Pour this in a glass and I will drink it!! This easy homemade salted caramel sauce is made with just 5 simple ingredients and has the perfect balance of buttery sweetness and sea salt. It's smooth, creamy, and delicious over everything from ice cream to apple desserts — or just to eat with a spoon over the counter ; )

About This Homemade Salted Caramel Sauce

Making salted caramel sauce from scratch is easier than you might think! This homemade caramel sauce is made by melting granulated sugar until golden amber, then adding salted butter, heavy cream, vanilla, and sea salt. The result is a silky-smooth, buttery caramel sauce with a rich flavor that isn't overly intense or bitter. It's perfect for drizzling, dipping, or adding to your favorite desserts.

Why You'll Love This Recipe

Only 5 ingredients: Made with simple pantry and refrigerator staples.
No candy thermometer needed: Just watch the sugar as it melts and caramelizes.
Perfectly balanced flavor: Sweet, buttery caramel with just the right amount of salt.
Smooth and creamy: The extra heavy cream creates a silky, pourable consistency.
Versatile: Delicious with ice cream, apple desserts, cheesecake, brownies, and more.
Make ahead: Stores beautifully in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

Ingredients You'll Need

Granulated sugar
Salted butter
Heavy cream
Fine sea salt
Vanilla extract

How to Make Homemade Salted Caramel Sauce

Add the granulated sugar to a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat and cook, stirring as needed, until completely melted and medium amber in color. Carefully whisk in the salted butter, followed by the heavy cream. Return to low heat if necessary, stirring until smooth, then allow the caramel to simmer briefly. Remove from the heat and stir in the sea salt and vanilla extract. Let cool before transferring to a glass jar. The caramel will thicken as it cools.

Tips for Success

Use a heavy-bottomed saucepan: This helps distribute heat evenly and prevents the sugar from burning.
Watch the color: Aim for medium amber for a sweeter, milder caramel flavor. Dark amber produces a stronger, slightly bitter taste.
Use room-temperature ingredients: Butter and cream that aren't cold help minimize seizing.
Be patient: Sugar can take 10–15 minutes to melt, depending on your saucepan, heat, and batch size.
Don't worry about clumps: If the caramel hardens when adding the butter or cream, gently heat and stir until smooth.
Let it cool: The sauce will be thinner when hot and thicken significantly as it cools.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why did my caramel sauce harden when I added the cream? The temperature difference can cause the melted sugar to seize. Return the saucepan to low heat and stir gently until the hardened caramel dissolves.

Why is my salted caramel sauce bitter? The sugar was likely caramelized too long. For a sweeter, more buttery caramel, remove it from the heat when it reaches medium amber rather than dark brown.

Why is my caramel sauce thin? Caramel sauce is naturally thinner when hot. Allow it to cool completely before judging the consistency. It will thicken considerably as it cools.

Can I use unsalted butter? Yes! Substitute unsalted butter and increase the sea salt gradually to taste.

How long does homemade salted caramel sauce last? Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

How do I reheat salted caramel sauce? Microwave in 10–15-second intervals, stirring between each, or gently warm in a saucepan over low heat until pourable.

Do I need a candy thermometer? No! This recipe uses the dry caramel method, so you can judge when the sugar is ready by its color.

What to Serve With Salted Caramel Sauce

Homemade salted caramel sauce is delicious drizzled over vanilla ice cream, apple pie, apple crumb bars, cheesecake, brownies, bread pudding, pancakes, waffles, and cinnamon rolls. You can also stir it into coffee or use it as a dip for fresh apple slices.

More Recipes You'll Love

Homemade Salted Caramel Sauce

Yield: 1 1/2 cups

Author: Amelia is NOT a Chef

Prep time: 5 MinCook time: 25 MinTotal time: 30 Min

This easy homemade salted caramel sauce is rich, buttery, and perfectly sweet with just the right amount of sea salt. Made with just five ingredients, it's delicious drizzled over ice cream, apple desserts, cheesecake, and more!

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Ingredients

1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
6 tablespoons (85 g) salted butter, room temperature, cut into pieces
¾ cup (180 ml) heavy cream, room temperature
½ teaspoon fine sea salt, or to taste
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

Add the granulated sugar to a medium, heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Allow the sugar to begin melting around the edges, then gently stir with a heatproof spatula to incorporate the unmelted sugar. Continue cooking, stirring as needed, until the sugar is completely melted and reaches a medium amber color, about 6–10 minutes. Watch carefully to prevent burning.
Remove the saucepan from the heat and carefully add the butter, a few pieces at a time, whisking continuously. The mixture will bubble vigorously. Continue whisking until the butter is incorporated.
Slowly pour in the room-temperature heavy cream while whisking continuously. The caramel will bubble and steam significantly. Continue stirring until combined.
Return the saucepan to low heat if necessary and stir until the caramel is completely smooth and any hardened pieces have dissolved. Allow the caramel to gently simmer for approximately 1 minute.
Remove from the heat and stir in the sea salt and vanilla extract until combined.
Allow the caramel to cool for 15–20 minutes before transferring it to a glass jar. The sauce will continue to thicken as it cools.

Notes

Caramel color: For a sweeter, milder caramel flavor, cook the sugar until medium amber rather than deep amber. Darker caramel develops a more intense, slightly bitter flavor.

Room-temperature ingredients: Using room-temperature butter and heavy cream helps minimize temperature shock and reduces the likelihood of the caramel seizing.

If the caramel separates: Continue whisking over low heat until the mixture comes together.

If the caramel hardens: The sugar may temporarily seize when the butter or cream is added. Return the saucepan to low heat and stir gently until the hardened pieces dissolve.

Consistency: The caramel will appear thinner while hot and thicken considerably as it cools. The ¾ cup of heavy cream creates a creamy, pourable sauce that still has plenty of body.

Salt: Adjust the salt to your preference. For a finishing touch, sprinkle a little flaky sea salt over the caramel before serving.

Storage: Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. Gently reheat in the microwave in 10–15-second intervals, stirring between each, until warm and pourable.