Making Caramel Sauce From Scratch Will Make You Feel Like A Boss (2024)

Making homemade caramel can seem daunting. After all, boiling hot sugar and the worry of scorching can seem scary at first. But we promise you it is truly so straightforward, especially when you follow these tips (and check out the step-by-step photos below).

What is caramel?

Caramel comes in a few shapes and sizes, there's the transparent amber syrup that hardens as it cools and is great for decoration, there's the glossy, drizzle-able sauce that graces the top of a classic sundae, and there's the chewy, sugary, parchment wrapped confection that you might find in your grandmother's purse. All equally delicious and made from sugar that’s been heated until it starts to well…caramelize.

So then, what is dulce de leche?

Great question. Dulce de leche is made in a similar fashion but with milk and sugar as opposed to water and sugar. It's super easy to do with a can of sweetened condensed milk.

What's the difference between dry caramel and wet caramel?

Dry caramel is made from melting only sugar while wet sugar is made from a combination of water, sugar, and salt. The addition of water helps the sugar melt more evenly than it would with a dry caramel but wet caramels can be more prone to crystallization. Crystallization happens when the sugar crystals start to want to reform after being melted into the water, making for a grainy caramel, rather than a smooth and silky one. To help avoid crystallization, after you combine the sugar, salt, and water there's a bit of hands-on work: you want to whisk it occasionally until you're confident the sugar is fully dissolved. Then, keep a close eye on the sugar-water mixture as it cooks into a pretty golden color but avoid stirring it any further! Extra stirring will cause the caramel to coat the sides of the saucepan and create sugar crystals. If those start to form, use a pastry brush dipped in water to brush the inside walls of the saucepan where the sugar has started to crystalize. To keep the sugar mixture moving, swirl the pan instead of stirring.

My caramel is grainy! How do I fix it?

The first step is to not panic. While avoiding the crystals in the first place is always preferred, if you do start to see some crystals form, add a tablespoon of water at a time and stir gently until the crystals dissolve again.

Do I need a candy thermometer?

OK, so here's the cold hard truth: No—I've eyeballed caramel many times—but it will reduce your stress. Caramel goes from a nice and silky texture to...well...toffee (!) in a matter of a minute or two, so it's super important to monitor the temperature. If you don't monitor the temperature with a candy thermometer, your other option is to do the color test.

How do I know when the caramel is ready to turn off the heat?

Here's the easiest way to always remember when it's done: You want the mixture to be a deeply golden color that resembles a copper penny. Once you see that, turn off the heat!

How does it become creamy?

After the sugar-water mixture is cooked to the right color, the caramel is removed from the remove it from the heat and stir in butter and heavy cream—this is what transforms it into the gooey, spoonablecaramel sauce you know and love. Be careful! The sugar mixture will be VERY hot and this mixture always bubbles up, so use caution.

Can I taste the caramel?

Sugar melts at around 366°, which means that it gets far hotter than boiling water and can be very dangerous to work with if you're not careful. That said, do NOT stick your fingers anywhere near the caramelized sugar and fight any urge to lick hot caramel from a spoon.

Can I turn this into salted caramel?

Absolutely! Just whisk in 1/2 tsp of salt once your caramel is finished. Want other flavors? You can add things like a 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon, vanilla extract, or even miso paste for an extra rich and slightly salty kick.

How long does homemade caramel last?

You can store it in a jar for up to 2 weeks in your refrigerator. You can also freeze the caramel for up to 3 months.

What should I use caramel sauce on?

Um, everything. Apple Crisp, Pumpkin Chocolate Cheesecake, Apple Pie. Or, TBH, we like to eat it straight from the jar with a spoon.

If you've made this recipe, we'd love to know how you liked it—be sure to leave us a comment and rating down below!

Editor's Note: This recipe intro was updated with new information on April 14, 2022.