I love caramel. I love it hard, soft, chewy, runny, hot, or wrapped... but it can be a serious pain to make. Enter brown sugar caramel.

This stuff is liquid gold and it can be made a few different ways. No matter which variation you choose, this caramel recipe is quick and simple. It's ready in less than 15 minutes start-to-finish.

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a jar of brown sugar caramel on a sheet pan

How to Make Brown Sugar Caramel Sauce

You'll start by melting a stick of unsalted butter over medium heat in a medium saucepan.
Add in your brown sugar, liquid sweetener of choice and vanilla. Whisk everything until it's combined and the sugar is just dissolved.
Once the sugar has dissolved, stop whisking and allow the caramel sauce to gently boil for 2-3 minutes.
Remove the caramel from the heat and stir in your condensed milk and sea salt if you want salted caramel!

That's it! This stuff is sooo much better than store-bought. Once you make one batch at home you'll never go back.

a stick of unsalted butter melting in a medium saucepan

brown sugar, vanilla, butter and honey in a saucepan

Brown Sugar Caramel Variations

This caramel requires ¼ cup of liquid sweetener in the form of honey, maple syrup or molasses.

Honey is my absolute favorite. Your caramel will taste like honey in the very best way.
Maple syrup is a classic. Again, your caramel will end up tasting like maple. So good.
Molasses. Molasses is actually my go-to for this recipe. It gives this caramel sauce a really nice depth.

The vanilla in this recipe is totally optional, but I absolutely love it.

You can definitely swap out the sweetened condensed milk in this brown sugar caramel recipe for heavy cream or canned coconut milk.

How to Store Brown Sugar Caramel

Store brown sugar caramel tightly covered in the refrigerator for up to three weeks. Reheat in the microwave for 20-30 second intervals until heated through. The sauce will thicken in the fridge.
You can freeze homemade caramel for up to three months in a freezer safe container (not glass). Thaw in the refrigerator overnight.

Recipe

Brown Sugar Caramel

Print Recipe

Course: Dessert

Keyword: Caramel, Easy

Prep Time: 3

Cook Time: 10

Servings: cups

Delicious and easy brown sugar caramel. This caramel sauce only requires a few ingredients and less than 15 minutes, start to finish.

Ingredients

½ cup unsalted butter
1 cup light brown sugar packed
¼ cup honey or maple syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract optional
¼ cup sweetened condensed milk
½ teaspoon sea salt optional

Instructions

In a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium heat being sure not to brown. Whisk in brown sugar, vanilla and honey.
Whisk over medium heat until sugar is just dissolved and the caramel sauce is gently boiling. Stop whisking and allow caramel sauce to boil for 2-3 minutes, no more.
Remove saucepan from heat and stir in sweetened condensed milk and sea salt if using. Serve and enjoy!

Notes

Maple syrup or molasses can be substituted for the honey in this recipe.
Heavy cream or canned coconut milk can be used in place of sweetened condensed milk.
The vanilla and sea salt are both optional, but highly recommended.
Store any unused caramel in the refrigerator for up to three weeks.
Reheat in the microwave in 20-30 second intervals until heated through.

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