This is the best caramel recipe ever! The soft caramel is perfect for caramel popcorn, drizzling over ice cream, or apple dipping! You will love it!
If you are looking for other super easy and delicious treats try our easy homemade brownies or our chocolate crinkle cookies. Or you can find our entire dessert gallery here.
Anyway back to the topic at hand!
Homemade Caramel
Every fall we make this homemade caramel sauce and it is one of my kids favorite traditions! For good reason too because this stuff is to die for good.
You can use this homemade caramel in a multitude of ways. My two favorites are caramel popcorn and caramel ice cream sundaes. Not your thing? Cake? Brownies? Dip for apples? Yes, yes and yes.
Ingredients for Homemade Caramel
- Brown Sugar
- Butter
- Karo Syrup
- Sweetened Condensed Milk
It really is so simple! Like most of the recipes I post on this blog, it is cost effective. I always have all these ingredients on hand (granted, the Karo syrup is only on hand for this very recipe, but still.)
How to Make Caramel Popcorn
- Pour caramel over popcorn immediately after removing it from the stove. This recipe will cover three or four bags of microwave popcorn thoroughly.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to a week.
- This caramel is soft and so it will make soft, gooey caramel popcorn (my favorite kind). If you prefer a crunchier, harder caramel popcorn you can spread your caramel covered popcorn out on a greased baking sheet and bake at 250 for about an hour, turning every 15 minutes or so.
How to Make Caramel with Condensed Milk
You ready for the best and easiest caramel recipe?
If you make and love this recipe we would love for you to leave us a comment and let us know, we appreciate them so much!
Easy Caramel Recipe
Video
Ingredients
- 1 C Brown Sugar
- ½ cup butter
- 1 C light Karo syrup
- 1 can sweetened condensed milk
Instructions
- Melt all ingredients in a saucepan over medium-low heat.
- Once caramel is boiling, cook for approximately two minutes stirring constantly.
- If using for caramel popcorn: Pour over popcorn immediately (this recipe will cover three bags of microwave popcorn thoroughly.)
Notes
How to Make Caramel Popcorn
- Pour caramel over popcorn immediately after removing it from the stove. This recipe will cover three or four bags of microwave popcorn thoroughly.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to a week.
- This caramel is soft and so it will make soft, gooey caramel popcorn (my favorite kind). If you prefer a crunchier, harder caramel popcorn you can spread your caramel covered popcorn out on a greased baking sheet and bake at 250 for about an hour, turning every 15 minutes or so.
Nutrition
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Sandy Soldner Sorola
oh and this one i posted below this comment is not one that hardens... besides that takes away the yummyness!
Sandy Soldner Sorola
another great option. 1 cup butter, 1 cup brown sugar and 9 large marshmallows... that's it.. melt butter and brown sugar together, stir in Marshmallows until melted pour over large bowl of popped corn.
Karna
My kids LOVED it. By the way, it also works GREAT in Coffee for extra flavor!
Jessica @ Pretty Providence
Hooray! So glad everyone liked it! And thanks for the sweet tip!! Xo
Carla
Who needs a new pot? Tried and true always works best! The recipe sounds wonderful. My grandson will love it!
Jessica
haha so true! Thanks friend :)
Shelly
I have made this many times and put in oven @250 for 40 minutes and then it isn't gooey. I also add a teaspoon of vanilla and nuts to the caramel before pooring over popcorn.
Ramona
save yourself time and energy use the microwave and the largest microwavable glass bowl, stirring every couple minutes until soft ball stage....so much easier...and if you know where to get puffed buttered corn instead of popcorn it is amazing
Jessica
great tips! Thanks friend!
happy baker
Would honey, brown rice syrup, or some more natural syrup work in this recipe????? I do not use corn syrup. Thanks!
Carrie
I made this tonight with half corn syrup, half honey, and it worked and was delicious - I would imagine you could sub honey for the corn syrup!
Ag Educate
BTW- Corn Syrup is "natural". Corn is not a manufactured man made product. It is a plant that exists in nature much like brown rice. Brown rice syrup is also processed from a plant like corn syrup. I just love the way media and others can cloud things.... and the way people buy into it.
Jessica @ Pretty Providence
Thanks for the info! I am definitely no expert on the nature of foods etc! Appreciate you sharing!
Teena
Bet some added pumpkin pie spice would be good!
Anna
I made this but didn't realize until I had started that I was out of sweetened condensed milk, so I substituted a can of cream of coconut and it was AMAZING!!! Easy and delicious recipe. Thank You!
Jessica
oh my gosh that sounds so yummy!
Nikita
Mine was delicious tasted like a popcorn ball and wasnt sticky at all
Jessica
yay! that is so great to hear!
Loie Lowry
I made this for a New Year's Eve party and it was fabulous. I was just looking at the recipe again and thought: "I wonder if chopped cashews would be awesome mixed in with the popcorn?" I think I will try it! Any ideas??
GrammaRetta
I think deluxe mixed nuts would make it like PoppyCock.
prettyprovidence
Great idea!!
susan
I think if after you put the carmel on it, spread it out on a cookie sheet and put it in a low temperature oven for about half an hour. Turn everything once. I agree with another reviewer about mixing in 1 tsp of soda.
Carolyn
If making it for strictly caramel corn, add about a 1 teaspoon of baking soda. it will foam up, but should harden a little.
penny
would you add the baking soda at the end before pouring over the popcorn ?
Ronniered
Is the microwave popcorn you use the buttered kind or plain as the picture looks like its buttered.
prettyprovidence
Mine are buttered but either works great! I just use whatever I had on hand.
skyvixen
Mine tasted great as well, but it was a tad on the soggy side. I must not have boiled it long enough. Regardless, it was a hit.
Michelle Clark
The end of the recipe says to grab a spoon, so I think for the popcorn it isn't supposed to really harden. Either way, if I have to use a spoon or my fingers, this stuff is delicious. I have an entire jar left over for ice cream and whatever else my little heart desires.
Michelle Clark
The end of the recipe says to grab a spoon, so I think for the popcorn it isn't supposed to really harden. Either way, if I have to use a spoon or my fingers, this stuff is delicious. I have an entire jar left over for ice cream and whatever else my little heart desires.
Jessica
You are absolutely right michelle! We love it soft and eat it out of cups! So yummy! but you can also follow the above instructions if you want it to harden!
mlcowan
I used about 15 cups of air popped popcorn and I poured about half of the caramel over it. It covered it sufficiently and I was able to save the other half of the caramel for later. Delicious!
mlcowan
I used about 15 cups of air popped popcorn and I poured about half of the caramel over it. It covered it sufficiently and I was able to save the other half of the caramel for later. Delicious!
Anonymous
Very good and easy