The Easiest Sea Salt Caramel Recipe (2024)

Published on December 18, 2020 By Candice

Homemade caramels make the best gift during the holidays. This is the easiest sea salt caramel recipe to make and the most delicious! Our Sea Salt Vanilla Caramels sell out every year for the holidays and we have never released the recipe until now!

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ISN’T CARAMEL HARD TO MAKE?

I’ll admit that I used to be intimidated by making caramel anything. Caramel sauce, caramel candy, caramel drip. Caramel has a reputation for being difficult to make which is why I designed this recipe to be for caramel beginners.

Most caramel recipes are a two step process of melting the sugar and corn syrup together and adding heavy cream and butter at the end. I found that using this method created a lot of room for error such as crystallization of the sugar, burning, and coming to a rapid boil before the caramel was done cooking.

This recipe is so easy, you pour all the ingredients into a large heavy bottom saucepan and stir until it reaches temperature. It is a fool-proof recipe without any weird ingredients. The best part is you won’t be able to put these caramels down!

These are the caramels that I sell every year around the holidays. They have became known by the Seattle Wedding industry to be some of the best and most requested. I’ve even heard stories from clients that they often end up in the grooms pockets secretly to enjoy the next morning.

They are perfectly soft, sweet, salty and buttery and I’ve built an entire business around this one single recipe. Wouldn’t it feel amazing to say that you have conquered caramels?

What You Need to Make Homemade Caramels

Follow these tips and steps and you be on your way to enjoying the best sea salt caramels! These make amazing gifts for the holidays for clients, family and friends, coworkers or even stocking stuffers.

1. USE QUALITY BUTTER– Using an off brand or generic butter may yield different results. Those butters typically have a higher amount of water. I’ve made this mistake before and it made a big difference. I use quality name brand butter or local butter. In Seattle, I use unsalted Tillamook or Darigold.
2. USE A LARGE HEAVY BOTTOM PAN– during the process, the caramel will foam up and bubble. Make sure to use a tall heavy bottom pan so the caramel doesn’t overflow. And a heat proof spatula or wooden spoon. I use a 3.7 quart sauce pan because it has slightly taller sides.
3. TEMPERATURE MATTERS– once the mixture begins to boil, it does take 20-30 minutes to come to temperature. If you take the caramel off too soon, the caramels will be too soft. Too late, and the caramels will be rock hard. Grab a candy thermometer (I prefer digital) because it will tell you the temperature immediately. The digital candy thermometer also allows you to set it to the temperature range that you want and will beep alerting you that it has hit that temperature. Set these caramels to Firm Ball (244 to 248° F). Caution* digital candy thermometer will not read accurately if it is touching the bottom of the pan so make sure it is clipped on properly.
4. USE QUALITY VANILLA– Vanilla pastes are my favorite to use as the it contains the vanilla beans/speckles which is a richer and more powerful vanilla flavor. Its so delicious in caramel! A few of my favorite options are: Nielsen-Massey Vanilla Paste or Vanilla Pods.
5. GRAB A SEAT– caramels require patience. The first time making them, it can feel like it is taking forever to reach temperature. But it can happen quickly. So pull up a seat, listen a podcast or holiday music and stir patiently!

Ingredients:

• Light Corn Syrup (can use maple syrup or honey instead but it will alter the taste)
• Sweetened Condensed Milk
• Light Brown Sugar
• Salt
• Vanilla
• Unsalted Butter

Equipment Needed to Make Sea Salt Caramels:

The caramels reach a high temperature of 244 to 248° F which means that you want to make sure that your equipment is durable and can handle that temperature. I primarily used Cuisipro cookware (items are linked below).

• Heavy Bottom Quart Pan
• 9×13 Baking Sheet
• Medium Mixing Bowl
• Measuring cups and spoons
• Heatproof Spatula
• Parchment Paper
• Candy Thermometer
• Cutting Board

*This post is sponsored by Cuisipro, but all opinions are my own.

See Also

Our Favorite Spritz Cookie RecipesHomemade Rolo Cookies Recipe from The Food CharlatanEggnog Cookies | Soft & Chewy 20 Minute Cookie RecipeStrawberry Pecan Fudge Recipe - Easy 3 Ingredient Fudge!

How To Make the Easiest Homemade Sea Salt Caramels

Follow this step by step guide and you will be on your way to enjoying the best caramels! TIP: read the entire recipe and each step before starting because once they are on the stove, you need to pay careful attention!

1. Grease a 9×13 pan with butter or oil, line with parchment paper (not wax, this will melt!) and coat with more butter. Set aside.
2. In a large heavy bottom quart pan (I use a 3.5 qt- 4qt pan that has tall sides) melt unsalted butter on medium heat.
3. While the butter is melting, combine brown sugar, sea salt, sweetened condensed milk, and corn syrup in a medium bowl.
4. Once the butter has fully melted- add the rest of the ingredients all at once from the medium mixing bowl. Turn heat to medium and stir mixture frequently until it comes to a rolling boil. This takes 10-15 minutes. It may not look like much is happening, but it is easy to burn the sugar during this step so continue to scrape the bottom of the pan with the spatula.
5. Once the mixture has reached a rolling boil, turn the heat back down to medium/medium-low, add the candy thermometer and set to Firm Ball Stage (244 to 248 ° F) and stir constantly, ensuring that you scrap the bottom of the pan. If you see dark speckles, this means that the caramel is burning. This shouldn’t happen if you turn the heat back down to medium and stir constantly but if it does, turn the heat down for 5 minutes and continue to stir. Make sure the mixture is still boiling. It can take 20-30 minutes for the mixture to reach the desired temperature of 248 ° F so pull up a chair!
6. Once the mixture has reached 248 ° F for several minutes and become thick and paste like and is a deep dark caramel color, remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla. Careful as it will bubble rapidly during this step. *Candy thermometers aren’t always 100% accurate and stoves will vary with temperature. The best way to tell if they are done is if the mixture is a deep caramel color and very thick and to use your nose! If it smells like they are almost burning- then its done!
7. Immediately pour the caramel into the prepared pan to cool. After 20-30 minutes of cooling, sprinkle the finishing sea salt all over the caramel.
8. Allow to cool overnight to completely firm up. Carefully pull the parchment paper with the caramels out of the pan and place on a large cutting board. Using a knife or pizza cutter (this works best), cut 1×1 inch squares and wrap in wax candy wrappers.

HOW DO I WRAP AND STORE HOMEMADE CARAMELS?

Allow the caramels to cool overnight to completely firm up. Carefully pull the parchment paper with the caramels out of the pan and place on a large cutting board. Using a knife or pizza cutter (this works best), cut 1×1 inch squares and wrap in wax candy wrappers.

Caramels have a 6 week shelf life at room temperature. These do no need to be refrigerated.They can also be individually wrapped and stored in a freezer bag for 3 months.

I hope this recipe can become a staple holiday dessert for you and your family to enjoy and create new traditions in the kitchen!

*IF YOU WANT MORE BAKING & PARTY TIPS, RECIPES, AND LITTLE DOSES OF JOY- SAY HI ONINSTAGRAM&PINTERESTOR SUBSCRIBE TO MY BAKING TRIBE E-MAIL LIST! MY HEART IS ABOUT SPREADING JOY AND I ABSOLUTELY LOVE HAVING THE OPPORTUNITY TO CONNECT WITH EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU!

Happy baking and EAT MORE CAKE!