Sea Salt Caramel Sauce

Indulge in the sweet and savory flavors of the sea salted caramel sauce. Perfect on top of your favorite dessert or enjoy straight from the jar!

Caramel lovers, rejoice! Nothing beats the rich, buttery flavor and melt-in-your-mouth deliciousness of homemade caramel sauce. This classic treat is taken to a whole new level when you add a little sea salt. Our Sea Salted Caramel Sauce is perfect for dipping fruit, making apple nachos, or enjoying with a spoon! It’s the perfect balance of sweet and savory, sure to satisfy your appetite.

use real ingredients

When making homemade caramel sauce, it’s essential to use real ingredients. Real butter and real sugar are necessary to get the right texture, flavor and consistency.

Do I have to use corn syrup?

Corn syrup is a type of invert sugar. Invert sugar inhibits crystal formation, giving you a smooth, creamy caramel every time. If you don’t have corn syrup or don’t want to use it, you can always make your own invert sugar using sugar, water, and an acid (usually tartaric or citric). If you need to replace the corn syrup in this recipe, you’ll need to use another type of invert sugar that also prevents crystallization, including:

Caramel Cooking Stages

Making caramel sauce requires an understanding of the different stages of caramel cooking. Caramelization is a complex process that occurs when sugar is heated, and it goes through different stages depending on the temperature reached. The first stage is the filamentous stage, where the syrup forms filaments as it falls off the spoon. This stage is often used in confectionery or to sweeten hot drinks.

The next stage is the soft ball stage, where the syrup forms a soft ball when dropped into cold water. This stage is great for making fudge, caramel, and caramel sauce. The soft ball stage occurs at 235-245°F and is achieved by cooking the syrup until it reaches that temperature range.

The caramelization process can continue until the sugar reaches the burning stage. For our sea salt caramel sauce, we cook it to 200-205°F (93-96°C), just before it reaches the soft ball stage.

frequently asked questions

Why is my caramel sauce turning grainy?

If the sugar is not fully dissolved before it reaches the caramel stage, it will appear grainy. Make sure to stir and scrape the bottom of the pan constantly to prevent this from happening.

Can I use unsalted butter instead of salted butter?

Yes, you can use unsalted butter, but keep in mind it may make the sauce less salty than desired. Adjust the amount of salt accordingly.

Why is my caramel sauce too hard or too soft?

The temperature of the caramel will affect its consistency. Make sure to use a candy thermometer to monitor the temperature and not to cook it past the desired stage.

Can I use a different type of sugar instead of brown sugar?

Brown sugar gives the caramel sauce its rich flavor and color, but you can use white sugar or a combination of the two. Keep in mind that using white sugar may result in a different taste and color.

service suggestion

This caramel sauce is very versatile and can be served in a variety of ways. Try it on ice cream, brownies, or pancakes. Or, use it as a dip for fruit or pretzels. It’s also delicious drizzled over popcorn!

A close up view of sea salted caramel sauce and ice cream in a glass bowl.

storage instructions

Store caramel in an airtight container. It is shelf stable for up to 1 month.

Spoon the salted caramel sauce into glass jars.

Indulge in the sweet and savory flavors of the sea salted caramel sauce. Perfect on top of your favorite dessert or enjoy straight from the jar!

Preparation time 10 minute

cooking time 20 minute

total time 30 minute

raw material

1 cup salted butter
2 1/4 cup brown sugar
14 ounce sweetened condensed milk
1 cup corn syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon Salt

instruct

Melt butter in large saucepan over medium heat.
Pour in sweetened condensed milk, corn syrup, and brown sugar.
Using a whisk or a rubber spatula, beat all ingredients over medium heat until just starting to boil. Scrape the sides and bottom regularly.
Let the sauce simmer until it reaches a temperature of 200-205 degrees. We want to simmer the sauce long enough to get rid of the grains, but not to the soft ball stage.
Once the sauce reaches the desired temperature, remove from the heat and carefully stir in the herbs and salt until everything is nicely combined.
Let the sauce cool, then pour into jars for storage.

notes

This recipe yields about 2 to 2 1/2 cups of caramel sauce. The sauce can be used as a dip, topping, or filling for your favorite desserts. enjoy!