Learn how to make a simple and delicious caramel sauce made with only sugar, milk, and sea salt. No cream or butter needed!
Quick Note: This is an updated version of a post that originally appeared on Bright-Eyed Baker in 2012. Updates include new text and photos, as well as some details added to the instructions for clarity.
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Back in the day, when consuming copious amounts of sugar at once didn't seem like an awful idea, my coffee drink of choice was a caramel frappucino. I later moved to a skinny caramel frap, and then to caramel macchiatos, but my love of all things coffee + caramel persisted. It's for that reason and that reason only that I developed this recipe for making caramel sauce with milk.
I tried multiple other recipes - some using a dry method, some a wet method; some with heavy cream, and some with butter. But here's the thing: they were all problematic for one reason or another. One burned. Another was so thick you definitely couldn't pour it into a latté. And every recipe using cream or butter along with the requisite sugar just seemed a little too heavy for an every-morning drink.
So here we are now, after *many* failed batches, with a very simple caramel sauce made without any cream or butter. Making caramel sauce with milk is extremely unconventional, and there's a reason for that: milk has a lot less fat than heavy cream, which makes the process trickier. But it can work, it's still delicious, and after a little practice it's really not difficult at all.
What is dry-method caramel?
Like I mentioned before, there are two basic methods for making caramel: a wet method and a dry method. The wet method involves mixing sugar with water before cooking it; as the sugar melts, the water evaporates. With the dry method, the sugar is heated by itself until it starts to caramelize and turn liquid. Some people find the dry method more difficult, but I personally prefer it.
Ingredients
There are only three simple ingredients you need for this recipe: sugar, milk, and sea salt. I've personally tested this recipe with 2% and whole milk, but readers have shared in the comments that they've used all sorts of other milk. See the recipe notes for other types of milk that I've been told work.
Tips for making caramel sauce
This recipe can be tricky until you get the hang of it. Here are some tips I highly recommend you read before starting:
Start with clean tools. Make sure your pot and spatula are clean and dry. Your sugar should also be completely pure; if it has come into contact with bits of flour, etc., that could effect how well it liquifies. Clean conditions help prevent the sugar from crystallizing.
Use a heavy-bottomed, TALL pot. Trust me on this one! A thin pan will lead to burnt caramel, and a pan that's too shallow can lead to a dangerous mess, since the hot caramel will steam and bubble vigorously when you add milk to it.
Wear an oven mitt. Even with a tall pot, I recommend wearing an oven mitt on the hand that you'll use to stir in the milk. You need to keep the caramel stirring constantly once the milk has been added, but the steam can get so hot that this can become close to impossible with a bare hand.
Don't multi-task. Don't try to make caramel at the same time as you're doing something else. The process moves quickly and is extremely time-sensitive. If you're not paying close attention you'll most likely burn your caramel or cause it to seize or curdle, and nobody wants that!
Don't stir the sugar. I can't stress this enough: while the sugar is heating up and starting to liquify, DO NOT STIR. The only thing you want to use your spatula for at this point is to push the liquid sugar on top of the solid sugar so it doesn't burn. Hold off on any stirring until all of the sugar has liquified.
Don't burn the caramel. I realize this seems obvious, but it also needs to be said. Once the sugar turns to liquid, continue to cook it just until it turns a rusty golden-brown color. Then STOP.
Don't give up! Real talk: your first attempt at making caramel might not be a complete success. BUT, I can tell you from my own experience (and that of so many readers who have commented on this recipe!) that the second attempt is usually much better.
For more helpful pointers, check out my top ten tips for making caramel without cream!
Troubleshooting caramel
There are two main issues you might run into while making this caramel sauce:
The milk curdles: One issue with using milk in a caramel sauce is the possibility of it curdling. This can be caused by a few things: the sugar getting too dark or burnt (and acidic) before adding the milk, using old milk, and/or not stirring the caramel constantly once the milk has been added. In any case, you can usually save a curdled caramel sauce by using an immersion blender to smooth it out again.
The caramel seizes: It is not at all uncommon for your caramel sauce to seize when milk is added to it. When this happens, the liquid caramel hardens into a semi-solid clump and you're left with a pot full of milk and a clump of caramelized sugar. Don't panic! Just put the caramel back on the stove and stir it continuously until the clumps melt back into the sauce. It may take a while but it should eventually happen.
Can I double the recipe?
I would highly recommend that you not double this recipe unless you've made it many times already and are 100% comfortable with the process. Too much sugar in a pot becomes hard to cook evenly, and this can lead to all sorts of difficulties.
Making a thicker sauce
If you don't cook the caramel sauce for more than a couple minutes after adding the milk, it will be thin, which is perfect for mixing into coffee. But if you're looking for a thicker caramel sauce, just cook it longer (about 10-15 minutes after adding the milk) while stirring constantly.
Storing caramel
This caramel sauce can be stored in a jar in the refrigerator and should last for several weeks, if not longer. But I have no doubt you'll use it faster than that!
More caramel recipes
Once you've got the hang of making caramel, it's easy to adapt the method to different recipes. Here are some recipes using caramel that you can try:
Caramel Latté Ice Cream - A silky, luscious ice cream that tastes like the frozen version of an ultra-creamy caramel latte. Cannot recommend enough.
Salted Caramel and Candied Pecan Biscotti - Classic biscotti gets an exciting twist with the addition of crunchy candied pecans, a heavy caramel drizzle, and a sprinkle of sea salt to top it all off.
Boozy Chocolate Caramel Cups - Mini chocolate cups filled with rum-spiked caramel. It's homemade candy at its finest!
A final tip
Read through the entire recipe below before you start making this caramel sauce! The process moves very quickly and you'll be much more likely to succeed if you know what to expect.
PrintCaramel Sauce with Milk
A simple and delicious caramel sauce made with only sugar, milk, and sea salt. No cream or butter needed!
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes (up to 30)
- Total Time: 25 minutes (up to 35)
- Yield: 1 to 1-¼ cups caramel sauce* 1x
- Category: candy
- Method: stovetop
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Low Fat
Ingredients
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 ¼ cups milk**
- ¼ - ½ teaspoon sea salt***
Instructions
- Heat sugar in saucepan: Place the sugar in a large, tall, heavy-bottomed pot, shaking it so that the sugar is in a thin, even layer. Place the pot over medium-low heat. Set a timer for 8 minutes while the sugar starts to heat up. During this time, leave the sugar untouched.
- Continue cooking: Check on the sugar once the 8 minutes are up. If you're starting to smell it, or see areas where it appears light brown or translucent, it's about to start turning liquid. If this happens, skip to step 3 now. Otherwise, set the timer for another 8 minutes, but this time, keep an eye on the sugar. Around 8 minutes later you should see it starting to liquify.
- Warm milk: Meanwhile, prepare for the next few steps, as they will come quickly. Warm the milk in a microwave-safe container for about a minute, and stir to even out the temperature. Place the warm milk near the stove along with a trivet (where you can quickly place the pot of caramel once ready), and a heat-safe spatula.
- Finish melting sugar: As soon as you see the sugar turning liquid, take your heat-safe spatula and carefully start to scoop the liquid sugar over the solid sugar. Continue to do this as more sugar turns liquid; the idea is not to stir the sugar, but just to keep the liquid parts from burning. Once all of the sugar has turned liquid, stir gently until it turns a rusty golden-brown color. This should only take a few seconds; be careful not to let it burn.
- Add milk to sugar: As soon as the caramel turns the appropriate color, remove it from the stove, place it on the trivet, and quickly stir in half of the warm milk. It's important to keep stirring the caramel during this time. The milk will cause the caramel to steam and bubble rapidly, so be careful as you stir. Continue to stir as the bubbling subsides, and then stir in the remaining milk.
- Return to heat: Some (or much) of the caramel may have hardened when the milk was added. If so, or if you want a thicker caramel, return the pot to the stove. Stir constantly over medium-low heat until any hardened caramel has melted back into the mixture. Be sure to carefully pry any hardened bits off of the bottom or sides of the pot as necessary, melting these pieces back in as well. Be patient; it may seem like they aren't going to melt, but with time it should.
- To make a thicker caramel: If you want a thicker caramel, better for drizzling onto baked goods, cook the caramel, stirring constantly, for an additional 10-15 minutes after adding the milk. It will not look very thick while it's hot, but as it cools, it will thicken substantially.
- Add salt and cool: Once all hardened pieces of caramel have melted (as needed) and the caramel has cooked longer (as desired), remove the pot from the heat. Whisk in the sea salt. Pour the caramel into a heat-proof container (if using glass, you can put a metal spoon in it to prevent shattering). Cover and place in the refrigerator to store; it will thicken as it cools.
Notes
*A thinner caramel sauce will yield about 1-¼ cups, while a thicker caramel sauce (cooked longer) will yield about 1 cup.
**I typically use 2% milk or whole milk. Readers have told me that the following will also work: 1%, skim milk, rice milk, goat's milk, almond milk, soy milk, and lactose-free milks such as Lactaid. (I haven't tested these alternatives myself.)
***For more of a "salted caramel", use ½ teaspoon of sea salt. Otherwise, ¼ teaspoon should do it.
Basic Recipe Adapted From: The Perfect Scoop via Annie's Eats
Copyright protected by Digiprove © 2012-2021
Pal says
I had a "fine curds and whey" caramel sauce after adding the milk and salt, ( the curds were not hard they were kind of very fine shredded cheese texture) so the pot went back to the stove to see if cooking more would dissolve the curds, nope...tried added a TBS of butter to see if that would do anything.... nope, kept on cooking it ...then tried my stick blender, and that fixed it. Thanks for the recipie, its a keeper !
alexandra says
I'm so happy you liked the recipe despite the curdling issue! Hopefully you'll find that next time you manage to avoid the issue. There are a few tips in the comments for preventing it, and it's usually pretty avoidable!
JC says
Hey there,
Recently i've become health-conscious and started dieting, working out, and jogging.
With the serving size above, you think it'll affect my current routine (ie my diet)? I have a cupcake business; and i love adding caramel to everything. But now i'm sticking to fruits, vegetables, and yogurt and i was wondering if i could add caramel on these without getting me fat again.
Thanks!
alexandra says
Hi JC! I'm not a nutritionist so I really can't tell you what you should or shouldn't eat. Personally, I try to just practice moderation and maintain a healthy balance in my diet. This caramel sauce is definitely much healthier than a typical one made with cream and/or butter and much lower in fat, but it's not "healthy". It's still made of sugar. That doesn't mean I don't think you should have any; it's just all about moderation. :) Again - not a nutritionist by any means, so this is just my two cents.
Victoria says
It is amazing how forgiving this recipe is! At one point I had a pot of hardened, crystallized, slightly browned sugar (I think from moving it around too much while it was melting). My sugar also hardened into a ball when I added the milk. After lots and lots of stirring, though, I still ended up with a DELICIOUS caramel. Can't wait to try it in an iced latte! Thanks for your clear directions!
alexandra says
It's kind of tricky and forgiving all at once I think! Anyhow, I'm so happy the caramel worked out well for you. I have a recipe for how I make my iced caramel lattes here, in case you want to check it out. :)
Ruby says
I tried this today and it was delicious! Thank you for the recipe!
alexandra says
Awesome! So glad to hear it. :)
Laura says
I love love love your recipe !!! I was looking trough the internet to find a caramel recipe without milk and butter and I found yours. I just made it and it tastes like heaven. The real caramel taste and with your desciption it was very easy to make. Thanks for sharing.
Have a great week.
Laura
alexandra says
Aw, thank you so much! I'm so glad you had success with the recipe and liked it so much!
Gary says
Ive tried using your recipe, and have followed it to the letter. However, I ran into a problem that isnt mentioned in this guide.
It seems that my caramel doesnt have the smooth creamy consistency that yours has. Im not sure why, but instead of the milk making the caramel smooth and creamy, it has settled into lots of little white bits throughout it. Can you give me any feedback or info on why this might have happened? Or where I could have possibly gone wrong?
Im certain I followed your recipe perfectly, and I cant figure out why mine doesnt turn out the same way as yours. Thanks in advance :)
alexandra says
Hi Gary,
It sounds like your milk curdled. That can happen for a few reasons which I've talked about in other comments - your milk might have been getting old or you might have heated the sugar too much before adding the milk (taking it to a really dark rust color that's close to being burnt). Curdling can also happen if the milk isn't warm enough before adding. Other than that, I've only had the caramel curdle on me once or twice, and sometimes it's hard to pinpoint what causes it. I would try it again if you haven't already; you might just have better luck next time. Also, if you caramel ever does curdle again, I've been told you can beat it with a hand blender to smooth it out again. Hope that helps!
Lorna says
Never attempted a caramel before. I wanted to try a version with milk because I never have cream on hand. This was easy and so yummy! Worked on my first try! Thank you so much for your very detailed recipe. I will do this for my coffee and desserts...the possibilities are endless. ;)
alexandra says
Oh good! Sometimes I'll buy cream and make a more traditional caramel for desserts, but I usually don't have it on hand and taste-wise, I really like the milk-based caramel just as much. I'm glad it worked well for you!
Kelsa says
This is, by far, some of the BEST caramel I've ever tried! My boyfriend ADORES it!!!! Thank you!!
alexandra says
Awesome...so glad to hear it. Thanks so much!
Scotty says
Thank you, Alexandra, for the recipe and clear instructions.
I just put it in the fridge after my first batch/first attempt.
It looks absolutely perfect for my lattes!
(And tastes great, too, after licking the spatula during cleanup.)
How long should it cool before I try to use it in coffee do you think?
alexandra says
I'm happy to hear everything turned out well for you on the first go! By now, the caramel will of course have cooled completely, but for future reference, you can even add it to your coffee immediately after making it. I do it all the time. It won't be very thick, but I find that it actually works better for coffee when it's not so thick because it mixes in better.
Patience Allen says
I have made this three times now. However, no matter how long i cook it, and let it cool, it still doesn't thicken. Any ideas?
alexandra says
What's the longest amount of time you cooked it? Also, you could try reducing the milk to one cup, and then still cook it down a bit.
Patience Allen says
The longest i cooked it was 35 minutes. I will try reducing the milk. Im making this for a few in laws for christmas, bit it needs to be thicker. Thanks for the advice!
alexandra says
That's strange, that it wouldn't have thickened after cooking that long. How long did it take for the sugar to melt? I'm wondering how the heat on your stove compares to mine...
Let me know how it works with less milk!
Patience allen says
Hey, i just wanted to update you on the caramel sauce. I tried it with a reduced amount of milk, and it worked great!!! I am making salted caramel sauce for christmas because it tastes that great :D however, instead of a cup, i used 3/4ths of a cup and it thickened up to what i wanted!
alexandra says
Great! I'm glad you found a ratio that works well for you. As you can see, that part of the recipe is quite flexible, so you can switch it up depending on how you'll be using the sauce. :)
Rebekkah says
I'm a little bit in love with this recipe. :) When I first poured in the milk, I did get a huge ball of seized sugar, but I put it back on the stove. After stirring for a while, it all managed to melt down. I wish all the past caramel recipes I've tried had told me to just be patient and stir! I've thrown out so many batches that I thought were ruined.
I found this recipe while looking for a caramel that would stay pourable straight from the fridge. The fact that it uses just sugar, milk, and salt has me sold. :) The amount fit perfectly in a plastic sauce bottle, too.
alexandra says
Woohoo! So glad everything worked out well for you! I love that this caramel sauce stays nice and fluid; for some reason microwaving caramel every time you want to use it just seems like an unnecessary burden haha.
Caroline says
Good luck with the first try. Now I'm waiting for it to cool enough to put it into the fridge, but initial tastes are delicious. Thanks for the great recipe and the tips were very helpful.
alexandra says
So happy to hear it!
Robin VanDyke says
Absolutely perfect on the first try! Thank you so much for sharing all of your hard work.
alexandra says
Yay!You're welcome :)
Treena says
After tryng this recipe once, it has quickly become my Go To recipe for caramel :-). I noticed a few comments about the milk "Curdling" when it hit the hot sugar syrup and due to my own mistake had this happen to me too. However it has nothing to do with the recipe and after an little trial and error I soon discovered what was causing it. . . . The Milk had been heated too much. The milk should NOT BE HOT, if it's too hot it WILL curdle and once that happens the only thing you can do is throw it out and start again! If your milk gets too hot Just throw it away, because even if you allow it to cool, as soon as it goes in the pan it will curdle. I have discovered the ideal temperature for the milk is JUST above body temp, if you put your finger into milk it should feel SLIGHTLY WARM. If it is really warm or hot, throw it and start a fresh.
Hope this comment can save a few of you from ending up with a curdeled mess :-)
rita.a says
Succeeded on try #1. This recipe is DIVINE :D
alexandra says
Yay, go you! Thanks :)