4 Ingredient Soft Caramels
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EASY 4 Ingredient Soft Caramels you can whip up in about 15 minutes. You don’t need a candy thermometer to make these caramels and they literally melt in your mouth!
Looking for more easy dessert recipes? I have you covered with my posts for Peanut Butter Fudge, No Bake Peanut Butter Bars, Easy Microwave Peanut Brittle, and 3 Ingredient Old Fashioned Potato Candy.
Why This Recipe Works
Old-fashioned flavor — People just LOVE my mom’s candy caramel recipe. Truly, it’s famous. And, while it’s delicious, it’s one of those recipes requires a candy thermometer, a giant pot, and a LOT of pot-stirring. As much as I adore those caramels, I tend to be a slightly less patient person than my mother and need something quick and easy that still delivers a big buttery caramel flavor. That’s where this recipe comes in. Big flavor, little work. I love it.
Easy — These homemade caramels seriously are so easy to make. They only require four ingredients (5 if you decide to go all-out and sprinkle on the sea salt) and you spend about 10 minutes stirring and keeping an eye on the stove pot.
No fancy gadgets — The best part is that NO fancy gadgets (namely, no candy thermometer) are needed. Do you have a saucepan, a can opener, and a spoon? Then you are good to go!
Delicious — Not only is this easy caramels recipe quick, but they are also soooooo melt-in-your-mouth yummy. BIG caramel flavor, with just a hint of sea salt (if you chose to add it). The hardest part is waiting for the caramel to cool before eating it!
Ingredients
- Sugar — Use all-purpose, white sugar here for the best-tasting caramels.
- Light Corn Syrup — Make sure you use light corn syrup because this type of corn syrup keeps the sugar from crystalizing as it cooks, ensuring a rich, chewy texture.
- Sweetened Condensed Milk — This is the trick to easy caramels because the condensed milk easily caramelizes when put to heat and helps the caramels maintain smoothness and creaminess.
- Coarse Sea Salt & Vanilla — Optional flavors you can add to the caramels but not necessary!
Here’s How You Make It
- Combine the butter and sugar in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir, stir, stir, till the butter is melted and the sugar has dissolved into the melted butter. They’ve become one.
- Add the corn syrup and condensed milk to the butter/sugar mixture.
- Allow the candy syrup to boil then decrease the heat and let it simmer for about 7-10 minutes or so.
- Keep stirring till the caramels have reached a deep golden color.
- Pour the caramels into a foil-lined 8×8 inch pan and let them cool completely. (Here’s where you’ll sprinkle them with coarse sea salt if you choose.)
- When the candy has completely cooled, you can cut the caramels into squares and wrap them in wax paper.
Expert Tips & Tricks
- This recipe creates roughly 20-30 caramels (depending on how large you cut them).
- Store wrapped caramels in an airtight container at room temperature.
- For additional richness and flavor, stir in 1/2 teaspoon vanilla after removing the caramel from the heat and before pouring it into your prepared pan.
- Want to add a little salty zing to your caramel? Sprinkle coarse sea salt on top of them after you pour them into a pan to cool.
Frequently Asked Questions
Once the caramels have cooled, you can cut them up and wrap in wax paper. I use wax paper because it will not stick to the caramels. Depending on what size you want to cut your candy you’ll want to cut squares or rectangles of wax paper the same shape as your caramels, and slightly larger (I give them about a half inch extra on each side).
Once you have all your wax paper cut, add a caramel to the center and roll the caramel up in it, then twist both ends tight to keep it secure.
Want to use your homemade caramel for more than just individual candies? You could:
– Make caramel apples by dipping and twirling apples into the caramel while it is still warm in the pot (put the apples on a stick or use a fork inserted into the top of the apples before dipping).
– Don’t want whole caramel apples? Slice apples up and put them in concentric rings on a plate and drizzle warm caramel over the top of them. Bonus: Sprinkle chocolate chips on top of the warm caramel over the apples before it cools for an extra treat.
– Have an ice cream social and pour warm caramel over the top of ice cream sundaes.
– Dip pretzel sticks into the caramel and then roll in sprinkles or chocolate chips or crushed candy.
– Add caramel to brownie batter before or after baking.
– Add a little square of caramel into the middle of a chocolate chip cookie before baking.
More Recipes for Caramel Lovers!
- Caramel Cookie Bars
- Salted Caramel Brownies
- Caramel Apple Dump Cake
- Salted Caramel Stuffed Double Chocolate Cookies
Did you make this recipe? FANTASTIC. Please rate the recipe below and be sure to tag me on social when you share a photo on social – I love seeing what you’re up to in the kitchen!
Easy 4 Ingredient Soft Caramels (no candy thermometer required)
Ingredients
- 1 ½ sticks butter , (12 tablespoons)
- ½ cup sugar
- 3 tablespoons light corn syrup
- 14 ounces sweetened condensed milk
- optional: coarse sea salt, ½ teaspoon vanilla , (see note)
Instructions
- In a medium sauce pan combine butter and sugar and stir over medium heat until melted. Stir in corn syrup and condensed milk.
- Bring to a boil and then decrease to simmer 7-10 minutes or until mixture achieves deep golden color, stirring constantly. (*For lower altitudes, simmer time may need to be reduced 2-3 minutes, watch carefully for coloring and read note!)
- Pour caramel into a foil-lined 8×8 inch pan and allow to cool completely. Sprinkle with coarse sea salt if desired.
- When completely cooled, cut into squares and wrap in wax paper.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Can you double this recipe
I haven’t tried this myself but I don’t see why not!
I made thEse caramel candies and Followed the recipe step by step. They taste great. The only thing iS that they didnt harDeN like caramel caNdies. It set and was more soft and almost “flakey”…? and and as soon as we put it in our mouth it melted. what did I do to cause this? I’m not complainIng just want to know how to do it again.
Im sure this is great. I make the whipped cream caramels and theyre awesome. But i like To make turtles and the caramel is a little too soft.
Are these too soft forturtles?
Hi Karen, I haven’t tried making turtles with these but I think it would work out good! I think I need to try because turtles are one of my favorites!! I’d love to hear how it turns out if you do!
i NOTICED YOU UPDATE FOR THE RECIPE, AND MADE A MENTAL NOTE WHEN i WAS MAKING THESE. mINE STILL DIDN’T SET UP. i DISCOVER SOMETHING, THOUGH: YOU CAN REBOIL CARAMELS… TWICE! tHEY FINALLY SET UP AND WERE EXTREMELY YUMMY. i’M WONDERING IF THERE IS AN ISSUE ABOUT THE INDIVIDUAL CONCEPTS OF THE HEAT FOR BOIL AND SIMMER. aFTER THE FIRST REDO THEY WERE EXACTLY THE SAME. aFTER THE SECOND REDO OF 7 MINUTES ON MEDIUM HEAT, THAT’S WHEN THEY STOOD UP AND TOOK NOTICE.
Thanks for your feedback!
Do you use granulated sugar or brown sugar? Anxious to try this !
Hi Lynn- use granulated sugar! Here’s to hoping that you love these caramels! 🙂
Made these and thEy are a hit! Taste freakin amazing!
But i did make a few adjustments.
First i replaced 1/4 cup of the bUtter with coconut oil
And added 1/2 teaspoon of sea salt to the mixture and I cooked The caramel for like 14 minuets total.
And After turning off the heat i added about a half teaspoon of vanil extract & about a 1/4 teaspoon of maple extract.
Best caramEls ever!
I will be saving this Recipe. Thank you!
Great modifications- thanks for sharing 🙂
My granddaughter and I just made these caramels and the recipe was perfect. Nothing went wrong…until we tried to get them of the “aluminum lined” pan. The aluminum sticks and won’t come off! So disappointing after the recipe worked so perfectly! Anybody else have this trouble?
Hi Diane- sorry to hear that you had those troubles with the foil! Maybe next time try greasing the foil a little bit beforehand? Thanks for your feedback! 🙂
Tried this twice both times the butter seperateD. This was a pinterest fail for Me
Hi Reish- sorry to hear that! Sometimes that happens when making homemade candy/caramel but with this recipe there’s an easy fix, if you see the butter separating from the rest of the ingredients just grab a whisk and whisk away like crazy, it’ll come back together no problem!
I just made these they turned out great!
Hi Tammy- I am SO happy they turned out awesome for you!! Every time I make these, I swear I eat them all myself! 😉
How long do these keep for at room temperature? And how long do they stay good for in the fridge?
Hi Kristie, they will last a couple weeks! They might stay good longer but they’ve always been eaten by then! 😉