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5 from 3 votes

Easy 4-Ingredient Caramel Sauce

Easy Caramel sauce recipe made with just butter, sugar, cream & vanilla. Simple recipe for smooth, buttery caramel sauce perfect for ice cream topping, apple dipping & more!
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time10 minutes
Total Time15 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Easy Caramel Sauce recipe
Servings: 12
Calories: 173kcal

Ingredients

  • ½ cup salted butter
  • 1 cup light brown sugar
  • ½ cup heavy whipping cream
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • Pinch sea salt optional

Instructions

  • In a heavy saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat.
  • Stir in brown sugar and bring to a low simmer. Cook 1-2 minutes until mixture is bubbly.
  • Gently whisk in heavy whipping cream, pouring slowly as mixture may bubble up. For a light and thin caramel sauce (great for drinks or pouring over ice cream/desserts), remove saucepan from heat. For a darker and/or thicker caramel, simmer for several more minutes until desired golden color is reached.
  • Once removed from the heat, stir in vanilla extract and a pinch of salt, if desired.
  • Transfer to a heat-proof container and allow to cool to room temperature. Cover with a lid and store in the refrigerator up to 2 weeks.

Notes

Be very careful not to heat the sugar on high or scorch it. It is possible to burn the caramel and it will change the flavor dramatically.
Normal recipe yields 1/2 pint.  The recipe can be doubled, which makes just over a full pint.

Nutrition

Calories: 173kcal | Carbohydrates: 18g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 34mg | Sodium: 76mg | Potassium: 35mg | Sugar: 18g | Vitamin A: 382IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 24mg | Iron: 1mg