Today I'm sharing the recipe for my organic “true” caramel sauce. This recipe only has three ingredients and is pretty simple to make. I love the fact that our caramel sauce only has three essential ingredients.
If you're looking for recipes you can use this Caramel Sauce with, try my Simple Salted Caramel Cake, Caramel Apple Pie, or my Banana Caramel Whipped Cream Cake.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
A lot of people make caramel with other things like water, corn syrup or more. But, we use the original method of dry burning the sugar to create actual caramel. That is why I call it a “true” caramel. While other recipes (especially ones that are labeled as “fast” or “easy”) just mimic a caramel flavor, instead of actually making a true caramel. I believe that this is a huge difference and part of what makes are Caramel Sauce so delicious!
This homemade Caramel Sauce is perfect for dipping apples in, drizzling over ice cream, putting a drop in your coffee or hot chocolate or you can also put it in and on cakes and cookies (like we do every day here at the bake shop!) I always have Caramel Sauce on hand in my house at all times.
FAQ's
What is true caramel sauce?
I think of true caramel sauce to be when the sugar is dry burned to create a caramel flavor. Many caramel sauce recipes will mimic caramel flavor by adding other ingredients like brown sugar, corn syrup or more. In my recipe for true caramel, it starts with organic cane sugar and you cook it over medium heat until it starts to melt and caramelize. This method is known as dry burning.
What are the ingredients to caramel?
My recipe for homemade caramel sauce only has 3 ingredients: organic cane sugar, organic salted butter, and organic heavy whipping cream. There is absolutely no reason why you need any other ingredients in caramel sauce, in my opinion!
What is caramel sauce made of?
Caramel sauce is mainly made up of sugar. It is dry burned until it caramelizes into the caramel flavor that we know and love. Butter and heavy whipping cream are added in to create a consistency that we can eat and enjoy. The amount and ratios of butter and heavy whipping cream determine if you make a caramel sauce, or a caramel candy (that's hard-ish and chewy), or a Caramel Lollipop that hardens.
How do you make caramel quickly?
You don't make caramel quickly! If a recipe says quick caramel, I would be wary of that. Caramel takes time to make, because you need to heat the sugar until it starts to melt and caramelize. This process can't be sped up very much without risking burning all of the sugar and tainting the caramel as it would taste burnt. Make homemade caramel sauce when you have time and can be patient to stand over the pot and make a true caramel. It will be totally worth it!
Why Organic
Why use organic ingredients in this recipe? You all know I’m a huge organic advocate, and I bet you may be thinking sometimes, Why would I even bother to use organic ingredients in something that is so sweet and indulgent? But, that is the exact reason why you should use organic ingredients! Sweet things need to have flavor in order to be good, otherwise they are just sweet and they don’t taste like much else. Organic ingredients are more pure than conventional ones, therefore they actually have more flavor than the non organic options. Say it with me, organic means more flavor! And not just more flavor but a more true and pure flavor. And organic ingredients are much healthier for you to eat in general as they do not contain GMOs or anything artificial. Plus, you are being environmentally friendly when you choose organic ingredients!
So, I highly recommend that you buy the best organic ingredients for this recipe! You can also shop my Amazon Storefront for all my favorite organic ingredients here. Tip – hover over each ingredient to see the name. And if you want to learn more about organic foods and the difference, read my post here on Food Labels and What They Mean.
Homemade Caramel Sauce can be used to fill cakes, cupcakes, top cookies, brownies, ice cream or dip apples in!
Ingredients
454 grams (2 cups) organic cane sugar
1/2 cup (113 grams) organic salted butter, room temperature
2 cups organic heavy whipping cream, room temperature
Directions
- In a medium pot, add the cane sugar and put over medium heat. Once the sugar on the bottom starts to melt, stir with a high heat spatula to keep from burning. The dry sugar will then sink to the bottom, so it can melt. Sugar clumps will form until the sugar turns into a liquid.
- Once the sugar has completely melted into a liquid, add the butter. Be careful because steam will rise up quickly. Stir rapidly until the mixture is combined.
- Once the butter is completely combined, add in the cream a little at a time. Be careful, because the cream is colder than the sugar mixture so more steam will rise up quickly. Stir rapidly to combine completely when each amount of cream is added. Once about half the cream is added you can add more at a time.
- Once completely combined, remove from heat. Strain the caramel with a strainer to remove any clumps.
- Transfer caramel to a glass jar or plastic squeeze bottle. Let come to room temperature before using in recipes.
- Store caramel sauce in the fridge for up to 1 month.
Notes
- High Altitude – Follow the recipe as noted.
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