Salted Caramel Sauce
Sweet, smooth, and full of flavor, this Salted Caramel Sauce is just itching to be poured over ice cream, drizzled over pancakes, or eaten with spoon!
If you love this recipe, you’ll definitely want to check out my Caramel Popcorn and Easy Blueberry Sauce

Salted.Caramel.Sauce. There may be no words to describe this pure amaziness, easily drizz-able over ice cream, apples, oatmeal, yogurt, and yes, even straight from the spoon.
Caramel is delicious any time of year, but for me it always tastes like fall. Caramel apples, caramel popcorn, and salted caramel mochas are seasonal staples I look forward to as soon as the weather cools. Its rich texture and buttery sweetness keep me coming back for more, and honestly, I like it even better than hot fudge.
So instead of running out to grab a jar, I decided to make my own. The result? A silky, sweet-salty caramel sauce that’s simple, indulgent, and ready to become your new favorite topping.

Sweet, smooth, and full of flavor, this Salted Caramel Sauce is pure magic. Drizzle it over ice cream, swirl it into coffee, pour it on pancakes, or, my favorite, enjoy it by the spoonful.
Forget the store-bought jars. This homemade version is richer, creamier, and comes together with just five simple ingredients. It’s one of those recipes you’ll want on repeat, especially as fall rolls around and caramel cravings hit full force.
Here’s how it works: combine water and sugar in a heavy-bottomed saucepan until dissolved. Bring to a boil, then cook until the mixture turns a deep amber color. Off the heat, stir in cream, butter, vanilla, and a pinch of sea salt. As it cools, the sauce thickens into the perfect fudge-like texture.
That’s it, quick, simple, and completely irresistible. Once you try it, you’ll find yourself reaching for this Salted Caramel Sauce every time your dessert needs a little extra love.

Ingredients
You only need six simple ingredients to make this Salted Caramel Sauce. With sugar, cream, butter, and a touch of vanilla and sea salt, you’ll have a rich, silky sauce that’s better than anything from the store.
- water
- granulated sugar
- heavy whipping cream
- unsalted butter
- vanilla bean paste, or vanilla extract
- sea salt
How to make
Making salted caramel at home is easier than you think. With just a few simple steps, melting sugar, adding cream, and stirring in butter, vanilla, and salt, you’ll have a rich, golden sauce ready to cool and enjoy.
- In a heavy-bottomed sauce pan, combine the water and sugar. Over medium-low heat, slowly bring to a boil, stirring occasionally until sugar is fully dissolved.
- Once mixture is boiling, let boil for about 10-15 minutes or until mixture turns a dark brown color.
- Remove mixture from heat and stir in a few spoonfuls of cream. The cream will harden as you stir, which is normal. Continue to add the rest of cream and stir until combined.
- Stir in butter, vanilla extract, and sea salt.
- Pour caramel sauce into a mason jar or other glass container to cool completely.
Looking for more easy caramel recipes? I’ve got you covered!
- Caramel Apple Danish
- Salted Caramel Pretzel Blondies
- Caramel Apple Nachos
- Salted Caramel Snickerdoodles
- No Churn Caramel Chocolate Chunk Ice Cream
- Caramel-Drizzled Apple Cobbler
- Caramel Apple Dump Cake
- Caramel Apple Baked Brie

Salted Caramel Sauce
Ingredients
- ¼ cup water
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ¾ cup heavy whipping cream
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste, or vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
Instructions
- In a heavy-bottomed sauce pan, combine the water and sugar. Over medium-low heat, slowly bring to a boil, stirring occasionally until sugar is fully dissolved.
- Once mixture is boiling, let boil for about 10-15 minutes or until mixture turns a dark brown color.
- Remove mixture from heat and stir in a few spoonfuls of cream. The cream will harden as you stir, which is normal. Continue to add the rest of cream and stir until combined.
- Stir in butter, vanilla extract, and sea salt.
- Pour caramel sauce into a mason jar or other glass container to cool completely.
Oh my, rich in flavor, and smooth, I’ll take mine with a spoon.
A spoon is the best way to eat it, Lori! 🙂 Thanks!
Salted Caramel= total Yum and Perfection! I so want this over some apples right now 😉
This sauce was amazing, Michele! Especially dipped in apples…yum!
You know I have a serious weakness for salted caramel anything!!! Yours looks delicious! Just in time for apple season – because why not make a healthy fruit into a sinfully delicious snack? lol!
I like your thinking, Lindsey! It’s definitely ok to do that, but only in the fall, right?! 🙂
Salted caramel sauce is totally my go-to fall topping. I love how quick and easy this sounds! I’ll just take that entire jar and a spoon, please. 😉
I’m embarrassed to admit how much of this sauce I ate with just my spoon! It’s so addicting, Sarah!
Salted caramel sauce is the best!
I agree, Jessica! 🙂
I can eat this entire jar with a spoon! Look so good!
Me too, Manali! I should’ve made two jars…one for just my spoon, and one to use as a topping! 🙂
Can I have a bath in this sauce?It sounds amazing!
Ha ha that sounds like a fabulous idea! Thanks, Dannii!
YES! I love salted caramel sauce!
Definitely the best! 🙂
I love caramel sauce. I can think of so many things right now that I’d want to pour it on top of!! 🙂
I love that it’s so versatile, Renee! It definitely didn’t last long in my house!
Yum, I am a sucker for salted caramel sauce! I just want to drink up that entire jar – it looks amazing!
Thanks, Kelly! I could definitely stick a straw in this and drink it too, it’s just that good! 🙂
Your caramel sauce is the perfect deep amber color — it looks so delicious! Having a (homemade) caramel sauce is all you need to make anything more special in my book. 🙂
I agree, Marcie! Home-made sauce makes such a difference in baking. Thanks so much for the kind words!
You’re right – there are FEW words that describe caramel sauce as beautiful and heavenly as this! Can’t wait to use this over everything in the coming month! It’s like luxury ketchup for all things fall. <3
I love your description, Tash! Definitely like luxury ketchup! Thanks for the caramel love!
Oh my gosh, Gayle! Words can’t describe how good this looks! I love salted caramel, but haven’t tried making my own yet. This will be made as soon as possible! These pictures are gorgeous too. Pinning 🙂
Thanks, Danielle! This was super easy to make, and super easy to eat waaaay to fast! 🙂 I swear I ate more with just a spoon than I did over ice cream! 🙂 Thanks for the pin, too!
Salted caramel is one of my favorite things to make and it’s soooo much better than the store bought stuff!
This home-made sauce is definitely better than store bought, and so easy!
I’ve just mastered caramel, and I agree that it’s so worth making your own! I’ve got to try your salted version!
I think you would love this salted version, Helen! And I’m so awed by the fact at how easy this is to make. Why haven’t I tried this years ago?!
Love salted caramel sauce! Looks fabulous Gayle!
Thanks, Jess!
I’ll just take a glass of this please.
Although ice cream sounds like a pretty good vehicle too 🙂
Give me a straw and I could totally drink this out of a glass…or just a spoon would work, too! 🙂
I always have a hard time with caramel sauce, Gayle! Yours looks perfect. And to have that with apples dipped in…heaven!
Thanks, Mir! This recipe is practically fool-proof and so easy!
I’ve never tried a ‘wet’ caramel sauce…or whatever the term is for combining the sugar with water. I tried the dry caramel where no liquid is added, and it was a bit of a disaster…couldn’t resist stirring it and a clumpy burned/crystalized mess was what I ended up with! Your sauce looks heavenly, I could eat it straight from the spoon, Gayle!
I haven’t tried a dry caramel sauce, but it does sound trickier than the wet kind! I think you would love this sauce, Denise! It’s so easy and hard to mess up. And definitely worthy of just a spoon!
YUM!! What a great recipe!! PERF for fall!! Love it w. some apples (great addition of salt btw…that’s the best)!!! 🙂
Thanks, Cailee! I love dipping apples in this sauce, makes for the perfect snack!
I could drizzle this caramel sauce on everything!! 🙂 It looks so dreamy and perfect!
Thanks, Jocelyn! I think the possibilities are endless of what this sauce could go on!
Mmmm, caramel sauce is the best!! Yours looks so creamy and delicious!
Thanks for the kind words, Rachel! This sauce is amazing!
Gah – homemade caramel sauce is just so freakin’ amazing. This looks so good. I haven’t made caramel since last fall! I need to fix this!!
You definitely should, Ashley! Definitely a perfect recipe for the fall!
Mmmm…this looks scrumptious! I love caramel so much! 🙂
Thanks, Kelly!
Salted caramel is like my favourite thing ever! I could put it on everything! This looks wonderful.
Me too, Jessica! Thanks so much!
I love caramel sauce so much more than hot fudge too! And I especially love salted caramel sauce! It really does seem to go perfectly with everything! I could probably eat most of it with just a spoon 🙂
I ate way too much of this sauce with just a spoon, Izzy! It was just too tempting! 🙂 Thanks so much for the kind words!
I can’t believe I ever lived without this!! I am a salted caramel fanatic!! This looks amazing!
Oh my gosh, this caramel sauce is amazing, Annie! And so easy to make, too! I think you would love it!
I can totally taste it right now. I have to make this sauce but I fear it would last a whole five minutes.
This sauce didn’t last long in my house either, Eva! In fact, I’m embarrassed at how much I ate with just my soon!