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.
Do you have a link to your mom’s recipe as well?
Do you have your mom’s recipe to share. Thank you
It’s an old fashioned recipe, temperamental. However, I am working on developing a less finicky version with the same taste and texture. 🙂
So stupid question but is it butter or margarine?
Butter, but I have also made it with margarine and it works too 🙂
Thank you for your recipe! I made today, but instead of pouring onto a pan to cool, we dipped pretzels in. After they cooled we dipped again in chocolate. Fantastic!!!
I made the caramel candy tonight and it is so good. Cooking time took about 7 minutes longer, but it was so easy to do. Love this and will make again!
Can you use something els instead corn syrup? Tanx!
Every other caramel recipe i see calls for buttering the pan or buttering the foil. How do you get your recipe not to stick
Looks yummy! I’m making a care package to send my son for Christmas. I’m going to break up some pretzels, put them in muffin tins, pour this caramel over the top and cover them in chocolate once they set! Fingers crossed!
I made these tonight two different ways and they both came out AWESOME! I used coconut oil instead of butter for both recipes (6 oz) and I used white sugar in one batch and coconut sugar in the other. Because coconut oil is lighter in color and the coconut sugar is so dark, I used a candy thermometer since I am not a risk taker!! I stirred like crazy until 255° on my thermometer and they turned out awesome! I did use a whisk the whole time as recommended previously. I will probably be able to eyeball this next time because the caramels starts to pull away from the sides when it’s done…. but I also know me and will probably chicken out and break out the candy thermometer!
Here’s a tip use a ice cold water to check to see if it’s ready. Drip some into ice cold water dump out and see how it feels. That will help you tell if it’s to runny . NOTE 2 people work best seeing how you have to store alot and check… NOTE ice bowl and strainer work
I had an issue with the butter separating. Then when it set up it was hard. Tasted wonderful but too hard to eat and not worry about dental work. What could I have done wrong?
I made these today. Read the comments and took all the advise offered. Followed directions exactly and made beautiful soft, melt-in-your-mouth caramels. What a great recipe! Thanks so much
hi i have done your caramels once but want to make again for Christmas.
how long do they last once they are cooled?
I’m making them for family members as presents.
Can you clarify the “stirring constantly” to what type of cooking implement should be used. Spoon, metal, wood, teflon, whisk… et cetera.
Stir constantly with a whisk for best results. 🙂
Love the receipe. But was wondering if you could add pecans to the mixture after it finish cooking. Thank You
I have a recipe very similar to this for my caramel sauce. It uses brown sugar instead of white sugar and honey instead of corn syrup, and I add whole milk and vanilla extract in addition to sweetened condensed milk. If I use my caramel sauce to make these candies, will the brown sugar and honey affect its ability to set? Thank you so much.