How Do You Make Caramels for Easy Gifts, Homemade
If you wonder how do you make caramels, these hand cut caramels can be made at home with a few simple ingredients. All you need is these simple ingredients: syrup, sugar, cream, vanilla, salt and butter. Plus a few hours to heat it all together, then you let it cool in a pan. This recipe is easy and fool proof!
Make Caramel Bites in a Nutshell
If you, like me, bought caramel at the store for your entire life, and finally it crossed your mind, “but wait, how do you make caramel?”
Let me tell you, it’s a simple, simple procedure.
The short version is, mix a few ingredients together in a large pot on your stove top. Heat the contents to a certain temperature by monitoring it with a candy thermometer. Pour it into a pan lined with parchment paper and wait overnight (or 8-12 hours later).
What You May Need
Spatula
Pan 9×9
Parchment Paper
Knife
Gloves
Caramel Ingredients
Heavy Cream
Sugar
Honey
Directions to Make Caramels
Start by preparing a 9 X 9 inch pan with parchment paper.
In a heavy pot, combine the cream, sugar, brown rice syrup, salt and vanilla. Add pot to the stove and heat the mixture to 248°F.
While you wait, measure the butter into a small bowl so that it is ready to stir into the caramel once it reaches temperature (use special candy thermometer).
Once the mixture reaches temperature, remove from stove and stir in butter. When the butter is well combined with the mixture, pour into the pan lined with parchment paper.
Leave to cool for 10 minutes, then sprinkle the course salt overtop.
Leave the caramel to harden overnight or at least 8-12 hours. After the caramel has set, you can cut into the desired bite sizes.
If you want to wrap them for gifts, you can cut parchment paper to your desired size and roll the caramels in the parchment paper. I just twist the ends to seal the candy inside.
If you are keeping the caramels for home treats, pack them in an airtight container separated by parchment paper so that the candies don’t stick together. Store in a cool place.
Easy Caramel Recipe for Caramel Bites
For the directions to make this easy caramel recipe, print the recipe below. Kindly return and leave a star rating to let future users know.
Make Caramel Bites for Easy Gifts (or Home Sweets)
Equipment
- Large pot
- Spatula
- Pan 9×9
- Parchment Paper
- Knife
- Gloves
Ingredients
- 2½ cups Heavy Cream 500ml
- 2½ cups Sugar 500ml
- 2.5 tbps Honey 45ml
- 1 cup + 2 tsp Brown Rice Syrup
- 2 tbsp Butter 30ml
- 1 tsp Vanila 5ml
Instructions
- Prepare a 9 X 9 pan with parchment paper
- In a heavy pot, combine the cream, sugar, brown rice syrup, salt and vanilla
- Add pot to the stove and heat the mixture to 248°F
- While you wait, prepare the butter so that it is ready to stir into the caramel once it reaches temperature
- Once the mixture reaches temperature, remove from stove and stir in butter right away (this sort of cools the mixture)
- When the butter is well combined with the mixture, pour into the pan lined with parchment paper
- Leave to cool for 10 minutes, then sprinkle the course salt overtop
- Leave the caramel to harden overnight or at least 8-12 hours
- Cut into desired caramel sizes
- If you want to wrap them for gifts, cut parchment paper to desired size and roll the caramels in the parchment paper. Twist the ends to seal
- If keeping for home treats, pack in an airtight container separated by parchment paper so that the candies don't stick together
- Store in a cool place.
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Thank you Ashley! How great of you to make these for your loved ones 🙂
Yay! Thank you so much. These were such a hit but I kept messing up the recipe! I really appreciate you letting me know as I’m not a natural chef like you are. I love your recipes. I just started following you on YouTube too.
Hi Ashley! I’m sorry for missing the butter and vanilla amount in the ingredient list! It is 2 tbsp of salted butter and 1 tsp of vanilla. I don’t add any extra salt since the butter is salted, except for the salt added on top of the caramel. My stove was low-medium to reach the temperature for the caramels. Low and slow is the way to go so that it doesn’t burn to th bottom of the pot. Hope that helps, and I’ve adjusted the recipe for future bakers thanks!
I’ve emailed you trying to figure out how much butter and how long the caramel needs to heat. Can you share how much butter goes in the recipe and how much salt you add in aside from the sprinkled salt on top?
How much butter and what stove temp?
Hey great recipe! Made these last night but you don’t mention how much butter, salt or vanilla. Wondering if you could share the measurements. Thanks!