These Homemade Caramels are soft, chewy, buttery, and melt in your mouth, just like the old-fashioned caramel candy you remember from Grandma’s kitchen. They’re made with simple ingredients like butter, brown sugar, and sweetened condensed milk, and they come together in about 40 minutes. You don’t even need a candy thermometer! I’ll walk you through the easy cold water test so your caramels turn out perfectly every time.
Homemade caramel candy makes the best holiday gift for neighbors, teachers, and friends. Wrap them in parchment, dip them in chocolate, or sprinkle them with flaky sea salt. Once you’ve mastered this recipe, try my Chocolate Covered Caramels and Black Licorice Caramel Candy next. Looking for a pourable caramel for apples or ice cream instead? Try my Homemade Caramel Sauce Recipe.
Why You Will Love This Recipe
- No candy thermometer needed- instructions on how to do the “cold water method” and also use a candy thermometer.
- Soft, chewy texture: these silky-smooth candies are never grainy or hard.
- Customizable flavors– Add sea salt, vanilla bean, bourbon, cinnamon extract, coconut extract or licorice extract for a fun flavor variation.
- Perfect for gifts, wrap them up for the holidays or give them to a friend.
Video Tutorial on how to Make Homemade Caramel Candy
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Easy Caramel Recipe
Looking for an easy and delicious soft and chewy caramel candy recipe that is virtually foolproof? You’ve come to the right place. This homemade caramel recipe is perfect for satisfying your sweet tooth and impressing your family and friends, but it’s also simple enough for beginners. It’s versatile and oh-so-delicious—let’s make caramel together!
If you love caramel recipes, be sure to check out my caramel apple recipe, it’s heavenly, and my caramel sauce recipe is a total hit for dipping apples, cream puffs, or drizzling on Homemade Apple Crisp. YUM!
Key Ingredients
- Butter: You can use unsalted 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. You can make this caramel recipe without corn syrup, but corn syrup inhibits crystallization. It prevents gritty caramel.
- Sweetened Condensed milk: This is important for this recipe. Don’t substitute it with heavy cream or evaporated milk. This recipe doesn’t allow for those substitutions.
- Salt: Sea Salt is best
- Salt Flakes: This is optional. You can find salt flakes at a boutique grocery store or on Amazon.
Caramel Candy Variations
This basic caramel recipe is the perfect base for all kinds of flavors. Stir flavorings in with the vanilla, right after the caramel comes off the heat:
- Salted caramels. Add an extra ½ teaspoon of salt with the sugars, then sprinkle flaky sea salt over the top before the caramel sets.
- Chocolate-covered caramels. Once cut, dip each caramel in melted milk or dark chocolate. Here’s my full tutorial for Chocolate Covered Caramels.
- Nut caramels. Sprinkle 1½ cups of toasted chopped pecans, walnuts or almonds into the bottom of the prepared pan before pouring in the caramel. Or press them into the top while it’s still warm.
- Cinnamon caramels. Add ½ to 1 teaspoon of cinnamon extract. See my Cinnamon Caramel Candy for the full recipe.
- Black licorice caramels. A family favorite! Get the recipe for my Black Licorice Caramel Candy.
- Coconut caramels. Add 1 teaspoon of coconut extract and sprinkle toasted coconut on top.
- Vanilla bean caramels. Swap the vanilla extract for the seeds of 1 vanilla bean for beautiful flecks and extra vanilla flavor.
- Bourbon caramels. Stir in 1 tablespoon of bourbon with the vanilla. Be careful, as it will steam and bubble.
- Turtles. Spoon warm caramel over pecan clusters and top with melted chocolate to make homemade Turtles Candy or Nilla Wafer Caramel Candy.
How to Make Homemade Caramels
- Prepare your pan. Coat a 9 by 13″ baking dish generously with butter
- Dissolve the ingredients. Heat a large, heavy-bottomed nonstick saucepan over medium heat, then add the butter, sugar, brown sugar, corn syrup, sweetened condensed milk, and salt. Stir until the sugar dissolves and the butter melts.
- Cook the caramel. Once dissolved, stir constantly and cook until it reaches 238 degrees Fahrenheit on a candy thermometer. (Soft ball stage is 240, but you want to be sure it doesn’t go over that temp. Take the candy off the heat at 238, and it will rise in temp a couple degrees before it starts to cool. It’s better for the caramel to be just a tad too soft than hard.)
- Add the vanilla extract. Remove the caramel from the heat immediately to stop the cooking, then stir in the vanilla extract. (or other flavor variation)
- Cool and cut. Carefully pour the hot caramel into the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle with salt flakes if desired. Let the caramel cool completely at room temperature before cutting into small 1″ pieces. Enjoy!
Yes! I actually recommend a large, heavy-bottomed nonstick pot because it helps prevent scorching. Use a wooden or silicone spoon so you don’t scratch the surface. If you use a regular stainless steel pot, it works great too. Just stir constantly and scrape the bottom often.
Yes. Ghee works 1:1 in place of butter. It has a slightly nutty flavor, and some readers love it. Since ghee has no milk solids, the caramels may taste a little less creamy and buttery.
You can, and readers say they still taste great. Corn syrup helps keep the sugar from crystallizing, though, so without it your caramels are more likely to turn grainy. If you can’t find corn syrup, glucose syrup or golden syrup are good substitutes.
Either works. Light brown sugar and light corn syrup give classic golden caramels with a buttery flavor. Dark brown sugar or dark corn syrup will make them darker, with a deeper, more molasses-like flavor.
Both work great. If you use unsalted butter, you may want to add an extra pinch of salt to balance the sweetness.
Line the 9×13 pan with parchment paper, leaving a few inches hanging over the long sides, then butter the parchment. Once the caramel is completely cool, use the parchment like handles to lift the whole slab out, then cut it on a cutting board.
Make sure the caramel is fully cooled to room temperature first. Use a large, sharp buttered knife or a pizza cutter, and wipe and re-butter the blade as needed. If the caramel is too soft to cut cleanly, chill it for 15 to 20 minutes, but don’t cut it straight from the fridge or it can crack.
Parchment paper works best because it’s sturdier than wax paper and won’t stick or tear as easily. Cut it into 4-inch squares, roll each caramel up, and twist the ends. Pre-cut candy wrappers are also a great time saver. Buttering your hands a little makes the caramels easier to handle.
They likely didn’t get hot enough. Next time, cook them 2 to 4 degrees higher. It’s also a good idea to test your thermometer in boiling water. It should read 212°F at sea level. If it reads off, adjust your target temperature by the same amount.
The caramel was cooked too long or got too hot. Even a few degrees over can make a big difference. Pull the pan off the heat right at 238°F, since the temperature keeps rising for a minute after you take it off the burner. See the troubleshooting section above for how to soften hard caramel.
Yes. Water boils at a lower temperature at higher elevations, so candy cooks faster. A good rule of thumb is to lower the target temperature by about 2°F for every 1,000 feet above sea level. The cold water test is also a great way to double-check.
Wrapped caramels keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks, or in the refrigerator for up to a month. Let them come to room temperature before serving.
Yes! Wrap them individually, then store them in an airtight container or freezer bag for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature for a couple of hours before unwrapping.
I don’t recommend it. A double batch takes much longer to reach temperature, which makes it easier to scorch, and it can boil over. Make two separate batches instead.
Recipe Tips
- Use a heavy-bottomed saucepan to prevent burning. It’s best to use a large, non-stick pot, However, you can make it without a non-stick pot, but you really have to stir it constantly to prevent the bottom from scorching.
- Make sure your pot is big enough! When cooking, your caramel will boil up about double the size, so ensure your ingredients have room to expand. A pan with handles is a must too.
- I like to use a wooden spoon with a flat bottom to stir the caramel. This way you can scrape the bottom of the pan.
- Stir constantly to avoid grainy caramel candy.
- A digital thermometer makes candy-making much easier. This way, you can be sure you reach the soft ball stage without over- or undercooking the caramel.
- Don’t cut the caramel until it has cooled completely and reached room temperature.
- You can dip the chocolates in milk chocolate or dark chocolate. My favorite chocolate to use is Peter’s Chocolate. I also really like the 1 pound chocolate bars from Trader Joe’s. They’re easy to have on hand and melt really smoothly.
- To make salted caramel, add 1/2 tsp salt to the caramel mixture when you add the sugars. Sprinkle sea salt flakes on the caramel pieces after dipping and before the chocolate hardens.
Caramel Recipe Troubleshooting
- Grainy or Gritty Caramel: first of all, it’s totally fine to eat it but the best caramel has that rich and buttery smooth texture. If you think it is a little crystalized, not scorched, you can reheat the caramel by adding it back into a clean non-stick pan. Add a few tablespoons of water, and slowly bring it back up to a boil while stirring. Do the softball stage test again. (or use a candy thermometer and bring it to 38-240 degrees Fairenheight) Pour it back into your baking dish and let it cool again.
- Layer of Butter on top of Caramel: This is most likely because the caramel cooled too quickly. Don’t put it in the fridge to cool. It’s best to let it come to room tempreture on its own. Let the caramel heat and cool slowly to avoid the butter solidifying at a different rate than the caramel.
- Overcooked Caramel: If your caramel is too hard, add a little water and reheat it. This works well to soften the consistency of your caramel.
- Scorched Caramel: If you scorch the bottom of the caramel and haven’t stirred, quickly transfer it to a different pot and continue cooking. Taste the caramel to see if it has any scorched flavor.
- Burnt Caramel: Put a little caramel in a bowl of cool water to cool it down. If you can taste burnt caramel, I’m sorry, it’s probably a goner. You’ll have to start over. So sad, but it happens to everyone.
How to Test the Temperature Without a Candy Thermometer
Don’t have a candy thermometer? No problem! To use the cold water method for homemade caramel, grab a small bowl of ice water. As the caramel cooks, spoon a bit into the bowl to cool it quickly. Then, use your fingers to test the texture. If it forms a soft ball when squished, it’s ready for soft caramels.
For firmer candy, wait for it to harden to your desired consistency in the water. This test is more accurate than relying on a thermometer alone, helping you hit the perfect chewy or firm stage without guesswork. Keep testing until it feels just right. I like homemade caramels to barely hold their shape after you roll them around in the cold water.
Wrapping Homemade Caramels
- After your caramel has cooled completely, you can dip your caramel candy in chocolate. If you decide to go this route, I’ve had good luck finding cute containers in the holiday section. Line the container with parchment and stack the candies inside.
- You can also wrap your caramel candy in parchment paper. It’s a little thicker than wax paper and better prevents the caramels from sticking. You can also try some pre-cut candy wrappers from Amazon.
- These make the perfect neighbor gift, teacher gift, or just a little something thoughtful all year long.
Homemade Caramel Candy Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup light brown sugar
- 1 cup karo syrup, or corn syrup
- 1 14 ounce can sweetened condensed milk
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon flaky sea salt, (for finishing)
Instructions
- Butter a 9 by 13" pan generously with butter and set aside.
- In a large nonstick heavy bottomed saucepan over medium heat, on medium heat, add the butter, sugar, brown sugar, karo syrup, sweetened condensed milk, and salt. Stir until all of the sugar is dissolved and the butter is melted.
- Once dissolved, begin to stir constantly and cook the caramel mixture until it reaches 238 degrees F on a candy thermometer.
- Remove the caramel from the heat immediately to stop the cooking, then stir in the vanilla extract.
- Carefully pour the hot caramel into a lightly buttered 9" x 13" baking dish. Sprinkle with sea salt flakes to finish.
- Let the caramel cool completely at room temperature before cutting into small 1" pieces. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
- Room Temperature: Store the caramel in an airtight container at room temperature for up to two weeks. You can also store it in the fridge and then let warm to room temperature before serving.
- Freezing: Store caramels in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 2 months. To thaw, pull out to room temperature for at least 2 hours or overnight.
Nutrition
Did you make this?
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More Homemade Candy Recipes
- Ornament Oreos
- Dipped Chocolate Oreos
- Hot Chocolate Bombs
- Cinnamon Caramel Candy
- Chocolate Fondue
- Saltine Cracker Toffee
- Homemade Peanut Brittle
- English Toffee
- More Candy Recipes
- More Dessert Recipes
This soft & buttery caramel candy recipe is the ultimate foolproof method for perfect homemade caramels. Whether you enjoy them plain, salted, or dipped in chocolate, they’re guaranteed to be a hit!
Categories:
Candy, Christmas, Desserts, Gluten-Free, Holiday Favorites, Nut-Free, Vegetarian, Videos,
I’ve been wanting to make a copycat recipe of See’s Candies Walnut Squares. It is my absolute favorite candy of theirs. I have found a picture of their walnut squares and it looks like the walnuts are placed in the pan first, then pour some caramel on top, place another layer of walnuts, and pour a light layer of the remaining caramel to coat the last layer of walnuts. I’ve heard that some attempts at adding nuts to caramel is that it rises in the pan and doesn’t stay at the bottom. I was wondering if you or anyone else has a solution for that to have the first layer of walnuts stay at the bottom.
You’re right-nuts can sometimes float in caramel, especially if the caramel is still very hot and fluid when poured. One tip to help the bottom layer of walnuts stay in place is to pour a light layer of caramel over the nuts and let it cool for 1-2 minutes. As it thickens, it is less likely to displace the nuts. You could also try chilling the pan with the walnut layer briefly (I would not recommend this with a glass pan as it can possibly crack) The contrast in the temperature can help “set” the nuts in place as the caramel hits.
I’d love to hear how it turns out if you give it a try- and if you nail the See’s copycat recipe, please come back and share! You’re inspiring me to start testing a version, too.
So so good
Do you use salted or unsalted butter?? I have everything to make them but I only buy unsealed.
This recipe was great. I do have a problem. When my caramel formed up it still has a thin layer of butter on top. I used a candy thermometer to reach 240. I can’t figure out what I did. It still taste good.
If your caramel has a thin layer of butter on it, it is likely the cooking or cooling process was done a little too quickly. The butter will solidify at a different rate than the caramel mixture. Did you by chance put it in the fridge to cool?
I have made this recipe several times a big hit with everyone. I bought carmel wrappers from Amazon.
Can i top with chopped pecans while caramels are cooling?
Mine too. And I used a candy thermometer. My research into the dilemma said it didn’t cook enough at the right temp. Will try next time.
How do you get the caramels out of the 9×13 pan? Thank you
It’s tricky to get them out when the caramels are really cold. Let it come to room tempreture and then use a metal spatula to scoop them out.
Caramels are so good. Easy recipe … and perfect instructions. Thank you!
This is the same recipe my mother had in the 50’s, and I have been making this for years. It’s one of the candies that Mom made for us during Christmas. Best recipe for caramels.
This is the BEST TASTING AND BEST TEXTURED CARMEL EVER TO EXIST!!!!????
easy to follow instructions, and it came out perfect!
I’ve made this carmel recipe, came out perfect using the water testing method. My husband took them to work and everyone wants me to make more.
I have my second batch cooling now.
Bought wrappers so now I can give them to family and friends.
Hooray, so glad it came out so well. Yes, such a gun gift for family and friends!
love this recipe tried it today awesome. only problem its real sticky. trying to wrap in parchment and wax and it sticks to everything. put in fridge and it firms up but gets real soft and sticky again as I’m wrapping it. need yo keep cold in between wrapping. wish there was someone to ask hope to fix it???
Parchment paper will be much easier to use than wax paper. The caramel will come off much easier. You can always butter your hands a little when handling it too.
You didnt cook it hot enough. The hotter it gets the less sticky it gets. Maybe your thermometer is incorrect. Try going 10f hotter to 250f or 255 next time. Use cold water method and you should get a hard ball.
I bought wrappers clear ones on Amazon.
Oh good! Glad you found some!
Amazing recipe. First time making it, came out perfect. I even wrapped them in parchment paper like factory make caramel! I didn’t have a candy thermometer so I used to cold water method, but it still came out great.
Hooray! So happy to hear this!
Excellent! Thank you!
I want to try this recipe. I tried a different recipe last night and it was a complete fail. my question is do you use light brown or dark brown sugar? I used light brown in the other recipe and the color was extremely pale and not appealing.
You can use light or dark brown sugar. I prefer light but if you’re looking for more of a rich flavor, dark would work great.
Jill, your caramel recipe sounds amazing. I never made candy before, so I’ll let you know how it goes. I have a question, though. Do you think this caramel would be good to make Payday candy bars by adding peanuts on the bottom of the pan before pouring, aging into caramel once cooked, and adding peanuts after pouring? Also, I would like to make them shelf-stable. Would I use a 1:1 amount of Ghee to butter? Love how easy you make everything look. Keep on cooking!
It would be great mixed with nuts. It’s super versatile and is perfect for just about any caramel candy recipe.
I love this recipe so much- it’s perfect! I have family overseas and corn syrup is not available at a reasonable price. Is there any substitute that they could use?
I haven’t tried it, but I’ve had readers report that they just leave it out and it tastes great!
I just made this and it’s so yummy!! My daughter said it’s her favorite. Thank you for sharing your recipe.
I made it as it said and put the right amount of vanilla in but as a finished result it tastes like there is way to much vanilla. What happened?
Hmmmm, I haven’t had any problems with this. I’d love to help you figure out what’s going on. Are you using vanilla extract or imitation vanilla? Either should actually be okay but you’ll get a much more rich flavor with a vanilla extract.
If you notice in this recipe it doesn’t actually tell you to do anything at all in the instructions with the vanilla so I don’t know when to put it in
Daisy, I’m so glad you let me know. That was an oversight. I’ve added it to the instructions now. You can add the vanilla after it’s done cooking and before you pour it into a greased baking dish. Thanks for your response.
This recipe looks super yummy. I’ve heard that you shouldn’t make candy in a nonstick pan. Do you have a recommendation for the pan you use?
I haven’t heard that about the non-stick pans. I just bought mine at TJ Maxx, nothing special. Just be sure to use a wooden spoon to stir it so you don’t scratch the surface of the pan when stirring.
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.
You are so kind! This made my day! Thanks for your reply!
Can you add chocolate chips to this recipe to make chocolate caramel and can you add peanut butter to make peanut butter caramel. I want to swirl those two together and make for my grandkids
I haven’t tried that but I’d love to know how it goes if you try!
I would like to know if not adding the salt in the recipe would be ok….I like carmel but I don’t like sweet and salty……thanks jeanni
You can leave it out or maybe just vut it in half. This isn’t a salted caramel recipe unless you add extra salt. The salt in this just helps to balance and enhance the caramel flavor. You don’t even taste the salt in this recipe.
try it topped with finely chopped, toasted almonds. Nice recipe.
Great idea, Dorothy! Sounds delicious!
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
I have to disagree with this comment. I am by no means skilled in the kitchen, but mine turned out great using the cold water method. It was my first time making caramels so I was nervous especially since I didn’t have a candy thermometer, but I gave this recipe a go and it was amazing! My family couldn’t get enough of them. Everyone said they were the best caramels. Definitely saving this recipe! <3
I made this tonight using your recipe and it came out perfectly!
Thank you for sharing!!!
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! ; )
Where i live they don’t sell Karo syrup, is there something i can use instead?
It may go by a different name, karo syrup, corn syrup, glucose syrup. Do any of those sound familiar?
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.
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!
My Carmel is to soft, my temperature was over 245 , what did I do
Wrong, they taste yummy and by far the best instructions
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.
Awesome recipe real simple to make Thank you
I’m so glad it worked so great for you!
Awesome! So glad you like it!
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.
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?
Can you wrap these in wax paper?
Parchment paper works a little better but yes, it works great wrapped up as a gift.
Your recipes are so amazing, i am making the caramel bites!!
Thank you so much for your kindness! I really appreciate you!
My family loves this recipe! It was my first time making caramel and this recipe was very easy.
Hooray! I love hearing this! Thank you for taking the time to tell me. It made my day!
Do you use dark corn syrup or light corn syrup?
You can use either. They will both taste great but just know a light corn syrup will result in a lighter flavor and color and the dark corn syrup will have more of a deep caramel flavor and color. I personally prefer using light corn syrup in this recipe.
just finished making these and so far they came out great! I used a candy thermometer and also the cold water method just to make sure they would set. once they are fully cooled and set I’m going to dip in chocolate.