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4.57 from 30 votes

HOLIDAY BAKING: HOMEMADE CARAMELS

These Homemade Caramels will absolutely melt in your mouth! Incredible from scratch recipe for Homemade Caramel made with heavy cream and butter.
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time1 hour
Total Time1 hour 5 minutes
Course: Candy, Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Homemade Caramel
Servings: 40
Calories: 174kcal
Author: Jessica & Nellie

Ingredients

  • 2 cups white granulated sugar
  • 1 cup packed brown sugar
  • 1 cup corn syrup
  • 1 cup evaporated milk
  • 1 pint heavy whipping cream 2 cups
  • 1 cup butter 2 sticks
  • 1 ¼ tsp vanilla extract

Instructions

  • In a medium size pot, combine everything except the vanilla.
  • Monitor the heat of the mixture with a candy thermometer while stirring occasionally.
  • When the thermometer reaches 245 degrees F {240 degrees is also called soft ball stage, I like to cook mine to 245 degrees}, remove pot from heat.
  • Stir in vanilla.
  • Transfer mixture to a 9x13 pan lined with parchment paper. Let the caramel cool completely. (I generally cover it with plastic wrap after a couple hours and leave it on the counter overnight to cool.)
  • When cooled cut the caramel into small squares and wrap them in wax paper for storage. Enjoy!

Notes

High Elevation: Cook caramel to 10 degrees less!! If you live above 4,000 feet, you'll need to cook it to just 235 degrees F for it to be the perfect consistency. 

Important tips on making caramels:

  1. Use a STAINLESS STEEL pot when making candy! I've tried so many different kinds of pans. Stainless steel is the best!
  2. Know that different types of stoves cook candy at different rates. Gas ranges cook the fastest and electric take much longer.
  3. Line your pan with foil, then spray the foil. Taking the caramel block out of the pan is a breeze after it's cooled!
    Don't feel like you have to stir the mixture continuously. it's OK to let it boil for a few minutes in between periods of stirring. I did the morning dishes while mine cooked!
  4. When cutting the caramels, err on the side of smaller pieces, especially if you have small children. My kids love caramel, but I find sizes much larger than a penny are too big.

Nutrition

Serving: 2g | Calories: 174kcal | Carbohydrates: 23g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 30mg | Sodium: 59mg | Potassium: 37mg | Sugar: 23g | Vitamin A: 331IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 31mg | Iron: 1mg