How to Make Caramel 101
I’ve been baking for over ten years, but making caramel used to terrify me. I tried and tried, and after many trials, errors, and a few caramel disasters — I became the internet’s go-to caramel girl. Like… I’ve literally been stopped in the street and asked,
“Are you the caramel lady?”
Yes. Yes I am.
So this is my complete guide — not just the viral caramel recipe, but every tip, trick, and all the secrets you need for caramel making success. Plus, we’ll go through the most common caramel fails and exactly how to fix them.
Welcome to How to Make Caramel 101
Ingredient Notes – How to Make Caramel 101
Here’s a breakdown of the ingredients and why they matter:
- Sugar – The base of your caramel. White granulated sugar is the best for this, but any sugar you’d use for baking will work well.
- Butter – Adds richness and depth, and helps smooth out the caramel.
- Heavy Cream / Double Cream – Creates that silky, pourable consistency.
- Salt – Balances the sweetness and brings out flavor.
- Vanilla Extract (optional) – Adds warmth, flavour and aroma.
How to Make Caramel 101 – The only Caramel Recipe you’ll ever need
- Start by prepping your ingredients. Measure out the cream, sugar and water and cut the butter into small to medium-sized blocks.
- Next, in a heavy bottomed saucepan add in the sugar and water and give it a good stir.
- Then place this sugar mixture onto the stove on a medium heat, it should start to bubble and when it does you can swirl the pan around gently every 20 seconds or so. But DON’T STIR as this might crystallize the sugar. Be patient and keep an eye on it to make sure it does not burn.
- After around 10-15 minutes your sugar mixture should reach a nice golden amber colour. Once it’s reached this stage, take it off the heat and VERY CAREFULLY pour in the room temp double cream (heavy cream). It will bubble vigorously — whisk well, but carefully!
- Next, add in the cubes of butter and whisk well until you have a glossy caramel sauce.
- Finally, add in the vanilla and sea salt and give it another good whisk and the caramel is ready!
- And that’s it! You should be left with a gorgeous silky smooth caramel, that can be used warm as a sauce. Or, as a soft set caramel at room temp — honestly, it’s even delicious straight from the fridge. Enjoy!
Biggest Caramel Mistakes – and how to fix them!
After making caramel for about 10 years, I can tell you I’ve made basically every mistake you could possibly make when it comes to caramel making. But honestly, I’m happy to have made those mistakes so you don’t have to!
Here is the biggest mistakes people make when making caramel at home and how to fix them:
1. Caramel Seizing — caramel turns into a lumpy mess
If you’ve ever poured your cream into the melted sugar and suddenly it transforms into a thick, grainy, lumpy disaster… don’t panic. This happens more often than you’d think.
Why it happens:
- You added cold cream to the hot sugar mixture.
- You poured the cream too quickly, shocking the caramel.
How to fix it:
- Always use room temperature cream to avoid shocking the caramel.
The rescue:
Pop the pan back on a low heat and whisk constantly. The lumps will melt back down and the mixture will become smooth and glossy again. Once it’s silky, remove from heat and continue with the recipe as normal.
2. Crystallised Sugar — your caramel turns grainy or cloudy
You’re watching your sugar melt, things look promising… and then suddenly it transforms into sand. Little crystals form around the edges and before you know it, your caramel looks cloudy and gritty. Ugh.
Why it happens:
- You stirred the sugar while it was melting. (I know it’s tempting — don’t do it.)
- Sugar crystals formed on the sides of the pan and worked their way back into the caramel.
How to prevent it:
- Once the sugar is on the heat, no stirring.
- The only movement it needs is a gentle swirl of the pan about every 20 secs or so.
- If crystals start forming on the edges, use a pastry brush dipped in water to dissolve them.
The rescue (if it’s already crystallised):
Take the pan off the heat, add 2–3 tablespoons of water, and place it back over low heat. Let it melt back down without stirring, only swirling.
3. Burnt Caramel — sugar gets too dark and tastes bitter
You blink and suddenly your beautiful golden caramel is too dark.
Why it happens:
- Caramel cooks fast, especially in the final minute.
- Heat was too high, or you walked away (never walk away!!).
How to prevent it:
- Keep the heat at medium — slow and steady wins.
- Watch the colour closely. You’re looking for a golden amber, not brown. If you’re unsure, always take it off a couple seconds earlier than you think!
- When it reaches the perfect colour, remove it from the heat immediately — it will keep cooking from the residual heat of the pan.
The fix (if it burns):
Unfortunately… there is no saving burnt caramel.
Just toss it and start again — I promise it’s worth remaking.
Does this caramel recipe firm up in the fridge?
Yes! This caramel will firm up to a nice soft set caramel in the fridge perfect for cake filings, cheesecake, or any other delicious desserts you can dream up of! Or honestly… sneaking spoonfuls straight from the jar (no judgment here).
Want it pourable again?
Just scoop out however much you need and microwave it for a few seconds. It melts right back into a smooth, glossy caramel sauce. Magic.
Pro tip: warm caramel + cold vanilla ice cream = unreal.
How long does this caramel recipe last for?
Your caramel will stay fresh and delicious in the fridge for up to 2 weeks when stored in an airtight jar or container. The sugar + butter + cream combo actually preserves it really well.
If you need to store it longer, caramel freezes beautifully. Just pop it into a freezer-safe container, thaw in the fridge overnight, and warm gently to bring back that silky texture.
How to store homemade caramel?
Once your caramel has cooled, transfer it to a clean jar or heat-safe container. Store it in the fridge — it will firm up into a soft, scoopable caramel.
Best tips and tricks for making caramel at home:
- Use room temperature cream – It helps everything combine smoothly and prevents shocking the sugar.
- Patience is key – Don’t stir the sugar while it’s melting; simply swirl.
- Watch the colour – Aim for a rich amber, not too dark, not too pale.
- Add cream slowly – Pour in room temp cream gradually to avoid seizing.
- Keep it clean – Use a clean whisk or spatula to avoid introducing sugar crystals.
- Practice makes perfect – Don’t stress over tiny lumps; a quick reheat and whisk can save almost any batch.
- The recipe video is on my TikTok and IG – please tag me @aceofspoons if you make this recipe!
Caramel Recipe
Equipment
- Heavy Bottomed Saucepan
- Balloon Whisk
- Airtight jar or container
Ingredients
- 200 g white sugar 1 cup
- 100 ml water 1/2 cup
- 200 ml double cream or heavy cream 6 fluid oz
- 70 g butter 2/3 a stick of butter
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp fine sea salt or 1/4 tsp if using salted butter
Instructions
- Start by prepping your ingredients. Measure out the cream, sugar and water and cut the butter into small to medium-sized blocks.
- Next, in a heavy bottomed saucepan add in the sugar and water and give it a good stir.
- Then place this sugar mixture onto the stove on a medium heat, it should start to bubble and when it does you can swirl the pan around gently every 20 seconds or so. But DON’T STIR as this might crystallize the sugar. Be patient and keep an eye on it to make sure it does not burn.
- After around 10-15 minutes your sugar mixture should reach a nice golden amber colour. Once it’s reached this stage, take it off the heat and VERY CAREFULLY pour in the room temp double cream (heavy cream). It will bubble vigorously — whisk well, but carefully!
- Next, add in the cubes of butter and whisk well until you have a glossy caramel sauce.
- Finally, add in the vanilla and sea salt and give it another good whisk and the caramel is ready!
- And that’s it! You should be left with a gorgeous silky smooth caramel, that can be used warm as a sauce. Or, as a soft set caramel at room temp — honestly, it’s even delicious straight from the fridge. Enjoy!
Notes
- Use room temperature cream – It helps everything combine smoothly and prevents shocking the sugar.
- Patience is key – Don’t stir the sugar while it’s melting; simply swirl.
- Watch the colour – Aim for a rich amber, not too dark, not too pale.
- Add cream slowly – Pour in room temp cream gradually to avoid seizing.
- Keep it clean – Use a clean whisk or spatula to avoid introducing sugar crystals.
- Practice makes perfect – Don’t stress over tiny lumps; a quick reheat and whisk can save almost any batch.
- The recipe video is on my TikTok and IG – please tag me @aceofspoons if you make this recipe!
