Name: Caramel Dipping Sauce
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 35 min
Ingredients: 3/4 C Dark Brown Sugar; 1/4 C Butter (at room temperature ); 1/2 C Heavy Whipping Cream; 1 TSP Vanilla; 1/2 TSP Salt

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It's apple season, and in my opinion, NOTHING goes better or is more classic to pair with apples than a good old fashion caramel sauce!

I am a huge caramel lover, and I could eat it by the spoonful because it's that delicious. Don't get me wrong; I do this from time to time. I will add it to as many things as I can is always an option, too, like over some ice cream or even topping off homemade brownies and even in some fudge.

Caramel sauce gets a bad reputation for being difficult to make. Still, really it's a super simple process with very minimal ingredients that comes together really fast for you to enjoy if you know how to do it. So I'm going to give you all my tips and tricks on making fail-proof caramel sauce.

Ingredients in caramel dipping sauce?

This caramel sauce recipe takes only three simple ingredients to make and comes together so quickly! The ingredients cook together on the stove to make the most delicious homemade caramel sauce ever.

Brown Sugar
Butter
Heavy Cream
Salt (optional)

This recipe uses *NO CORN SYRUP**, either making it completely grain-free!*

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My favorite ways to use caramel sauce!

Ice Cream: This caramel sauce tastes amazing over ice cream! We like to use it when doing banana splits or drizzle on top of a bowl of vanilla ice cream. Pair it with my Homemade Chocolate Fudge Sauce for an even more decadent treat!
Desserts: There are SO many different dessert recipes that this caramel sauce can be used for. A few of my favorites are apple pie over brownies. Drizzled over my Caramel Apple Pound Cake,
Fruit: We love to dip sliced apples into a big bowl of this homemade caramel. It also tastes fantastic, drizzled on top of baked pears!
Breakfast: We love to serve this caramel over pancakes, waffles, crepes, and french toast. It tastes like dessert even though it's the first thing in the morning!
Give it as a Gift: This caramel sauce would make a great addition to a homemade gift list, especially with the holidays coming up. Bottle it up, adding a cute little tag, and put it along with things like a homemade sundae kit or for the coffee lover in your life to drizzle in their favorite cup of Joe!

Does caramel sauce need to be refrigerated?

Yes, it would be best if you refrigerated this caramel sauce recipe. Just cover the glass jar with a lid and place it in the refrigerator once the caramel has cooled completely. To reheat, remove the top from the jar and microwave on low in 30-second increments until the desired temperature is reached.

How long does homemade caramel sauce last?

This caramel sauce will last for about three (3) weeks when stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container. I find it easiest to store in a glass jar (such as a mason jar) with a lid to reheat it easier.

Tips and Tricks

Use a metal pan - I know the instinct here is to use a nonstick pan, but this can sometimes interfere with the heat transfer in the sugar as it cooks, which can cause it to seize easier.
Use a WOODEN spatula - I've found this works best when making this sauce as it is less of a heat conductor and will reduce heat transfer from the sugar, helping it stay at the correct temperature.

More Desserts to Try

Chocolate Peppermint Cookies (Copycat Thin Mints)

Chocolate Cutout Sugar Cookies

Easy 5 Ingredient Meringue Cookies

Classic Vanilla Macarons

Chewy Fudge Brownies

Caramel Dipping Sauce

It's apple season and in my opinion NOTHING goes better or really is more classic to pair with apples than a good old fashion caramel sauce. It's one of the most iconic duos ever, especially this time of year, right?

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Prep Time 5 mins

Cook Time 30 mins

Total Time 35 mins

Course Dessert, sauce

Cuisine American

Servings 12

Calories 113 kcal

Ingredients

¾ C Dark Brown Sugar
¼ C Butter at room temperature
½ C Heavy Whipping Cream
1 teaspoon Vanilla
½ teaspoon Salt

Instructions

Add the heavy cream, butter, and brown sugar to a saucepan over medium-low heat.
Cook the mixture, stirring regularly.
The caramel will start to develop bubbles and begin to thicken.
Let it cook about 5-7 minutes, checking on it. At this point, if it has thickened, then remove it from the heat. If not, then let it cook an additional 1-2 minutes.
Once the caramel is thick, remove it from the heat and stir in the vanilla and salt if desired.
Pour the finished caramel sauce into a glass jar and place it in the fridge until you are ready to use it.

Notes

If your caramel starts to crystalize a little bit as it cools just reheat it and stir.

Keyword caramel apple sauce, caramel dipping sauce, caramel sauce

If you make this recipe, please let me know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don't forget to tag a photo #grainfreetable or @grainfreetable on Instagram. I'd love to see what you come up with!

Originally Posted 09/23/2019