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Thick Caramel Sauce – Rich and Buttery

A thick caramel sauce recipe that makes a deliciously buttery caramel sauce.

A quick caramel sauce recipe is a staple for desserts. A jar of thick caramel sauce in the fridge at all times is a lifesaver when it comes to making delicious sweet treats. It can be used in so many ways.

This recipe shows how to make a basic caramel sauce. If you prefer a salty caramel recipe, it’s as simple as adding extra salt at the end. This sauce takes less than 15 minutes to make.

a spoon with thick caramel sauce in a jar

The Ingredients

There are only 4 ingredients in this recipe. This is a caramel sauce with white sugar.

Sugar – A granulated white sugar is needed. This is cooked slowly over medium heat until it melts and turns amber brown.  

Butter + Cream – The butter and cream give the caramel sauce flavor and a silky smooth texture. Ensure this is at room temperature so it doesn’t splatter too much when being added to the melted sugar.

Salt – A pinch to add a depth of flavor, or add more to make a salted caramel sauce. 

Dry caramel

This caramel is made using a dry caramel method. This means sugar is melted slowly, without the addition of water until it becomes amber brown and caramelized.

Wet caramel is when sugar is melted alongside a little bit of water.

A dry caramel method is faster than wet caramel and it’s a little easier and gives the best results. It can also be stirred with a wooden spoon or whisk, which you can’t do with a wet caramel method.

Stirring a wet caramel causes sugar crystals to form on the side of the pot which can make a gritty caramel sauce. Dry caramel is easy and fast BUT it does need close attention because it can burn very quickly.

Method

The first step is to set out the ingredients needed. Measure and set aside the butter cubes and the heavy cream. 

In a deep, medium saucepan over low to medium heat, melt the sugar. Stir it gently with a wooden spoon or heatproof spatula while it melts. It will first clump together, then gradually melt into an amber-brown liquid. 

caramel sauce

Don’t turn the heat up high or let it cook for too long or the sugar will burn and the caramel will be bitter.

Once melted, switch to using a whisk and add in the cubes of butter. Start whisking straightway while you do this and don’t stop until all the butter has melted. It will form a thick caramel but initially, the mixture may look like it has split.

a whisk stirring sugar

Once the butter has completely melted into the sugar, pour in the cream and keep whisking. Take extra care here as the cream will make the caramel bubble and rise. Whisk it and let it keep cooking until it turns into a runny and deep brown caramel sauce.

It may look split initially as the cream hits the hot caramel, but just keep whisking. Afterward, take it off the heat and stir in the salt.

Leave the sauce to cool for 5 minutes, then pour it into a clean jar. It will thicken up into a thick caramel sauce as it cools down. If you want a pourable caramel sauce, don’t let it cool down completely.

a jar of caramel sauce

How to store the sauce

Store the caramel sauce in a sealed jar in the refrigerator for up to a month. It will thicken up considerably once cooled but it can be gently rewarmed when needed to make it liquid again. 

You can scoop some of the thickened caramel into a small bowl and place it over a larger bowl of boiled water. Let it gently warm up and soften.

Caramel sauce can be frozen too, for up to three months.

a spoon drizzling caramel sauce

How to use caramel sauce.

There are so many ways to use homemade caramel sauce.

a spoon with thick caramel sauce in a jar
a jar of caramel sauce

Thick Caramel Sauce

Yield: 200ml
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 8 minutes
Total Time: 13 minutes

An easy and thick caramel sauce recipe.

Ingredients

  • 200g (1 cup) granulated white sugar
  • 85g (6 Tbsp ) butter, room temperature, cut into cubes
  • 125ml (½ cup) heavy cream, room temperature
  • ¼ - 1 tsp salt

Instructions

  1. Measure and set aside the butter cubes and the pouring cream.
  2. In a medium saucepan over low to medium heat, add the sugar. Stir it gently with a wooden spoon or heatproof spatula while it melts. It will first clump together, then gradually melt into an amber brown liquid. Don't turn the heat up high or let it cook for too long or the sugar will burn and the caramel will be bitter.
  3. Once it has all melted, switch to using a whisk and add in the cubes of butter, two cubes at a time. Start whisking straightway while you do this and don't stop until all the butter has melted. It will form a thick caramel.
  4. Once the butter has completely melted into the sugar, pour in the cream and keep whisking. Take extra care here as the cream will make the caramel bubble and rise. It may also split the caramel as the cream hits the hot sugar. Keep on whisking and cooking it until it forms a smooth and runny deep brown caramel sauce.
  5. Afterwards it off the heat and stir in the salt. If making regular caramel sauce, add ¼ tsp salt. For salted caramel sauce, add 1 teaspoon.
  6. Leave the sauce to cool for 5 minutes, then pour it into a clean jar. It will thicken up as it cools down.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 10 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 72Total Fat: 8gSaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 22mgSodium: 114mgCarbohydrates: 0gFiber: 0gSugar: 0gProtein: 0g

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27 Comments

  1. Thank you for this recipe. I’m looking for the US equivalent of pouring cream. What is fat content of pouring cream?

  2. How many cups of butter (imperial measure please) also can this recipe recipe be doubled? Sorry about the duplicate also noticed that the sugar is listed in cups

    1. Heya I don’t recommend doubling the recipe as a larger amount of sugar can be harder to melt and caramelise properly. I would do it in two lots.
      I don’t work a lot using imperial measurements but google says a cup of butter is around 227g, so this recipe needs a bit more than 1/3 cup.

  3. I was a bit afraid of cooking dry sugar, thinking I would burn it, but I am so glad I tried it. This was easy and amazing!

  4. Hi
    Do you know if this sauce would be suitable to make caramel apples please or would it be too runny?
    I’m trying to find a homemade recipe

  5. Hi! I feel like I could never get all the clumps melted because clumps kept falling off the spatula and sides of the pan. And then no matter how much a whisked, caramel either burned or just stuck to the bottom around the edge of the pan. What am I doing wrong?

    1. Hey Mia, you might need to turn down the heat a bit in order to get all the clumps to dissolve evenly before they burn. Using a thick bottomed saucepan can help too, to distribute the heat better

  6. Hi, I would like to make this soon but I am not sure what kind of salt I should be using?
    I know this question might sound silly but I am wondering since different salts have different “saltiness” levels.
    What kind should I use? Kosher? Sea salt?
    Thank you in advance.

  7. ca you use this to fill chocolates? please reply to email get confused being a senior thankyou

  8. Hi 🙂
    Does this work if added to Buttercream to make a Caramel Icing or would it be too thick?
    Thanks in advance x

    1. That definitely works and it’s delicious! If it does get too thick in the fridge, gently warm it to soften it and then let it cool to room temperature before adding to the buttercream.

  9. I make brownies with a layer of caramel in the middle, the recipe calls for store bought caramels to be melted with heavy cream… I’ve been using another homemade caramel recipe trying different variations but the caramel doesn’t stay separate, it usually gets absorbed in the top lay of batter once I pour it on, well, during the baking process, so I’m hoping this thicker version will avoid that… any suggestions welcome!

  10. Although I could Google it…..it would be helpful if the butter measurement was done in cup/tablespoon ( as the other ingredients ) not just grams.

  11. This caramel sauce is amazing! I do add a tsp of vanilla after it comes off the heat and this is the best recipe for dry caramel method! I like stirring so this method is much more compatible with my style than wet caramel. Thanks

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