3-Ingredient Homemade Caramel Sauce
This simple 3-ingredient homemade caramel sauce is a versatile topping or ingredient to use on and in many sweet desserts. Drizzle it over ice cream, the cream in your hot chocolate (or dessert coffee), pancakes and waffles, baked apples, your Thanksgiving apple pie, or use it as an ingredient in baked recipes that call for caramel sauce like in brownies and oatmeal carmelitas You only need sugar, butter, and cream. Add vanilla and spices for extra flavor!
Servings: 1 cup
Ingredients
- 200 g (1 cup) granulated sugar
- 85 g (6 tbsp) butter salted or unsalted
- 1.5 g (¼ tsp) salt add only if using unsalted butter
- 119 ml (½ cup) heavy whipping cream
Optional Additions
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ -1 tbsp holiday spice pumpkin pie spice, apple pie spice, gingerbread spice, or cinnamon
Instructions
- Set up your “mise en place” by having all ingredients measured out and near the stove. Heat sugar in a medium to large saucepan on medium heat. Sugar will begin to melt within a few minutes. Stir or whisk consistently using a wooden or metal utensil. Lower heat as needed to prevent burning. Continue stirring until all sugar has melted.TIPS: Any sugar on edge of pan will stick and only come off when washed. Try to keep sugar off the pan edges. No worries if it sticks.
- Add in butter (and salt, if using unsalted butter) and whisk until melted.TIP: The sauce will bubble and boil when adding the butter and cream, but it will settle again once the additions are incorporated.
- Immediately remove saucepan from heat. After only 5 seconds off the heat, slowly pour in the cream while whisking consistently. Continue to whisk until the sauce is smooth. Pour sauce into a heat-proof jar or bowl. Serve as desired and enjoy.
Video
Notes
Storage Suggestions
Allow the sauce to cool completely before storing it. Cover the sauce and store it in the fridge for a week or two. You can reheat the sauce as desired over the stove or in the microwave. Once the sauce is made, you can also use it in a recipe that calls for caramel sauce like in oatmeal carmelitas.
Usage Suggestions
Caramel sauce is clearly a perfect topping for ice cream or a banana split. Drizzle it over homemade bread pudding, the cream in your hot chocolate (or dessert coffee), pancakes and waffles, baked apples, your Thanksgiving apple pie, or use it as an ingredient in baked recipes that call for caramel sauce such as in brownies and oatmeal carmelitas like in my chocolate and cherries caramel oat bars (recipe coming next).