Simple Homemade Caramel Sauce

Name: Simple Homemade Caramel Sauce
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 15 min
Yield: 8
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 cup white granulated sugar; 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature; 1/2 cup heavy cream, room temperature

A smooth and buttery caramel sauce that is perfect for drizzling over your favorite desserts.

By Recipes By Nani· 🌍 American· September 18, 2026

recipesbynani.com

Prep

5 minutes

Cook

10 minutes

Total

15 minutes

Serves

There is nothing quite like the smell of sugar turning into golden caramel on the stove. This sauce is a kitchen staple because it uses basic ingredients and tastes so much better than anything you can buy in a jar.

My favorite trick is to keep a close eye on the color while the sugar melts. You want a deep amber shade but be careful not to let it go too dark or it will taste bitter. Once you master this basic recipe, you will want to pour it on everything from ice cream to apple slices.

🧺 Ingredients

1 cup white granulated sugar
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup heavy cream, room temperature

👩‍🍳Instructions

1
Place the sugar in a medium saucepan over medium heat.
2
Stir the sugar constantly with a wooden spoon as it melts to prevent burning.
3
Continue cooking until the sugar turns into a smooth, amber colored liquid.
4
Add the butter to the melted sugar and stir until it is completely combined. Be careful as the mixture will bubble up quite a bit.
5
Slowly pour in the heavy cream while stirring constantly. The mixture will bubble vigorously again.
6
Allow the sauce to simmer for about one minute while stirring, then remove it from the heat.
7
Let the caramel cool in the pan for a few minutes before pouring it into a glass jar to finish cooling completely.

💡 Tips

Store your leftover caramel in a sealed glass jar in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. If it gets too firm, just pop it in the microwave for ten seconds to get it pourable again. It is wonderful over vanilla ice cream or swirled into warm brownies.

#dessert #sauce #sweet #homemade #vegetarian

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