Quick & Easy Homemade Caramel Sauce Recipe

This easy homemade caramel sauce recipe has 5 simple ingredients that you probably already have in your pantry and fridge! This easy caramel recipe is a creamy, buttery homemade caramel sauce that has SO many yummy uses. Use this caramel sauce to top your favorite latte, make caramel apples, top a sundae or even serve over your favorite dessert!

A mason jar full of homemade caramels sauce, with a bowl of fresh apples, ready to be sliced and dipped! — Cut apple slices and dip them in homemade caramel sauce for a quick treat to satisfy that sweet tooth!

Easy Caramel Sauce Recipe

It isn’t fall without the sweet and tangy combination of apples and caramel sauce! Once you see how simple it is to make your own rich and creamy caramel sauce at home, you’ll never buy it in the store again!

This easy caramel sauce recipe:

Makes 2 ½ cups
Prep Time: 2 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes

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"Quick — It’s so easy to make caramel sauce at home from 5 simple ingredients!

Ingredients Needed for Homemade Caramel Sauce

Instructions to Make Homemade Caramel Sauce

Small saucepan, full of cream, brown sugar, and butter. — Homemade caramel makes the cutest seasonal gift!

Step 1

In a saucepan, combine brown sugar, butter, salt and heavy whipping cream.

Simmering brown sugar, butter, and cream to make caramel. — Be sure to stir consistently, to keep it from sticking to the bottom of the pot.

Step 2

Bring to boil and cook stirring constantly for 5-7 minutes or until thickened.

Caramel, cooking in a saucepan, with a spatula. — Resist the urge to dip an apple slice in just yet–this caramel is HOT! {giggle}

Step 3

Remove from heat and stir in vanilla extract.

A spoon drizzling fresh caramel sauce into a pan. — All that’s missing is a few scoops of ice cream, whipped cream, chocolate sauce, and a cherry!

Step 4

Let cool slightly.

Mason jar, full of caramel sauce, with apples in the background. — Caramel sauce is a fall staple! It goes with all of my favorite apple desserts!

Step 5

Add to jar or container with lid.

Close up shot of fresh caramel sauce being spooned out of a jar. — So good you could eat it by the spoon full!

How to Serve Homemade Caramel Sauce

Serve immediately or store in refrigerator for up to 2 weeks in airtight sealed container.

A jar of caramel beside a granny smith apple. — In order to extend your caramel’s life, be sure to store in an airtight container in the fridge.

How to Re-Heat Caramel Sauce

To reheat, cook for 30 seconds in a microwave safe bowl. Stir and heat for an additional 10 seconds or longer if necessary.

A slice of fresh apple pie, topped with vanilla ice cream and caramel sauce. — You can top almost any dessert with caramel!

The Best way to store homemade caramel sauce

For optimum freshness, store caramel sauce in an airtight container (a mason jar is perfect) in the fridge.

Quick & Easy Homemade Caramel Sauce Recipe — This caramel recipe is handy for last-minute gatherings, because it’s so easy to make!

HOW LONG DOES HOMEMADE CARAMEL SAUCE KEEP FOR?

Caramel sauce will keep for up to two weeks if it has been refrigerated.

Is Caramel gluten free or dairy free?

This caramel sauce recipe IS gluten free! Just double check that your vanilla extract is gluten free. Always check ingredient labels to be safe.

If you want to make dairy free caramel sauce, replace traditional butter with a vegan butter, and swap out the heavy cream for a vegan option, like Silk dairy free heavy whipping cream.

Prep Time
2 minutes

Cook Time
10 minutes

Total Time
12 minutes

Ingredients

2 cups light brown sugar, packed
1 cup heavy whipping cream
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
¼ teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons vanilla extract

Instructions

In a saucepan, combine brown sugar, butter, salt and heavy whipping cream.
Bring to boil and cook stirring constantly for 5-7 minutes or until thickened.
Remove from heat and stir in vanilla extract.
Let cool slightly.
Add to jar or container with lid.
Serve immediately or store in refrigerator for up to 2 weeks in airtight sealed container.
To reheat, cook for 30 seconds in a microwave safe bowl. Stir and heat for an additional 10 seconds or longer if necessary.

Best Recipes To Top With Homemade caramel Sauce

Here are some of our favorite drinks and dishes that are made WAY better with a buttery caramel sauce topping:

What is the first thing you are going to top with your homemade caramel sauce?