Best Homemade Caramel Recipe

Best Homemade Caramel Recipe is perfect for making caramel apples and all your favorite fall treats and desserts. It’s incredibly easy and ready in about 30 min. It truly is THE BEST homemade caramel recipe around.

There are certain things that really sum up the season for me. One of them is caramel. It’s like the season wouldn’t happen unless caramel was involved in some way.

It’s so rich, so decadent. In our stores, it’s very hard to find those adorable little individually wrapped caramel pieces, which is why I have been craving some for so long.

Scroll to the bottom for the Printable Recipe

All last season I wanted to make my own caramel. I never got around to doing it. I even have a recipe for microwave caramel– I still didn’t get around to doing it.

So this year I had some plans. I dug through grandma’s old cookbook and found the recipe that I have been using for so many years. I am so excited to share it with you.

Easy Caramel

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Really- it’s the very best recipe for caramel I have ever had. It’s 100% worth the time it takes to make it from scratch. I love that it takes ingredients that I almost always have on hand.

Some caramel recipes call for heavy cream, this one does not. I don’t know about you, but I don’t always have that on hand.

But with this one I don’t need to plan ahead to make it or make a special trip to the store for it. I just need my short side stock pot and my favorite heavy rubber spatula and I’m good to go.

Trust me- you will not be disappointed!

Here are some commonly asked questions

Do I have to use a candy thermometer?

Unfortunately, yes. That is the only way to know you have reached the right temperature for this caramel to set up correctly.

*Note – do not use the clip on the side of the candy thermometer to attach it to the pot. I have found that when it is resting against the side of the pot, it makes that area of the pot heat higher than the rest resulting in not only an inaccurate temperature reading but also burnt food in that area.

How many can this serve?

Well, that will depend on how large or small you cut the pieces. But I was able to get 36- 1″ squares from this batch.

best caramel recipe

Can this recipe be doubled?

Because the cooking time would change with the volume of the ingredients, I don’t recommend doubling this recipe. Since it is so quick to make, I usually just do several batches back to back.

HOW DO YOU MAKE Soft Caramel Candy?

1. Line a 13×9 pan with foil and then spray it with cooking spray or an oil mister. Set aside.
2. In a 2-qt heavy saucepan, combine brown sugar, sweetened condensed milk, butter, and corn syrup. Bring to a boil over medium heat.
3. Cook & stir until the candy thermometer reads 248 degrees (firm ball stage). This should take about 25-30 minutes depending on the BTU’s of your stove. Don’t turn the heat higher to rush the process.
4. Remove from heat and carefully stir in the vanilla extract.
5. Carefully pour the caramel into the prepared pan. Move quickly as it will firm up fast.
6. Let cool completely before pulling out of the pan by any overhanging foil. Cut into squares and wrap individually with parchment paper.

 

What is the best way to store leftover caramel?

Most importantly, this recipe is best when stored at room temperature, unless you happen to keep your house quite warm.

Also, the caramel squares will want to melt into each other if they are stacked in an airtight container after they are cut.

I typically just cover the pan I poured them into and leave it on the counter OR I wrap each caramel square in a little square piece of parchment and keep them in a candy dish.

If you would like to consolidate them into a single airtight container, I recommend placing a piece of parchment paper between the layers as you stack them.

 

 

To make Homemade Caramel Candy you will need…

• brown sugar
• sweetened condensed milk
• butter
• light corn syrup
• vanilla extract

 

 

soft caramel recipe

Products I love when making homemade caramel candy…

This homemade caramel candy recipe is SUPER EASY and delicious – and if you’re like me this time of year, then you maybe already have some of these items on hand OR maybe you have never made caramel before, & you might be a bit nervous – but you’re going to love it. I have made a list below of the things I absolutely can’t live without when it comes to making this homemade caramel candy recipe.

• light brown sugar
• sweetened condensed milk
• light corn syrup
• vanilla extract
• heavy rubber spatula
• 9×13 cake pan
• short side stock pot
• candy thermometer
• foil
• parchment paper

 

 

 

If you love this Easy Homemade Caramel recipe, you’re going to love these other treats too. Please click each link below to find the easy, printable recipe!

Salted Caramel Butter Bars

Banana Caramel Ice Box Cake

No Bake Chocolate Caramel Oat Bars

 

 

easy caramel recipe

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Caramel Apples