Creamy, easy to make and delicious homemade caramel sauce is perfect for ice cream, cake or a great apple dip. Easy ingredients and less than 10 minutes to make, this sauce will become a favorite at your home. Enjoy!
Have you ever made homemade caramel sauce before? I have attempted, but never quite like this. This recipe does not use a candy thermometer.
Yes, that's right. Can you believe it?
I use candy thermometers, I'm not afraid them but let's be real. If you can not use one, then that is recipe I want, how about you??
This caramel sauce can be used with apples, ice cream or on cakes. A fall recipe would definitely shine with this sauce as a topping or side. Like this One Bowl Applesauce Cake.
Like caramel popcorn? Try: Homemade Caramel Popcorn
Ingredients
The ingredients are simple and short:
- Butter
- White sugar
- Buttermilk
- Syrup
- Baking soda
- Vanilla
Only six ingredients and you have rich, creamy caramel topping.
Instructions
When making this sauce, what confuses most people is the fact it doesn't look like sauce AT ALL for the entire time cooking.
What is does look like is a bunch of foam and bubbles that doesn't resemble the color of caramel.
That is okay!
Somehow, in the art of cooking, this:
will turn into caramel. The butter, sugar and syrup will work hand in hand to produce the sweet goodness you want on your ice cream.
Why baking soda?
The baking soda adds air bubbles to the buttery sugar mixture and helps the caramel have the light, delicate texture.
Why butter?
The butter helps the caramel to be easy to chew and adds to the flavor of the caramel.
It is also important to melt the butter completely before adding the other ingredients. Make sure you melt the butter on medium/low heat, stirring occasionally. You don't want to burn the butter.
Do I have to use buttermilk?
No! I rarely have buttermilk around the house. So instead, I used ¾ cup of milk (1% or 2% works fine) plus 1 teaspoon of vinegar. Be sure to let the milk/vinegar mixture sit for a couple of minutes. Yes, it will look a little odd. Yes, that is perfectly normal.
Why is the vanilla added last?
The vanilla is added last because you don't want to loose the flavor of the vanilla. Vanilla evaporates as it is boiled and the flavor will leave if added too soon. So when it is added last with the heat off, the flavor will remain in the caramel.
Storage
To store the sauce, I like to use small canning jars. Then I just use the canning jar lids. If you don't have any jars, you can use an airtight container.
The caramel needs to be stored in the refrigerator. It can remain in the fridge for up to 3 weeks, covered.
Reheat
If your caramel seems to be a bit hard for what you would like to use it for, try stirring it a few times in the container. You may need to heat the caramel up in the microwave (make sure it is a microwave safe container) for up to a minute. Then stir the caramel.
This caramel sauce is easy to make, doesn't require a candy thermometer and is the perfect topping for your fall treats. (Or ice cream anytime!)
Pin for later!
Homemade Caramel Sauce
Ingredients
- ½ cup butter use butter not margarine
- 1 ½ cup white sugar
- ¾ cup buttermilk can use milk with 1 teaspoon vinegar
- 2 Tablespoon corn syrup
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoon vanilla
Instructions
- Melt butter in large saucepan on medium heat, stirring occasionally
- When butter is completely melted, stir in sugar, milk, syrup and baking soda
- Bring to boil over medium heat
- Continue to boil and stir for 7 minutes, stirring constantly
- Remove from heat and add vanilla
- Let cool for 5 minutes then pour into containers, I like using small canning jars
- Leaving the lid off, place in refrigerator for up to an hour so the caramel can loosely harden. Place lid on caramel after 1 hour
- Serve over cake, ice cream or with apples
Did you make this recipe? Let me know!