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    Home » Desserts » Homemade Caramel Recipe {Video}

    Homemade Caramel Recipe {Video}

    Published: May 3, 2022 · Jill Baird · 24 Comments

    homemade caramel recipe on parchment paper

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    An easy, step-by-step guide to making sweet, silky smooth, and delicious caramel.  You can use this recipe for caramel apples or just as a homemade caramel candy. 

    easy homemade caramel recipe,  homemade caramels.
    Jump to:
    • Homemade Caramel Video Tutorial
    • What pan do I use to make caramel?
    • What temperature do I cook the caramel?
    • What if my caramel scorches?
    • What is a soft-ball stage?
    • How to test for softball stage without a candy thermometer. 
    • How to make salted caramel:
    • Best Caramel Recipes
    • Tips for Making Homemade Caramel:
    • Ingredients in Homemade Caramel:
    • Easy Homemade Caramel Recipe
    • Tips for Making Homemade Caramel:

    Homemade Caramel Video Tutorial

    What pan do I use to make caramel?

    The best pan to use when making caramel recipe is a large, non-stick pot. However, you can make it without a non-stick pot but it is much more difficult to keep your caramel from scorching. 

    Your caramel will boil up about double it's size when cooking so be sure your ingredients have room to expand.  A pan with handles is a must too. 

    You will be pouring the hot caramel into a baking dish as soon as it has come up to temperature.

    homemade caramel recipe in a pot, with a rapid boil, how to make caramel.

    What temperature do I cook the caramel?

    It's best to gradually increase the temperature of the sugar and butter mixture. Stir the caramel the entire time the sugar and butter mixture is on the heat.

    Sugar scorches easily so it's best to use a wooden spoon with a square tip so you can scrape much of the bottom of the pan as possible while the caramel comes to a soft ball stage.  (Stir on a direction and then scrape around the perimeter of the pan and then scrape the other direction. 

    240 degrees is soft ball stage, how to make caramel

    What if my caramel scorches?

    If you see little spots in your caramel, immediately take the caramel off the heat and pour into another clean, non-stick pan. 

    This means you are cooking your caramel too quickly and the caramel is scorching.  However, If you act quickly, you can save your caramel and it won't have a burnt taste.  You might however get a little bit of a grainy texture if this happens. 

    As long as you are cooking the caramel on constant medium heat and stirring constantly, you won't have a problem.  

    What is a soft-ball stage?

    As the sugar and butter mixture boil, the sugar concentration increases, and the temperature rises. 

    Be sure to make a mental note, soft-ball stage is 240 degrees Fahrenheit.  The highest temperature the caramel reaches will tell you how firm it will be when it cools. 

    Softball stage will be soft and chewy but not too hard to bite when it's cool.  Softball stage, 240 degrees, is the temp you will want your caramel for caramel candy or for caramel apples.

    It's important to watch this stage of the process closely so you don't overcook your caramel.

    How to test for softball stage without a candy thermometer. 

    1. To test for soft ball stage if you don't have a candy thermometer, all you need is a bowl of cold water.  The caramel will go through a few stages.
    2. In the first stage,  it will just begin to boil, little bubbles will start popping up.  Keep the heat on medium and as the liquid evaporates from the caramel, it will become hotter and produce a rapid boil.  (A rapid boil is when there are layers of big bubbles all over the surface of the caramel.)
    3. The caramel will go from a light caramel color to a little more of an amber colored caramel. This is close to the softball stage.
    4. Use a small and add a couple of cups of cold water.  Drop a tablespoon or so of caramel in the bowl of cold water.
    5. Be careful not to burn yourself. Just roll the ball of caramel around with your fingers and it should produce a soft "ball" of caramel.  If the caramel runs through your fingers or doesn't hold it's shaped at all, keep cooking it.
    6. Repeat this process every minute or so until you reach softball stage.
    how to test for softball stage, how do you make caramel candy recipe.

    How to make salted caramel:

    • To make salted caramel, add ½ teaspoon of salt to the caramel mixture when adding the sugars.
    • Sprinkle salt flakes on the caramel pieces after they've cooled. An important reminder, use salt flakes, not coarse salt. 

    You want your salt sprinkles to be delicate and dissolve quickly.  This caramel recipe is gorgeous and so delicious!!

    Preparing the baking dish:

    This recipe calls for a 9 by 13" baking dish.  Be sure to grease the baking dish with butter and not non-stick cooking spray.  Butter should be the first thing you taste when you bite into this sweet treat.

    homemade caramel recipe with salted flakes on top.

    Best Caramel Recipes

    • Caramel Pretzel Rods
    • Nilla Wafer Caramel Candy
    • How to Make Caramel Apples
    • Snowman Caramel Apples
    • Caramel Cinnamon Rolls
    • Caramel Pecan Monkey Bread
    • Caramel Apple Dip
    • Coconut Caramel Popcorn

    Ways to use this recipe:

    • A go-to recipe for Caramel Apples
    • Make a caramel sauce, don't cook it as long.  Use the same ingredients and cook it until it reaches 220-230 degrees or coats the back of a spoon. 
    • Add caramel sauce and whipping cream to make a caramel sundae. 

    Tips for Making Homemade Caramel:

    • Use a non-stick pan to make the caramel
    • Stir the caramel in a verticle pattern in the pan, around the perimeter, and then in a horizontal pattern.
    • Use a square tip wooden spoon to be sure you are scraping off the entire bottom of the pan.
    • Don't stop stirring, again, don't stop stirring
    • Cook the caramel to 240 degrees Fahrenheit ( or use the cold water method as explained above)
    • Use butter, not non-stick cooking spray to prepare the baking dish. (Butter is all you should be tasting here!)
    • You can speed up the cooling process by sliding the baking dish of caramels in the fridge or a cool garage.  
    • Don't cut the caramel until it has had a chance to cool completely and come to room temperature
    • If you plan to dip these caramels in chocolate, be sure to have them cut into pieces and then cooled in the fridge for at least 15 minutes so the caramels keep their shape
    How do you make caramel, step by step instructions.

    Ingredients in Homemade Caramel:

    • Butter: You can use no salt butter or salted butter, either works great.
    • Sugar: just regular granulated sugar works just fine.
    • Brown Sugar: light brown sugar is best.
    • Karo Syrup/Corn Syrup: Light corn syrup is best.
    • Sweetened Condensed milk: This is important for this recipe.  Do not substitute it for heavy cream or evaporated milk.  This recipe doesn't allow for those substitutions.
    • Salt: Sea Salt is best
    • Vanilla: Pure Vanilla is best.  For a flavor switch-up, use coconut flavoring. It's such a fun treat.
    • Salt Flakes:  This is optional.  You can find salt flakes at a boutique grocery store or on amazon.
    homemade caramel recipe on parchment paper
    Print

    Easy Homemade Caramel Recipe

    This is an easy, step-by-step guide to making sweet, silky smooth, and delicious caramel.  You can use this recipe for caramel apples or just as homemade caramel candy. 
    Course Dessert
    Cuisine American
    Prep Time 10 minutes
    Cook Time 30 minutes
    cooling 20 minutes
    Total Time 40 minutes
    Servings 24 people
    Calories 228kcal

    Ingredients

    • 1 cup butter
    • 1 cup sugar (white, granulated)
    • 1 cup brown sugar
    • 1 cup karo syrup or sometimes called corn syrup
    • 1 can sweetend condensed milk Be sure this is NOT evaporated milk
    • ÂĽ teaspoon salt
    • 1 tsp vanilla extract
    • salt flake for the top of the caramel (optional)

    Instructions

    How to Make Caramel

    • Prepare your baking dish.  Grease a 9 by 13" baking dish with butter.  Do not use non-stick cooking spray for this or it will give your caramel a strange flavor. Set it aside until the caramel is done cooking.
    • In a large non-stick pan, add the butter, sugar, brown sugar, Karo syrup, sweetened condensed milk, and salt. 
    • Cook over medium heat, stirring until all the sugar is dissolved and the butter is melted.
    • Stirring constantly, cook the caramel mixture until it comes up to 240 degrees on a candy thermometer.  If you don't have a candy thermometer, use the cold water method. (put a couple cups of cold water in a cereal bowl.  Drop a tablespoon of caramel into the cold water. move the caramel mixture around with your fingertips.  If the caramel forms a "soft-ball" it's ready.  If the caramel dissolves or runs through your fingers, keep cooking it.)
    • Take the caramel off the heat immediately to stop the cooking. 
    • Pour the caramel into the greased, prepared, 9 by 13" baking dish.  Let the caramel cool before cutting. 
    • Sprinkle with salt flakes if desired. Cut into 1" pieces. Enjoy!

    Notes

    Tips for Making Homemade Caramel:

    • Use a non-stick pan to make the caramel
    • Stir the caramel in a verticle pattern in the pan, around the perimeter, and then in a horizontal pattern.
    • Use a square tip wooden spoon to be sure you are scraping off the entire bottom of the pan.
    • Don't stop stirring, again, don't stop stirring!
    • Cook the caramel to 240 degrees Fahrenheit ( or use the cold water method as explained above)
    • Use butter, not non-stick cooking spray to prepare the baking dish. (Butter is all you should be tasting here!)
    • You can speed up the cooling process by sliding the baking dish of caramels in the fridge or a cool garage.  
    • Don't cut the caramel until it has had a chance to cool completely and come to room temperature
    • If you plan to dip these caramels in chocolate, be sure to have them cut into pieces and then cooled in the fridge for at least 15 minutes so the caramels keep their shape

    Nutrition

    Calories: 228kcal | Carbohydrates: 37g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 25mg | Sodium: 124mg | Potassium: 75mg | Sugar: 37g | Vitamin A: 280IU | Vitamin C: 0.4mg | Calcium: 59mg | Iron: 0.1mg

    More Homemade Candy Recipes

    • Ornament Oreos
    • Dipped Chocolate Oreos
    • Hot Chocolate Bombs
    • Chocolate Fondue
    • Saltine Cracker Toffee
    • English Toffee

    More Holiday Recipes

    • Gingerbread Men
    •  Rolled Sugar Cookie Dough
    • Crushed Candy Cane Cookies
    • Best Cookie Recipes
    • More Dessert Recipes
    salted caramel

    If you’ve tried this recipe, please rate it and leave a comment on this post. I love hearing feedback from you helps me and other readers too! If you love Pinterest,  feel free to leave a comment and photo there too.  Also, if you like to share, use the hashtag #thecarefreekitchen on Instagram and tag me @thecarefreekitchen so I can find you and give your post some love. You can also find me on Facebook at The Carefree Kitchen. Thank you!!

    This is an easy, step-by-step guide to making sweet, silky smooth, and delicious caramel.  You can use this recipe for caramel apples or just as homemade caramel candy. 

    This recipe for homemade caramel candy is an easy, step-by-step guide. to make sweet, silky smooth, and delicious caramel.  You can use this recipe for caramel apples or just as a homemade caramel candy.

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Stephanie P

      February 01, 2022 at 10:39 am

      If you are looking for the best caramel recipe on the planet...THIS IS THE ONE!! This is my first time making caramel and i can't get over how perfect it is. I will be following your other recipes. Thank you for posting this. The only modification I did was instead of butter I used Ghee which is clarified butter. This makes my caramels shelf stable and I don't have to refrigerate them at all. Major thanks.

      Reply
      • Jill Baird

        February 04, 2022 at 5:32 pm

        You are so kind! This made my day! Thanks for your reply!

        Reply
    2. Dorothy

      January 23, 2022 at 7:13 pm

      try it topped with finely chopped, toasted almonds. Nice recipe.

      Reply
      • Jill Baird

        January 27, 2022 at 1:14 pm

        Great idea, Dorothy! Sounds delicious!

        Reply
    3. Ted Hanneman

      December 17, 2021 at 8:45 pm

      I have been looking for a straightforward caramel recipe that actually works and this is it! It's a dead ringer for the one we used in the chocolate factory to make coated caramels ... same taste, same color, same texture. The instructions are good but this recipe burns easily so stir, stir, stir! I used a wire whip and that worked well. If you don't have a thermometer, it's best not to make candy. The cold water test that Jill describes is correctly described, but takes a LOT of practice to do accurately, and even then the results are not as good as a thermometer

      Reply
    4. Susan

      December 05, 2021 at 6:57 pm

      I made this tonight using your recipe and it came out perfectly!
      Thank you for sharing!!!

      Reply
    5. Sherri Mullin

      March 24, 2021 at 2:30 pm

      Thank you so much for your yummy Caramel recipe! I can't wait to send some to my kids.

      One quick suggestion: The recipe calls for 1 tsp Vanilla and the video shows you adding it, but the recipe doesn't say when to add the Vanilla, so I never added it in, and didn't realize it until I was cleaning up. I believe step 5 should also say "Mix in the vanilla." at the end. The one good thing is that, bummer, I am going to have to make them again and we are going to have to eat them again! ; )

      Reply
    6. Isabel

      January 20, 2021 at 10:31 am

      Where i live they don't sell Karo syrup, is there something i can use instead?

      Reply
      • The Carefree Kitchen

        January 22, 2021 at 8:57 am

        It may go by a different name, karo syrup, corn syrup, glucose syrup. Do any of those sound familiar?

        Reply
    7. Melissa

      January 02, 2021 at 5:40 pm

      I made this today. Only I change I made was I used condensed coconut milk. Instructions were great. I definitely agree that you need to grease the pan well that you pour it into. Getting the caramel out of the pan was the most awkward for me. After I would cut it the caramel would remorph itself back together like it was before I sliced it. So I had to move quick. Luckily the caramel was mailable so I could reshape it as I needed to fit in its candy wrapper. I used wax paper. It worked well. It would be helpful for future readers to know how to slice and wrap. Maybe you can add that to the YouTube video? Or make a separate video just for slicing, salting and wrapping. Because that part took me 1-2 hours.

      Reply
      • The Carefree Kitchen

        January 22, 2021 at 8:58 am

        I've never heard of condensed coconut milk. That sounds amazing!! Good idea on adding instructions on how to wrap the caramels! I'll do that!

        Reply
    8. Stella

      December 17, 2020 at 9:56 am

      My Carmel is to soft, my temperature was over 245 , what did I do
      Wrong, they taste yummy and by far the best instructions

      Reply
      • The Carefree Kitchen

        January 22, 2021 at 8:59 am

        Maybe your thermometer was a little off. I'm not sure why it was too soft. Try cooking it to 5 or 10 degrees higher. That should do the trick.

        Reply
    9. Jock

      December 06, 2020 at 5:33 pm

      Awesome recipe real simple to make Thank you

      Reply
      • The Carefree Kitchen

        January 22, 2021 at 9:00 am

        I'm so glad it worked so great for you!

        Reply
      • The Carefree Kitchen

        January 22, 2021 at 9:45 am

        Awesome! So glad you like it!

        Reply
    10. Gwen

      December 06, 2020 at 1:23 pm

      I made this recipe last night and it is amazing! Just the flavor I was looking for and grew up with! I cut and wrapped them in wax paper at first, but it kept ripping so I wrapped in parchment paper and that seemed to be my favorite. My question to you is how long can these stay out on the counter? Usually they wouldn’t last more than a day but I am making them as gifts for Christmas a few weeks away.

      Reply
      • The Carefree Kitchen

        January 22, 2021 at 9:01 am

        They should be fine for up to a week on the counter. I think they'd stay good in the fridge for up to a few weeks. Can you store them in the fridge?

        Reply
    11. Madison

      November 20, 2020 at 2:44 pm

      Can you wrap these in wax paper?

      Reply
      • The Carefree Kitchen

        January 22, 2021 at 9:01 am

        Parchment paper works a little better but yes, it works great wrapped up as a gift.

        Reply
    12. Sue Nation

      November 16, 2020 at 12:09 pm

      Your recipes are so amazing, i am making the caramel bites!!

      Reply
      • The Carefree Kitchen

        January 22, 2021 at 9:02 am

        Thank you so much for your kindness! I really appreciate you!

        Reply
    13. Gina

      June 18, 2020 at 7:28 pm

      My family loves this recipe! It was my first time making caramel and this recipe was very easy.

      Reply
      • The Carefree Kitchen

        January 22, 2021 at 9:02 am

        Hooray! I love hearing this! Thank you for taking the time to tell me. It made my day!

        Reply

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