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Brown Sugar Caramel Sauce Recipe

4.4 from 55 reviews

This rich and creamy Brown Sugar Caramel Sauce is the perfect blend of buttery sweetness and deep caramel flavor. Made with simple pantry ingredients like brown sugar, butter, and heavy cream, it’s a versatile topping ideal for desserts, drinks, and more. The sauce can be tailored to your preferred consistency by controlling the simmering time, making it wonderfully smooth and pourable or thick and luscious.

Ingredients

Scale

Caramel Sauce Ingredients

  • ½ cup salted butter
  • 1 cup packed light brown sugar
  • ¾ cup heavy cream
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • Pinch sea salt or sea salt flakes (optional)

Instructions

  1. Melt butter and brown sugar: In a heavy saucepan over medium heat, melt the salted butter together with the packed light brown sugar. Stir continuously until fully combined and the mixture becomes bubbly.
  2. Add heavy cream: Slowly and gently whisk in the heavy cream, pouring it gradually to prevent the mixture from bubbling over. Continue whisking until smoothly integrated.
  3. Adjust consistency: For a lighter, thinner caramel sauce suitable for drinks or as a drizzle over ice cream, immediately remove the saucepan from heat. To create a darker, thicker caramel, allow the sauce to simmer a few more minutes while stirring, until your desired golden color and thickness is achieved.
  4. Finish with vanilla and salt: Remove the pan from heat once desired thickness is met, then stir in the vanilla extract and add a pinch of sea salt if you like a subtle salty contrast to the sweetness.
  5. Cool and store: Transfer the caramel sauce into a heat-proof container and let it cool to room temperature. Once cooled, cover with a lid and refrigerate. The sauce will keep well for up to 2 weeks.

Notes

  • Use a heavy saucepan to ensure even heat distribution and prevent burning.
  • For a thicker sauce, simmer longer but watch carefully to avoid burning.
  • Salted butter is used here; if you only have unsalted, add an extra pinch of sea salt to taste.
  • If the sauce hardens too much after refrigeration, warm gently over low heat before using.
  • This sauce is excellent for drizzling over ice cream, pancakes, waffles, or adding to coffee and cocktails.

Keywords: brown sugar caramel sauce, caramel sauce recipe, homemade caramel, easy caramel sauce, dessert sauce