Easy Caramel Sauce (Printable Version)
Rich and silky caramel sauce ready in 15 minutes. Perfect for drizzling over desserts.
# What You'll Need:
→ Main Ingredients
01 - 1 cup granulated sugar
02 - 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into cubes
03 - 1/2 cup heavy cream, room temperature
04 - 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt (optional, for salted caramel)
05 - 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract (optional)
# How to Make It:
01 - In a medium, heavy-bottomed saucepan, heat the sugar over medium heat. Stir constantly with a heat-resistant spatula or wooden spoon as the sugar melts, clumps, and then turns into a golden-brown liquid.
02 - Once all the sugar has melted and the caramel reaches a deep amber color, carefully add the butter cubes. The mixture will bubble vigorously—keep stirring until the butter is completely melted and incorporated.
03 - Slowly pour in the heavy cream while stirring. The mixture will bubble up again; continue to stir until smooth and fully combined.
04 - Remove from heat. Stir in the salt and vanilla extract if using.
05 - Allow the sauce to cool for 10–15 minutes before using. The caramel will thicken as it cools.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- Takes less than 15 minutes from start to finish with just four basic ingredients
- Transforms plain vanilla ice cream into restaurant quality dessert
- Keeps for weeks so you can drizzle it over everything from apple slices to morning coffee
02 -
- Caramel goes from perfect to burned in seconds so have all ingredients measured and ready before you start
- The mixture will bubble aggressively when adding butter and cream, so use a larger saucepan than you think necessary
- If your caramel seizes into hard lumps, keep stirring over low heat until it melts back into smooth sauce
03 -
- Use a light colored stainless steel or light aluminum pan so you can accurately judge the caramel color
- Work in a dry kitchen since even a drop of water can cause sugar to seize up into crystals