edited the post. :)

      Reply
  100. Angel says

    August 13, 2015 at 9:15 am

    http://www.foodnetwork.com/videos/hittin-the-caramel-sauce-0133020.html

    Reply
  101. Tracy Reagin says

    June 5, 2016 at 10:16 am

    I’d try it on my Apple Pie…it’s got to be Yummy there. I was so glad to see I already have all these ingredients except for one. As I don’t Shop on Sundays (so we don’t cause Other people to work) I’ll get to the grocery store tomorrow and get my vanilla extract. I’ll let you know how we like this sauce too! Thanks for the recipe!

    Reply
  102. K says

    December 18, 2016 at 3:15 am

    I was looking for a caramel sauce for homemade caramel apple cupcakes. This should do very nicely.

    Reply
  103. Dana Delaney says

    May 20, 2020 at 1:31 pm

    I made this last night…after reading your 2020 post about caramel popcorn. While I can’t eat it (dairy issues), my daughter and picky husband gave the popcorn a 9.5/10!! Hubby actually asked for less sugar in the caramel.
    It was even good enough to share with friends who reported gobbling up within minutes!

    Reply
    • Bethany Lotulelei says

      May 21, 2020 at 10:37 am

      Yay! So glad your family and friends loved it!

      -Bethany (HH Team)

      Reply
  104. Dana Delaney says

    May 21, 2020 at 5:39 pm

    I made it again today – this time dairy free! And it worked!! I used Coconut Cream (not milk) and Country Crock Plant “butter”.
    I am so happy I can have some too!

    Reply
  105. Rose says

    December 20, 2020 at 1:40 pm

    When I made this I used brown sugar. It turned out grainy, like the sugar never completely melted. So I bought a better brand of brown sugar and still had the issue of it being grainy. I was wondering how to avoid the grainy texture? Other than that it tastes great. Thank you

    Reply
    • Bethany Lotulelei says

      December 27, 2020 at 7:41 am

      Oh no! The grainy texture is caused from the sugar crystallizes when it sloshes up against the side of the pan. The best way to avoid this is not to stir it too vigorously, and to shake the pan a bit to keep it from burning. If it does start becoming grainy, you can always add a bit more water (to dissolve the crystals) and heat it up again. Hope that helps!

      -Bethany (Laura’s assistant)

      Reply

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