This homemade Salted Caramel recipe is so simple to make with these easy-to-follow instructions. With this easy recipe, you'll be in salted caramel bliss in no time!
In a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat, heat the sugar. Stir constantly with a heat-resistant rubber spatula.
The sugar will clump, but it will eventually melt. Keep stirring until the sugar melts into a light brown liquid, about 3-4 minutes.
Once the sugar melts, immediately add in butter and vanilla bean seeds (if using). Stir constantly until butter is melted, about 1-2 minutes.
Slowly pour in heavy cream while stirring constantly. Continue stirring until mixture comes up to a boil. Keep stirring and boil for 1 minute.
Remove pan from heat and add salt, stirring until combined.
Let sauce cool for 10 minutes, then pour into a glass jar. Cool completely with the lid open, then cover and store in the refrigerator. The salted caramel sauce will thicken as it cools.
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Notes
With this salted caramel recipe, you need to stir constantly the entire time it's on the stovetop. It takes only 7 minutes, so put down your phone and make sure the kids are occupied for the next 7 minutes. You want to keep this mixture moving because it can burn very quickly.
If you use unsalted butter, add 3/4 teaspoon of salt to the caramel sauce in step 5. If you use salted butter, add 1/2 teaspoon salt to the caramel sauce in step 5.
The vanilla bean seeds are completely optional in this recipe. I like using them because I feel they heighten the luscious caramel flavor! You can use 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla bean paste instead of the vanilla bean seeds.
I do not recommend doubling this recipe. I've tried to a few times, and the sugar doesn't melt properly. I end up with shards of sugar in my sauce, which is not ideal at all!
When I want to make a lot of this salted caramel sauce for gifting or whatnot, I just make back-to-back batches.
You can keep this salted caramel sauce at room temperature for about a day—anything longer than that, and you'll want to keep it in the refrigerator.
This sauce will keep, covered in an air-tight jar, for about 2-3 weeks, but I doubt it will last that long!