Homemade Sea Salt Soft Caramels
These Homemade Soft Caramels with a hint of sea salt are chewy, perfect for DIY Christmas Gifts since they last for weeks, and makes the most delicious chocolate-covered caramel apples!!
Ingredients you’ll need:
- Light Brown Sugar
- Granulated Cane Sugar
- Honey
- Sweetened Condensed Milk
- Fine Sea Salt
- Unsalted Butter
- Flaky Sea Salt for garnishing
- Parchment Paper, for wrapping
TIPS for Making Homemade Caramels:
- A candy thermometer will be your best friend! This ensures that the sugars have caramelized to the proper temperature so that they aren’t brick hard or too soft that they aren’t chewy. Here’s a cheap one from Amazon that’s way more effective than my large one Lol!
- Cook over MEDIUM heat. I have the hardest time being patience when it comes to candy making, because I want to increase the stovetop heat and often I end up burning it …and having to start over – ugh! So I definitely recommend slow and steady, which only totals like 15 minutes here so not too bad!!
- Store in parchment paper to keep fresh. I highly recommend cutting up parchment paper into small squares to wrap each individual caramel. This will make storing them much easier, but also keep them fresh longer.
Cook with me!
Homemade Soft Caramels
Servings: 20
Ingredients
- 1 cup Light Brown Sugar
- 1 cup Granulated Cane Sugar
- 1 cup Honey
- 14 oz Sweetened Condensed Milk
- 1 tsp. Fine Sea Salt
- 1/2 cup Unsalted Butter
- Flaky Sea Salt for garnishing
- Parchment Paper for wrapping
Instructions
- Butter and line with parchment paper an 8×8″ baking pan.
- Attach a candy thermometer to a bottom heavy saucepan. Add the sugars, butter ,honey, condensed milk, and sea salt. Place over medium heat.
- Stir consistently until the temperature has reached 240F, or 245-250 for firmer caramels.
- Add more salt to desired taste.
- Pour the caramel into the prepared baking dish. Set aside to cool until firm enough to slice, about 2-3 hours. You can speed up the process by placing in the fridge.
- Use a serrated knife run under cold water to slice into individual pieces. Sprinkles with flaky sea salt.
- Wrap each individual piece in parchment paper. Store away from direct sunlight and heat at room temperature (on the counter) up to 3-4 weeks.
I truly hope you all enjoy this treasured recipe that has nestled its way into our hearts here in the ABM kitchen! ’till next time… xxL
“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” ~ Jeremiah 29:11 NIV
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Hi do you add vanilla after you take off heat ?
Yes! That way the vanilla flavor is better absorbed 😉
How much vanilla?
I would use 2 teaspoons!
Thank you for sharing this recipe!! 🫶🏼
In the video you add another ingredient to the melted mixture what is added?? Vanilla vean paste or molasses.
Hi Joanne! I added a tablespoon of vanilla bean paste!
These look fabulous! What was the dark stuff in the jar you added after you poured the caramel mixture I to the pan? Is that vanilla paste?
Hi Nicole! It was vanilla bean paste!
Thank you for this recipe, they tasted amazing! Loved them!
I followed the recipe exactly however my caramel wasn’t very firm so it made a gooey mess when I tried to cut through it. 🥴 what could I have done wrong?
Hi Em! I added a little note in the recipe for this but if you let it come to 240F, you’ll have more firmer/chewier caramels that make it easier to work with. You could also freeze them for 30 minutes prior to wrapping to help reduce any mess (and dip your fingers in cold water, as well) 🙂
This happened to me too. I googled and for sliceable caramels you wanna hit 245 degrees. I reheat mine on very low with a tablespoon of heavy cream, then got up to 245, cooled and they were great.
The same thing happened to me twice in a row. The second time I tried cooking it for much longer and making sure the temperature reached 230+ and it was still so soft I couldn’t even cut it. I also tried refrigerating it for a while and even that didn’t help much. The flavor is so nice so I want to make it work. Not sure what I’m doing wrong.
Hi Randee! I would try to have them reach 245F – that seems to be the magic number across the board! Sorry for any troubles!!
Don’t forget to add butter to the instructions. Someone may follow the directions to the “T” and won’t figure out why it didn’t work. 😊
thank you for letting me know, robin! Just fixed that lol
How long do these last – meaning, how long before Christmas can I make them for them to still be good? 🤪
Hi Leyla! They will 1-2 weeks at room temp and 2-3 weeks in the fridge 😉
I know it says it makes 20 servings. How many little squares does that make. Is it 1 square per serving?
Correct! It makes 20+ squares 🙂
Hi! Is this an easy recipe to double if I wanted to? Would I just use a bigger pan??
Hi Eve! Yes you could do that, just make sure you’re using a heavy bottom saucepan to prevent any burning!
Such a beautiful recipe! Thank you for sharing! I will be making my third batch (as I didn’t have a candy thermometer & think I was impatient.) Still delicous! & definitely gift worthy! Thank you for sharing 🙂
My family loved this – fantastic caramel recipe!
Just made your recipe! Gosh just licking the spoon, the taste is incredible. Thank you so much for sharing! I hope you have a lovely Holiday Season. I’m gonna stay tuned to you page and recipes from now on 🤩
OK, they taste delicious but even after having them freeze for 30 minutes, they are super gooey when I try to cut them and are basically melting. Is there any way to save them?
Hi Michelle! Oh noo!! There’s a few things you can do though to fix this!
1. Scrape the caramels back into a saucepan. Heat gently over medium-low, stirring constantly, until they reach 240–250°F (go for 5-10 degrees higher than before) on a candy thermometer. Pour back into the pan and let set.
2. If they’re just slightly soft, then place back in the saucepan for just 2-3 minutes which can make a huge difference, no thermometer needed!
All I have is salted butter will that work?
Yes that will work just fine!
Did as recipe called and they had burnt pieces all in it
Hi Erica! I’m sorry to hear this happened! There’s a few reasons why you might’ve had those burnt pieces throughout (and I say this, because I’ve been there done that LOL)
1. Heat was too high – Caramel needs low, steady heat. High heat can burn sugars or milk solids before the mixture fully cooks, leaving bitter specks throughout.
2. Not stirring constantly – Caramel settles and thickens as it cooks. Without frequent stirring—especially near the end—it can scorch on the bottom of the pan and break loose into burnt pieces.
3. Thin or uneven cookware – It’s really important to use a heavy bottom saucepan as lightweight pans heat unevenly, causing hot spots that burn portions of the caramel.
4. Scraping the pan while pouring – If you scrape the bottom or sides of the pan when pouring, you can release burnt bits that were stuck to the pan into the finished caramels.
Hope that helps some! Merry Christmas!!
My family loved this! SO good!!!
These were delicious but it took 2 attempts. 230 degrees is not hot enough to firm up (and seems like others had the same issue). 245 for still super soft but just sliceable. Use a small spatula and make sure you’re stirring around the thermometer too so it doesn’t burn. Use a dry sharp knife in a sliding back and forth motion to prevent sticking. Wrapped half, dipped the other half in chocolate. Very yummy but the temperature range in the recipe is a bit confusing. 230 is almost spoonable.
You’re too cute! Thanks so much for sharing your work. I can’t wait to make these for my family over the holidays! 🙂
These are so good and I love the honey taste in it. I doubled the recipe and added the vanilla like you did in the video. Yum! I have about 100 caramels total after doubling
These caramels are perfect!! Followed the recipe, and they turned out beautifully 🙂
Delicious and easy to follow.