Homemade salted caramel adds the perfect balance of sweet and salty to drinks, desserts, and more! You just need sugar, butter, half & half, and salt.
When it comes to specialty lattes, there’s an invisible line separating those who love pumpkin spice from those who love salted caramel.
Apparently, you can’t love both.
Personally, I’m more of a pumpkin fan. I could take or leave salted caramel (and I usually leave it).
I will admit though, that while I’m not a big fan of salted caramel on a spoon, just add it to my food and it’s a completely different story. Scoop some into my coffee with splash of half and half and I’ll make the stuff disappear lickety split! It’s like a hot cup of heaven!
These days I have a hard time even finding salted caramel drinks in the fall, and what if I want to enjoy a salted caramel mocha in April?
My cup of salted caramel coffee was so good, it would have been a severe injustice not to share the recipe with the frugal folks who enjoy their salted caramel lattes and don’t enjoy paying big bucks for them.
So here it is, a homemade caramel sauce recipe in its full glory.
HOMEMADE SALTED CARAMEL SAUCE
Before we get started, there’s a negative stigma associated with making caramel and candies and such – and rightly so. Cooking with sugar can be dangerous, scary, and finicky. Clear the kids out of the kitchen, wear long sleeves (trust me on that one), and do not multi-task while making caramel!
Read the directions in their entirety, twice, and have all ingredients on hand before you begin. Homemade caramel is NOT impossible, but it requires your full attention. Once you make it – and oh yes, you will want to make this – you’ll understand what I mean. And then you won’t be scared to make it again!
SALTED CARAMEL RECIPE INGREDIENTS
This simple salted caramel sauce only has 4 ingredients!
- Granulated Sugar. I used organic cane sugar.
- Unsalted Butter. Make sure it’s room temperature and cut into pieces.
- Half & half. Also room temperature – you don’t want your dairy to curdle when it hits the hot sugar! Some sputtering and splattering is normal.
- Kosher Salt. Use kosher salt for salted caramel – the perfect mix of salty and sweet! A flaky sea salt will work as well!
Psst! Not all salts are made the same! I love Ava Jane’s Kitchen because it doesn’t have microplastics (gross, right?) and it’s SO GOOD! Plus, you can get a free 8oz. bag of sea salt (just pay shipping and handling!).
HOW TO MAKE SALTED CARAMEL INSTRUCTIONS
Step 1. In a large 5–6-quart, heavy-bottomed saucepan, pour the sugar in an even layer. Heat the sugar over medium-high heat, whisking as the sugar begins to melt. The sugar will be clumpy at first but will melt down as it continues to cook.
Step 2. When the sugar has completely melted, stop whisking. Tilt the pan or use the whisk to gently move the sugar around in the pan as the sugar cooks. When the sugar reaches 350F on a candy thermometer, or turns a light amber color, add all the butter at the same time. The sugar will bubble angrily when you do this, so be careful.
Whisk the butter into the sugar until it is completely melted and then remove the pan from the heat.
Step 3. Slowly add the half & half to the sugar, whisking as you pour. Again, the sugar may splatter, so be careful. Whisk until all the half & half is incorporated and smooth. Scraping the sides of the pan to mix it all in. Add the kosher salt and whisk to blend well.
(Note: I like my caramel on the saltier side, so I add a full Tablespoon. If you’re not sure about the amount of salt, start with 1 ½ teaspoons and taste. You can always add more!)
Step 4. Let the caramel mixture cool for 15 minutes before storing it in a glass mason jar or airtight container. Allow the caramel to completely cool to room temperature before storing it in the refrigerator.
Homemade salted caramel will keep for up to two weeks.
This salted caramel recipe will harden in the fridge, so allow it to come to room temperature before using it in recipes requiring a pour or drizzle. For recipes in which it will be mixed right in, cold caramel is fine.
Each serving is approximately 1.5-2 Tablespoons, to taste.
CARAMEL SALTED BEVERAGES
Once you’ve made a batch of this creamy, delicious, sweet stuff, you’ll want to add it to everything. Enjoy these caramel salted drinks!
- Caramel Coffee Creamer: one serving of salted caramel + 2 Tablespoons of half & half
- Salted Caramel Latte: one serving of caramel sauce salted + 1 cup strong coffee + ½ cup preferred hot milk (or serve over ice to enjoy cold)
- Homemade Salted Caramel Mocha: one serving of caramel sauce + 1 cup strong coffee + ½ cup preferred hot milk + single serving of Homemade Instant Hot Cocoa (or serve over ice to enjoy cold)
- Salted Caramel Chai Tea: one serving of salted caramel + 1 cup of chai tea (or serve over ice to enjoy cold)
- Kids’ Caramel Warmer: one serving of caramel sauce + 1 cup warm milk
- Caramel Hot Chocolate: one serving of salted caramel + a single serving of Homemade Instant Hot Cocoa
- Kid-Friendly Caramel Apple “Latte”: one serving of caramel + 1 cup warmed apple juice/cider + 1 Tablespoon half & half (or serve over ice to enjoy cold)
SALTED CARAMEL TREATS
Or try another yummy recipe with salted caramel!
- Yogurt with Caramel Sauce: one serving of salted caramel + 1 cup of regular or Greek yogurt
- Salted Caramel Cheesecake: Make your favorite cheesecake recipe and drizzle salted caramel sauce over the top. Or try it on Cheesecake Baked Apples!
- Drizzle over Oatmeal Peach Breakfast Crumble or in place of syrup on Waffles or Pancakes
- Stir into oatmeal
- Top Homemade Cinnamon Rolls for delicious caramel sticky buns!
- Use as a dip for freshly picked apples
- Salted Caramel Ice Cream: Drizzle over Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream instead of store-bought caramel sauce
- Add to brownies, cakes, cupcakes, and even make a caramel apple pie!
SALT AND CARAMEL FAQS
What is the difference between caramel and salted caramel?
The salt! Regular batches of caramel have just sugar, butter, and heavy cream. You mix salt and caramel ingredients for that yummy sweet and salty flavor you get in salted caramel.
Is salted caramel just butterscotch?
They’re similar, but salted caramel starts with white sugar and is cooked to a higher temperature, while butterscotch starts with brown sugar and doesn’t get quite as hot. Butterscotch will also have a higher proportion of butter to sugar, and a bit more of a toffee flavor from the molasses.
Is salted caramel the same as dulce de leche?
Not quite! Dulce de leche includes milk along with the sugar, and you make it by simmering slowly over a lower heat rather than cooking more quickly to a higher temperature. That’s why you’ll sometimes find imitation dulce de leche recipes that start with a can of sweetened condensed milk.
HOW TO INCLUDE SALTED CARAMEL TREATS IN YOUR DAY
Even real foodies get to have treats! This homemade salted caramel is going to be far better than any caramel sauce you find at the store, since it has just 4 simple ingredients rather than the long list of high fructose corn syrup and preservatives we want to avoid.
However, since this is a sugary treat, you’ll still want to enjoy it in moderation. When you’re including something like salted caramel in your day, keep these tips in mind:
- Accurately track what you’re eating. That means figuring out the nutrition information for the salted caramel recipe AND knowing that the portion size you’re writing down is actually the portion you ate.
- Keep your goals on track for the day as a whole. Include plenty of produce and lean protein and adjust your meals so that your macros for the whole day make sense.
- Don’t fret over one snack! Consistency is key to hitting your nutrition goals, and one snack is not going to change that. What you do consistently day after day is what matters.
- Eating well is a lifestyle. We aren’t dieting here, folks! Real life includes treats, and you can fit them into a balanced day.
MORE DIY SPECIALTY BEVERAGES
- Cinnamon Dolce Latte
- Pumpkin Pie Spice Latte
- Peppermint Mocha
- Matcha Latte
- Vanilla Bean Creamer
- Homemade Eggnog
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Homemade salted caramel adds the perfect balance of sweet and salty to drinks, desserts, and more! You just need sugar, butter, half & half, and salt.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: approx 3 cups 1x
- Category: Desserts
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 2 cups preferred granulated sugar (I used organic) (400g)
- 12 Tbsp unsalted, grass-fed butter – at room temperature and cut into pieces (168g)
- 1 cup half & half, room temperature (242g)
- 1 Tbsp kosher salt (10g)
Instructions
- In a large 5-6 quart, heavy-bottomed pot, pour the sugar in an even layer. Heat the sugar over medium-high heat, whisking as the sugar begins to melt. The sugar will be clumpy at first but will melt down as it continues to cook.
- When the sugar has completely melted, stop whisking. Tilt the pan, or use the whisk to gently move the sugar around in the pan as the sugar cooks. When the sugar reaches 350F on a candy thermometer, or turns a light amber color, add all the butter at the same time. The sugar will bubble angrily when you do this, so be careful. Whisk the butter into the sugar until it is completely melted and then remove the pan from the heat.
- Slowly add the half & half to the sugar, whisking as you pour. Again, the sugar may splatter, so be careful. Whisk until all the half & half is incorporated and smooth. Add the kosher salt and whisk to blend well.
(Note: I like my caramel on the saltier side, so I add a full Tablespoon. If you’re not sure about the amount of salt, start with 1 ½ teaspoons and taste. You can always add more!) - Let the caramel cool for 15 minutes before storing it in a glass jar. Allow caramel to completely cool to room temperature before storing it in the refrigerator. The caramel will keep for up to two weeks.
- The caramel will harden in the fridge, so allow it to come to room temperature before using it in recipes requiring a pour or drizzle. For recipes in which it will be mixed right in, cold caramel is fine.
Notes
Each serving is approximately 1.5-2 Tbsp, to taste.
A bit easier way to make Caramel is to buy a can of condensed milk. You can use crock pot or stove and boil for about an hour on one side, flip and boil for an hour on the other side. Not messy at all but you have to be sure the top of the can is always under water. As the water evaporates you just add more. You can boil longer for a darker caramel.
I’m dairy intolerant, what with I can substitute half&half with?
Thank you
Elena – I’ve only made this with half and half, but you can experiment with non-dairy milks with a high fat content.
Can you use Himalayan sea salt instead of Kosher salt?
Yes!
Thank you for this recipe! I was going to buy some already made syrup when I thought why not just make my own? This was super easy to make and it is so delicious, I can’t stop eating it by the spoonful, haha 🙂
At 350 degrees sugar will be burnt. I think you meant 250 degrees (which is firm ball/hardball stage on candy thermometer).
Just found this and can’t wait to try it. And, had no idea how blessed I am – I love both pumpkin AND salted caramel! People actually choose between them? Remind me to thank my mom for what must be a positive genetic trait I inherited somewhere. 😉
Wow! This is brilliant. Thank you. I am printing this out right now and planning on making it tomorrow. I will be subscribing. I have recently found out how soy is in almost literally everything we eat. I have PCOS so my hormones are out of whack. We found out via the doctor that soy ingredients, since they have plant estrogens, can closely mimic the body’s natural estrogen. It might be making my hot flashes worse. Your blogs and recipes are going to be a life saver. I love flavor in my coffee but didn’t want coffee creamer with dairy or soy in it.
So excited to spread this to the rest of the coffee drinkers in my family and with my friends.
I tried this today and it burned… No water needs to be added to the sugar? It is just melting the sugar on the stove? Is the temperature reading correct at 350 or should it be 250 on a candy thermometer? It seems if it goes higher well it reaches the hard ball stage.
Hi! I was wondering what the difference is between kosher, ionized, and sea salt? My local grocery store was out of kosher, but I have both ionized and sea. Can’t wait to make this!
I LOVE the Salted Caramel Hot Chocolate from Dunkin Donuts, but I wish I could make it at home…Does anyone have a recipe that will replicate their version of this? The Starbucks recipe seems to be everywhere, but I personally do not enjoy it as much as DD’s. I would be so happy if someone could help me with this!
Hi Molly! There isn’t a DD in my area, otherwise I’d totally experiment for you! I’ll be on the East coast this season, so I’ll pick one up and see if I can replicate it for you. 😉
While I occasionally enjoy a pumpkin spice latte, I’m totally a salted caramel latte fan, not too much of the salted caramel mocha though. Can’t wait to try this! It will be my first time making caramel so wish me luck!
Good luck! 🙂
Hold.The.Phone. Caramel apple cider?! Um… recipe please?! 🙂
Is it thin out of the fridge? Mine thickened CONSIDERABLY after storage, but gets thinner the warmer it gets. If that doesn’t help, try cutting back a hair on the liquids next time, b/c you know you’ll make it again! 😉 I wouldn’t recommend heating more since dealing with hot sugar is difficult as it is. 🙂
I made this this morning and it was great. A few tips, when the sugar starts to bubble (before you add anything to it) it is right about to burn. don’t wait till then to put in your candy thermometer. It happens fast! Also, be sure not to spill extra salt in lol.
It was good! I am making the whole apple recipe. It was going to be for breakfast but I didn’t read all the directions last night so it is for play group this afternoon lol.
Thanks for the tips Amanda! I did the thermometer trick myself, but I skipped the extra salt 😉 Enjoy the apple recipe, and try not to lick the spoon (it’s addicting!) 🙂
How much is one serving of salted caramel? I love salted caramel mochas.
Good question Kara! I updated the post to reflect this. I used a heaping Tbsp, so anywhere between 1 and 2 should do the trick. 🙂
Salted caramel mocha all the way, baby! And while I like the frappuccino, I usually ask for mine hot, mmm,its so good. Must find the time to make some home made salted caramel soon!