Homemade Caramels Recipe (2024)

I love homemade caramels, but have always been so intimidated by them. I then got up the courage to make these, and they were out of this world. They were so easy to make and tasted absolutely amazing. You will love these.

Homemade Caramels Recipe (1)

For a sweet and kinda sticky treat, give our homemade caramels recipe a try. These soft and buttery homemade caramels are a perfect Christmas candy recipe to eat and share as gifts.

Homemade Caramels Recipe (2)

I was so excited when I first tried out our homemade caramels recipe. But, I’ll be honest, I was also a bit intimidated too because caramel can be a bit finicky and hard to master, which is why I had normally steered clear of making it myself.

However, this is the best homemade caramel candy recipe you will find. Not does this recipe make some of the best soft and buttery caramels, but it is also an easy recipe that does not have to be intimidating to accomplish.

My love of caramels started back when my grandpa would always have some of the soft Worther’s candies that he took joy in (or so I assumed) sharing with me, especially around the holidays. So not only is this a great Christmas tradition to eat the caramels, but now I can make my own and share the love of caramels with other too.

If you love caramel just as much as I do, then you need to make our Disney’s Apple Caramel Pie Recipe, Caramel Pumpkin Poke Cake Recipe, and definitely our Caramel Cheesecake Bars Recipe. They are all delicious and perfect holiday desserts to share.

Homemade Caramels Recipe (3)

Ingredients You Need to Make Our Absolutely Perfect Homemade Caramels Recipe:

  • Butter
  • Brown sugar
  • Salt
  • Light corn syrup
  • Sweetened condensed milk
  • Vanilla

How To Make Our Terrific Homemade Caramels Recipe:

Follow these simple instructions to make the best homemade caramels recipe.

Start by melting the butter over the stovetop in a large saucepan.

Homemade Caramels Recipe (4)

Then add the brown sugar and salt to the melted butter a mix it all together well.

Homemade Caramels Recipe (5)

Next, you will need to add in the light corn syrup and continue to stir it all together over medium heat.

Once that is done, gradually pour in the milk, making sure to constantly stir the ingredients until all the milk has been added to the pan.

Now, continue to let the ingredients cook over medium heat while stirring the candy mixture until it reaches the firm ball stage or 245 degrees.

Give the mixture time. It will take about 12-15 minutes to get it to the right temperature, but you don’t want to burn it so don’t get too tempted to raise the heat to high.

Once it does reach the firm ball stage or 245 degrees, then remove it from the heat and add in the vanilla extract and stir it all together until it is completely incorporated.

Homemade Caramels Recipe (6)

When you are done, carefully pour the hot mixture into a greased 9×13-inch pan and let it cool down completely.

Homemade Caramels Recipe (7)

Then simply cut the caramel slab into 48 pieces (6 lines down and 8 across) with a sharp knife.

After the caramel has been cut you can choose to either leave it in the pan and store it with a top at room temperature, or you can wrap each piece in wax paper.

Homemade Caramels Recipe (8)

To Make this Homemade Caramel Recipe You Will Need:

  1. Large saucepan
  2. Wooden spoon
  3. Candy thermometer (while not 100% necessary, THIS one works great and is super helpful in making sure the caramel reaches the right temperature.)

What are Tips for the Perfect Caramels?

The biggest tip I can give you for making caramels is to make sure you are 100% prepared when you are ready to make caramel.

When making caramel a lot of the time is spent stirring the ingredients in the pot. By continuously stirring the pot you will avoid the caramel from burning and create the perfect creamy soft caramel you want.

So, make sure to measure out all your ingredients ahead of time and prepare the pan so it is ready to pour the caramel mixture into right away.

Is it Better to Use a Candy Thermometer or do an Ice Water Test?

In my personal option, I would say that using a candy thermometer is better to use than doing the ice water test.

The biggest reason for this is simply because the thermometer can sit in the pot with the mixture and you can see the temperature rising in real-time, making it super simple to know when it has hit 245 degrees.

As for the ice water test you have to guess and check every so often to see if the mixture is at the right stage. If you would like to learn how to do the ice water test without using a thermometer, Instructables has a great tutorial on how to perform the ice water test.

What Do You Wrap Individual Homemade Caramels In?

If you want to store the caramels individually or have made them to give as gifts to friends and family then choosing the right type of wrapping is key.

Since caramels are sticky you have to be careful when making your selection. The last thing you want to do is scrap your caramel off the wrapper.

So in order to avoid any scraping or unraveling of the caramels, use cut wax paper as the wrapper. You can cut a sheet of wax paper to fit the sizes of caramel you made and it is super cheap and efficient for homemade caramels.

How Long do Homemade Caramels Stay Fresh?

Caramels will stay fresh for a good amount of time. If you leave the caramels sitting at room temperature and stored them in an airtight container they will last for about 2 weeks.

However, you can store them in the fridge and they will last about 3-4 weeks. But I would suggest letting the candy come to room temperature before enjoying a piece.

Want More Easy Dinner Ideas?

Join our email list today and we will send you a FREE ebook of our favorite dinner recipes – plus we will send you recipes each week to help make your dinner planning easier!

Join today by CLICKING HERE.

Have you checked out our YouTube channel? We show you how to make our favorite recipes right in our own kitchens!

Our newest cookbook is all about Pressure Cooking. If you love our Instant Pot recipes, this is the cookbook for you!

Homemade Caramels Recipe (9)

Each simple and delicious recipe contains clear instructions for prep and specific pressure cooking times from start to ready-to-serve.

Order your copy today!

INSTANT COOKING with Six Sisters’ Stuff <—– Click here to order!

Love cooking as much as we do? Join our FREE private Facebook Group: Six Sisters’ Dinner Club!

Totally Tasty Recipes Filled With Great Caramel Flavors to Try:

  1. Salted Caramel Cookie Cups Recipe
  2. Salted Caramel Chocolate Cookies Recipe
  3. Chocolate Caramel Brownies Recipe
  4. Snickers Cake (Gooey Caramel Chocolate Cake) Recipe
  5. Homemade Caramel Snickerdoodle Ice Cream (without a machine) Recipe
  6. Homemade Caramel Popcorn Recipe
  7. Pumpkin Cookies with Caramel Frosting Recipe
  8. Overnight Baked Caramel French Toast Recipe
  9. Caramel Toffee Pumpkin Cake Recipe

Family Christmas Treat to Make and Enjoy:

  1. Cornflake Christmas Wreath Cookies Recipe
  2. Cake Mix Christmas Cookies Recipe
  3. 12 Days of Christmas Recipe Contest Winner – The BEST Cherry Bing Bars Recipe (Family Favorite)
  4. Easy Christmas Peppermint Toffee
  5. Christmas Trail Mix Recipe
  6. Christmas Santa Cookies Recipe
  7. Christmas Tree Brownies
  8. Chocolate Bacon
  9. The BEST No Bake Cookies Recipe
  10. Andes Mint Cookies Recipe
  11. Homemade Chocolate Caramels with Sea Salt Recipe

Homemade Caramels Recipe (10)

Serves: 50

Homemade Caramels Recipe

I love homemade caramels, but have always been so intimidated by them. I then got up the courage to make these, and they were out of this world. They were so easy to make and tasted absolutely amazing. You will love these.

PrintPin

Ingredients

  • 1 cup butter
  • cups brown sugar firmly packed
  • teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup light corn syrup
  • 14 ounces sweetened condensed milk 1 can
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla

Instructions

  • Melt butter over stove top. Add brown sugar and salt, mixing well.

  • Stir in corn syrup.

  • Gradually add milk, stirring constantly.

  • Cook and stir over medium heat until candy reaches firm ball stage (245 degrees).

  • This will take 12-15 minutes approx.

  • Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.

  • Pour into greased 9×13 pan. Let cool.

  • Cut into 48 pieces with a sharp knife.

  • Optional: Wrap each piece in wax paper.

Notes

To make these caramels sweet & savory:

I just added a little bit of sea salt, to the caramel. Once it is in the pan, I would sprinkle it over. If you wait to long, you may be to press it in with your hands a little.

Nutrition

Calories: 115 kcal · Carbohydrates: 19 g · Protein: 1 g · Fat: 4 g · Saturated Fat: 3 g · Trans Fat: 1 g · Cholesterol: 12 mg · Sodium: 55 mg · Potassium: 44 mg · Sugar: 19 g · Vitamin A: 135 IU · Vitamin C: 1 mg · Calcium: 33 mg · Iron: 1 mg

Equipment

  • Saucepan

  • Non-stick Cooking Spray

  • 9×13-inch Baking Pan

Recipe Details

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

(Recipe from Food.com)

Homemade Caramels Recipe (11)

Be sure not to miss another recipe! Follow Six Sisters’ Stuff on Instagram|Facebook|Pinterest|YouTube

If you made our recipe be sure to tag us on Instagram so we can see your hard work using #sixsistersstuff.

Join The Discussion

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

  1. Lindsay says:

    I want to make that today! Thanks for the recipe, looks amazing!

  2. Anonymous says:

    Receipe looks easy. I am going to try these next Christmas.

  3. MsAngelasFinds says:

    Please add a pin it button to your posts. I love your recipes but when I try to pin one on Pinterest, it isn't able to find any images so then I can't pin it. :(

  4. s buzzella :)) says:

    ahhhh! I started making these and now I've realized that I don't know if you mean degrees ferenheit or Celsius :(

  5. Six Sisters says:

    I hope they turned out okay!

  6. ~ Adelaide says:

    I am excited to try your caramel candy's!!!!

  7. Ronda Ross says:

    I love carmels I will definatly try this thanks for sharing!!

  8. Ronda Ross says:

    I love carmels I will definatly try this thanks for sharing!!

  9. Ronda Ross says:

    I love carmels I will definatly try this thanks for sharing!!

  10. Mary says:

    Will this work to cover apples?? Have you tried that??

  11. Six Sisters says:

    Hi Mary!

    I haven't tried that, but I'm sure it would be delicious!

  12. Brenda says:

    Do the wrapped carmels freeze well? If so any suggestions?

  13. Six Sisters says:

    Hi Brenda,

    I have never had enough left over to freeze them. I am not sure how it would work! I am so sorry I am not more help. Let us know if you try it!

  14. The Better Baker says:

    OOOOOOO - I Love Love Love caramels..yours look divine. MMM!

  15. Carol says:

    I think I will make these and dip them in chocolate. What is better than caramels and chocolate together?????

  16. Ellie Burgau says:

    Have you added the "Pin It" button to your bookmarks bar?

  17. Six Sisters says:

    YUM! Let us know how that turns out!! -The Six Sisters

  18. Crystal Holliday says:

    Thanks so much girls! I made these last night for my family and we really like them. Now I have to find someone to share them with. Thanks for sharing great content.

  19. shelly says:

    i made these, my first time trying to make caramels. my taste testers were so very impressed! one described it as "a nice creamy flavor and texture when you first put it in your mouth then after you swallow it , you get another beautiful burst of the most scruptious flavor your mouth will ever experience" thank you for this easy recipe and making me a big hit :) everyones already asking for more :)

  20. Six Sisters says:

    So glad they were a 'hit' for your taste testers! Merry Christmas! -The Six Sisters

  21. Katie G says:

    I am wondering if this recipe is good for making caramel apples and caramel popcorn?

  22. Six Sisters says:

    This is really similar to our caramel popcorn recipe on our blog.

  23. Hallie Gibson says:

    im gonna make these right now!

  24. Sloane says:

    These were super yummy! Thank you soooooo much!

  25. Mariah says:

    How long does it take to turn solid? Mines seems to be taking forever. Also can I make them solid by putting them in the oven or fridge?

  26. Hannah Bozoa says:

    Why are you called the six sisters?

  27. Cyd says:

    Because there are 6 of us and we are all sisters! :)

  28. Ashley says:

    How long do these take to cool? Also, can they be cooled in the fridge or will this make them too difficult to cut? Thanks!

  29. Meridith Crane says:

    I just found this recipe on Pinterest. It is very similar to my mom's classic recipe. Do your caramels harden when they cool or do they stay soft, or somewhat soft?

  30. Deann says:

    I followed the recipe exactly. The color and flavor is great but mine are really hard, instead of soft and chewy. Any thoughts? I took it off of the heat as soon as it hit firm ball. My son added some sea salt to the top of part of the pan so he could have sea salt caramel. Just wanted them to be soft. I'm stumped. Help please!

  31. Cyd says:

    They are somewhat soft.

  32. Cyd says:

    Let them cool for about an hour or so.

  33. Marilyn Demas says:

    I just saw this post the first time today. I would like to do this but I am a little concerned because of Deann's comment about them coing out hard instead of soft set. I don't see an answer to her question. Can you tell me what may have caused this so I don't make the same mistake. Also, can you tell me how long these candies will last? I don't have a bunch of family to gooble them up so I want to know if they will last a week or so in an airtight tin?Thank you! marilyn

  34. Cyd says:

    She doesn't say whether or not she used a candy thermometer. It may have cooked too long. These should be fine for a week in an airtight container. We wrap each piece in waxed paper.

  35. Christine says:

    Hello! I have a quick question. Did you make high altitude adjustments to this recipe?

  36. Debra says:

    No need to butter pans if you use silicone - works great! Just flip out onto a plastic cutting board before cutting. And I keep wrapped caramels in the fridge for a month or more this time of year and they keep perfectly fresh.

  37. Kerry says:

    I have made these twice. The flavor is outstanding but, both times I got an area on top where the caramel crystallized and was very gritty. I followed the directions exactly (stopped stirring when it started to boil, used a buttered dish and used a candy thermometer (I even cooked the second batch a little less in case my thermometer was off my caramels were not as firm but still gritty on top) What in the world am I doing wrong? I want to use these as gifts but so far only about 1/2 of the batch is salvageable. Help!

  38. Linda Smith says:

    I have made turtles for Christmas and need to know how to store them. I have read that you put them in an air tight container for a week. Well it's two weeks until Christmas and have no other time to make these. Are they going to be okay if left in the refrigerator until needed? I hate to have wasted all these ingredients and money involved. Thanks for any suggestions you can give me. Merry Christmas to you all and Happy New year. Hope to hear real soon from you. Also can they be put in layers in the container seperated with parchment paper without them sticking?

  39. Cyd says:

    They should be fine in the fridge in an airtight container. Parchment paper between them so they don't stick is perfect!

  40. Elyse says:

    Hi Kerry!I am so sorry! I can't figure out what the problem could be. I know humidity, elevation and so many things can change the outcome of recipes. I am so sorry about that!

  41. Makenzie says:

    You just wouldnt cook it to firm ball stage, soft ball temp would work best. Dont remeber off top of my head but most candy thermometers have it labeled right on them.

  42. stacy law says:

    Can cream be substituted for the sweetened condensed milk?

  43. Cyd says:

    With this recipe you need to use sweetened condensed milk.

  44. Trina Ellis says:

    This is the exact recipe I use for caramel corn.

Homemade Caramels Recipe (12)

About The Author:

Contributor

This post was written by a past contributor of Six Sisters' Stuff. We appreciate all of the creative contributions that make Six Sisters' Stuff an amazing resource for families!

Read More

Other Recipes You Might Enjoy

Peppermint Oreo Truffles Recipe

1 hour hr 16 minutes mins

Tex Mex Cheesy Chicken Soup Recipe

30 minutes mins

Homemade Corn Bread Dressing Recipe

1 hour hr 10 minutes mins

Christmas Santa Cookies Recipe

23 minutes mins

Readers’ Favorite Recipes

Easy Baked Crack Chicken Recipe

30 minutes mins

Lunch Lady Peanut Butter Bars Recipe

40 minutes mins

Honey Lime Chicken Enchiladas Recipe

1 hour hr 15 minutes mins

Peaches and Cream Oatmeal Cookies Recipe

20 minutes mins

Peach Cobbler Dump Cake {4 Ingredients} Recipe

50 minutes mins

Chicken Zucchini Casserole Recipe

55 minutes mins

Homemade Caramels Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What makes caramel soft or hard? ›

Temperature is key when making candy. The difference between a soft caramel and one that's hard and overcooked is all in the temperature. Candy thermometers—like this instant-read thermometer—let you know exactly what stage the caramel is in (thread, soft-ball, firm-ball, hard-ball, soft crack or hard crack).

What is the best way to cut homemade caramels? ›

You can cut them into any shape that you like - I use squares for my caramel stuffed cookies, or smaller pieces for my caramel brownies. The best way to cut the caramels is when they are cold from the fridge. Use a super sharp knife, and mark out your cuts before you make them.

Why didn't my homemade caramels harden? ›

If caramels are too soft, that means the temperature didn't get high enough.

What not to do when making caramel? ›

12 Mistakes To Avoid When Making Caramel
  1. Not assembling your ingredients. Juanmonino/Getty Images. ...
  2. Choosing the wrong pan. Milanchikov Sergey/Shutterstock. ...
  3. Using the wrong sugar. ...
  4. Getting the temperature wrong. ...
  5. Stirring the sugar too much. ...
  6. Forgetting about safety. ...
  7. Not heating your liquid. ...
  8. Stopping before the sugar browns.
Jan 29, 2024

What are the two methods for making caramel? ›

Wet caramel is made by combining sugar and a liquid and cooking them together, while dry caramel is made from just sugar, heated in a dry pan until it liquefies and browns.

Should you stir sugar when making caramel? ›

Do not stir, but instead swirl and shake the pan to distribute the caramelized sugar in and around the unmelted sugar and to promote even browning. Watch it carefully to make sure it doesn't burn. The caramel is done when it's a deep amber color and all sugar lumps have dissolved.

Why add corn syrup to caramel? ›

Why do I add corn syrup? Corn syrup acts as an "interfering agent" in this and many other candy recipes. It contains long chains of glucose molecules that tend to keep the sucrose molecules in the candy syrup from crystallizing. Lots of sucrose crystals would results in grainy caramels.

Why does my homemade caramel taste bitter? ›

The temperature of the caramel can rise so rapidly that it is hard to keep it in the desired temperature range, shown above. As a result, the caramel could burn and taste bitter.

Why do you put vinegar in caramel? ›

Add acid. Acid ingredients (like vinegar or lemon juice) can help prevent re-crystallization which causes caramel to become grainy. Acid physically breaks the bonds between the glucose and fructose molecules that form sucrose and ensure that it stays apart.

What is the best pan to make caramels in? ›

For these homemade caramels you want a heavy-bottomed stainless steel pan. I recommend using a pan that does NOT have a nonstick coating. Heavy-bottomed simply means the pot or pan has a thicker base. It shouldn't be thin and tinny.

What thickens homemade caramel? ›

For each cup (240 mL) of caramel sauce that you need to thicken, run 1 tbsp (14.7 mL) of cold water into a measuring cup, and slowly stir in 1 tbsp of cornstarch. Pour the cornstarch mixture into your pot caramel sauce, and stir constantly. Keep the sauce on low heat until it begins to thicken.

How do I get my caramel to harden? ›

Refrigerate until cooled and hardened. (Best if you refrigerate them overnight, or for several hours. They will be easier to cut and wrap). The caramel will seem hard in the fridge after they're set, but they should be soft at room temperature.

What happens if you stir caramel too much? ›

When making caramel, especially wet caramel, your main nemesis will be the sugar's natural tendency to recrystallize. The sugar crystals have jagged edges and, even after liquefying, want to regroup into a solid mass. Stirring a wet caramel encourages these crystals to hook up—and cause clumping.

How to prevent sugar from crystallizing when making caramel? ›

The idea is to lower the PH. you can also use a small pinch of citric acid or cream of tartar if you have. lemon juice won't work as it will turn bitter as the sugar cooks. Alternatively, an invert sugar such as corn syrup or golden syrup will work beautifully.

Why shouldn't you stir sugar when making caramel? ›

It makes sense to stir your pot, but you have to resist the urge. The reason that caramel turns back into sugar crystals and becomes grainy is because too much moisture has been lost in the cooking process. When sugar is dissolved in water it loses its structure and becomes the liquid that develops into caramel.

How to keep caramel from sticking to wax paper? ›

Cut waxed paper for caramel wrappers -

In general the paper sold for home use is too light weight, the grain of the paper isn't made to withstand twisting (it tears), and the wax coating is too light to prevent the moisture from the candy from seaping into the paper and weakening it thus causing it to tear and stick.

References

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Recommended Articles
Article information

Author: Pres. Carey Rath

Last Updated:

Views: 6113

Rating: 4 / 5 (41 voted)

Reviews: 88% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Pres. Carey Rath

Birthday: 1997-03-06

Address: 14955 Ledner Trail, East Rodrickfort, NE 85127-8369

Phone: +18682428114917

Job: National Technology Representative

Hobby: Sand art, Drama, Web surfing, Cycling, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, Leather crafting, Creative writing

Introduction: My name is Pres. Carey Rath, I am a faithful, funny, vast, joyous, lively, brave, glamorous person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.