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These homemade salted caramels are rich, buttery, and perfectly chewy with just the right balance of sweetness and sea salt. They look elegant, taste luxurious, and are surprisingly simple to make with a candy thermometer and a bit of patience.
Whether you’re packaging them for gifting or keeping them for your own sweet stash, these caramels deliver that irresistible melt-in-your-mouth texture that store-bought versions rarely match.
I recommend you use a reliable candy thermometer for the caramels, and you do need to watch them carefully. The cream is added when the syrup is amber in color. Keep the syrup from getting too dark, or it could burn.
What You’ll Like About This Recipe
Perfect texture. Soft, chewy caramels that hold their shape yet melt beautifully.
Simple pantry ingredients. Sugar, cream, butter, and corn syrup make magic.
Fabulous for gifting. Wrap in wax paper for elegant homemade treats.
Customizable finish. Use flaky sea salt, fleur de sel, or drizzle with chocolate.
Ingredient Notes
- Granulated sugar: Forms the base of the caramel; heat gently and swirl—don’t stir.
- Light corn syrup: Prevents crystallization and ensures smooth texture.
- Heavy cream: Adds richness and creates a chewy, velvety consistency.
- Unsalted butter: Enriches the caramel and helps with smoothness.
- Sea salt: Mixed into the caramel for balanced flavor.
- Flaky sea salt: Sprinkled on top for contrast and sparkle.
- Vanilla extract: Adds warmth and rounds out the caramel flavor.
Steps to Make Homemade Salted Caramels
- Prepare the baking pan by oiling it and lining it with parchment paper.
- Combine the water, sugar, and corn syrup in a deep saucepan and bring to a boil.
- Cook the syrup, swirling occasionally, until it reaches a deep amber color.
- Heat the cream, butter, and salt in a separate pan until simmering.
- Carefully add the hot cream mixture to the caramelized sugar.
- Add the vanilla and cook the caramel to 250°F (firm ball stage).
- Pour the caramel into the prepared pan and let it set.
- Sprinkle with flaky sea salt, then cut and wrap the pieces.
Tips
- Use a deep, heavy saucepan. The mixture bubbles aggressively when adding cream.
- Swirl, don’t stir, the sugar syrup to prevent crystallization.
- Watch closely: caramel goes from amber to burnt very quickly.
- Oil your knife when cutting the caramels for clean slices.
Recipe Variations
- Chocolate-dipped caramels. Once cut, dip half of each caramel in melted chocolate.
- Espresso caramels. Add 1 teaspoon instant espresso powder to the cream mixture.
- Honey caramels. Replace 2 tablespoons of corn syrup with honey for a floral note.
- Maple twist. Stir in 1 teaspoon maple extract at the end for deeper flavor.
Serving Suggestions
- Serve alongside coffee or tea for an elegant treat.
- Pair with a dessert board of nuts, fruit, and chocolates.
- Add wrapped caramels to holiday gift boxes.
- Choose them as party favors or hostess gifts.
How to Store
Room temperature: Store wrapped caramels in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.
Refrigerate: Keep up to 1 month; bring to room temperature before eating.
Freeze: Freeze up to 3 months. Wrap individually and keep in a freezer-safe container.
Homemade Salted Caramels
Ingredients
- 1 to 2 tsp vegetable oil, for the pan
- ⅓ cup water
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- ⅓ cup light corn syrup
- 1 ⅓ cups heavy cream
- 7 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- flaky sea salt, for finishing
Recommended Equipment
- Deep saucepan for the caramel mixture
- Small saucepan for the cream
Instructions
- Brush a 9-inch square baking pan with vegetable oil and then line the bottom and sides with a sheet of parchment paper; brush the parchment paper lightly with oil.1 to 2 tsp vegetable oil
- In a deep saucepan — at least 4 to 5 inches in depth — combine the water, sugar, and corn syrup. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Boil the mixture, swirling the pan frequently, until the mixture begins to turn golden. Do not stir.1/3 cup water | 2 cups granulated sugar | 1/3 cup light corn syrup
- Meanwhile, combine the heavy cream, unsalted butter, and 1 teaspoon of sea salt in a saucepan and place it over low heat. Bring the mixture to a simmer. Remove the cream mixture from the heat and set aside.1 1/3 cups heavy cream | 7 tbsp unsalted butter | 1 tsp sea salt
- When the syrup reaches a deep amber color, carefully stir in the hot cream mixture and vanilla. Attach a candy thermometer and cook over medium-low heat until it reaches 250°F (firm ball stage). This stage will take about 10 to 15 minutes.1 tsp vanilla extract
- Pour the finished caramel into the oiled pan. It will bubble up at first, but it will smooth out as it sets. Let the caramel mixture stand for a few hours and then sprinkle with flaky sea salt. Tamp down very lightly to help the salt adhere to the caramel.flaky sea salt
- Cut the caramel into squares or small logs and wrap in wax paper or candy wrappers.
Nutrition
Disclaimer:
Our nutritional information is based on a third-party application that analyzes the ingredients list to determine the values. The information is meant to be helpful, but should be considered an estimate. Values may differ depending on measurements, brands, serving variations, and database availability.
