This Homemade Caramels recipe yields soft, chewy, buttery candies that practically melt in your mouth. They make a wonderful holiday gift for neighbor plates and festive cookie exchanges.
Soft caramels are a weakness of mine. I often keep a tub of chocolate-covered sea salt caramels on hand and enjoy one almost every day as a small treat. This year I experimented with making them at home for the holidays, and the result was a hit—so good my family almost didn’t want to share.
Homemade caramels are incredibly tasty but can be a bit fussy, like most candies. Follow these practical tips to improve your success rate and achieve a silky, consistent caramel texture.
Homemade Caramels
Key pointers: maintain a steady boil, stir constantly, and monitor the temperature carefully—especially when adding the second portion of cream. Below are a few details that helped me get great results.
Keep a Rolling Boil
To prevent graininess or crystallization, keep the mixture at a steady rolling boil over medium heat and stir continuously. This is particularly important when you add the remaining heavy cream. Tip: warm the cream in the microwave for 1½–2 minutes and add it very slowly while stirring so the boil never subsides.
Candy Thermometer or Cold Water Test
You can use a candy thermometer or the cold water test to check doneness. I used both, but found the cold water test especially helpful because target temperatures can vary with altitude and humidity. If you rely on a thermometer, begin checking around 225–230°F and confirm with the cold water test.
Cold water test: spoon a small amount of caramel into very cold water for a few seconds, then remove it. If it forms a ball that holds its shape, it’s at soft-ball stage. Remember that caramels will firm slightly as they cool, so remove from heat when they are just a little softer than your ideal final texture.
Reader note: at higher altitudes, water boils at a lower temperature, so adjust the soft-ball target accordingly. For example, if boiling occurs at 203°F where you are, subtract 9°F from the standard 240°F soft-ball temperature.
If you enjoy making seasonal sweets, these caramels pair well with other holiday treats such as pretzel hugs, buckeyes, or toasted coconut cashews. Pack them in small boxes or wrap individually for an elegant homemade gift.
Homemade Caramels
Ingredients
- ¾ cup (170 g) butter, cut into chunks
- ¾ cup (180 ml) dark corn syrup
- 2 cups (400 g) granulated sugar
- 2 cups (473 ml) heavy cream, divided
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Prepare a 9×9-inch or 11×7-inch baking dish: butter generously or line with parchment and lightly spray the paper.
- In a 4-quart pot over medium heat, combine the butter, corn syrup, sugar, and 1 cup of heavy cream. Bring to a boil, stirring continuously and scraping the bottom of the pan.
- Heat the remaining cup of cream in a large bowl or measuring cup in the microwave for 1½–2 minutes until hot and just boiling. Watch it carefully so it doesn’t boil over.
- Slowly add the hot cream to the boiling caramel while stirring continuously. Never let the mixture stop boiling or it may become grainy.
- Continue stirring until the mixture reduces by about half and begins to thicken, roughly 25 minutes.
- Test for doneness around 225–230°F using the cold water test: spoon a bit of caramel into very cold water, remove it, and if it forms a soft ball that holds shape, it’s ready. Remember caramels firm up as they cool, so stop slightly under your preferred firmness.
- Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla cautiously—the mixture may bubble up.
- Pour the caramel into the prepared dish. Do not scrape the sides of the pot into the pan; the thicker bits can set firmer and create inconsistent texture.
- Let cool at least 3 hours. Cut wax paper into strips about 5–6 inches long and approximately 4 inches wide. Cut the caramel into 8 x 8 squares for 64 pieces, place each square on a strip of wax paper, roll, and twist the ends to wrap.
Notes
*Soft ball stage is approximately 240°F at sea level. If you are at higher altitude, lower the target temperature to account for reduced boiling points.
*If caramels are extra soft and stick together when cutting, use a metal serving spatula to separate and transfer pieces.
*Recipe adapted from Garnish and Glaze.
Nutrition
Disclaimer: Nutritional values are estimates calculated with a third-party tool.
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