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Homemade Caramels

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Homemade caramels are perfectly soft and chewy.  They are so easy to make and are great for gifts for friends and neighbors or just for your family to enjoy! 
  Homemade caramel candies some wrapped and some unwrapped. |
So let’s talk caramels! Do you know there is a difference between caramel and carmel?  Caramels are these scrumptious little candies that you are hopefully planning to make today.  Homemade, perfectly soft and chewy caramels are my weakness, and this is a treasured family recipe.

My family usually reserves them for our special treat at Christmas time. We give them as neighbor gifts and always have a huge batch to enjoy ourselves!

The ingredients for these caramels are very simple. Butter, sugar, karo syrup, evaporated milk, and vanilla extract. However, the key to creating magic–that amazing rich caramel taste and texture–is in the cooking process. These can’t be rushed! Read my tips below, for making perfect caramels, every time.

Once you pour them into a jelly-roll or 9×13” pan, allow them to cool completely. You can refrigerate them for a long time. I usually refrigerate them until they are nice and cool, pull the whole pan of parchment paper out onto a cutting board, and then cut them into small squares. They are much easier to cut when they are cold.

They are seriously the tastiest little caramels ever! “Melt-in-your-mouth delicious” is probably the best way to sum them up!
 Homemade caramels cut into squares, with three wrapped in wax paper.
Tips for perfect caramels:
Slowly stir in the evaporated milk:
It is imperative that you add the evaporated milk just a little bit at a time, taking about 15 minutes per can, to stir it in, so that the mixture maintains a constant boil the entire time. This is a really simple, easy step, but if rushed, you can ruin the caramels.
*If you add the evaporated milk too quickly, the sudden change in temperature of the caramels will cause them to curdle.
Maintain steady heat:
Maintain your burner/stovetop at medium heat. Again, you don’t want any drastic changes in temperature as you cook the caramels.
Candy Thermometer vs. Ice Water Test
I personally don’t trust candy thermometers. Unless you take the time to calibrate yours and make sure it’s correct, they can often times be “off”. And, depending on your location (altitude and humidity) 238 degrees F may not be the perfect temperature for you.

The best (and easiest) way I’ve found for success in any location, is using the ice water method. Drop a spoonful of the hot caramel into a cup of ice water. Mold the caramel with your fingers into a ball. You will know the caramels are ready when they feel pretty firm and pliable.

 

CONSIDER MAKING THESE CHRISTMAS SWEETS THIS HOLIDAY SEASON:


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4.91 from 20 votes
Homemade Caramels
Print Recipe
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
1 hr
Total Time
1 hr 10 mins
 

Homemade caramels are perfectly soft and chewy and so easy to make!

Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: caramels
Unit: cup, ounce, teaspoon
Servings: 80 caramels
Calories: 94 kcal
Author: Lauren Allen
Ingredients
  • 1 cup butter (2 sticks)
  • 4 cups granulated sugar
  • 2 cups light corn syrup
  • 24 ounces evaporated milk (2 cans)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
  1. Line a 9x13'' pan or jelly roll pan with parchment paper. (If you don't have parchment paper you can generously butter the pan.) Either size pan will work--9x13'' will yield thicker caramels.
  2. Add 2 sticks butter, sugar, and karo syrup to a large heavy-bottom saucepan over medium heat. Stir over medium heat until mixture begins to boil, about 5-10 minutes.
  3. Gradually add the evaporated milk, one can at a time, taking about 12-15 minutes PER CAN to slowly add it, while stirring constantly. You want to make sure the mixture maintains a constant boil, otherwise your caramels can curdle.

  4. Stir the mixture constantly, scraping the sides occasionally until it reaches a firm ball stage (about 238 degrees F on a candy thermometer). It takes patience and time, but it's sooo worth it! (Also, I don't always trust or rely on a candy thermometer either--I like to test it the old fashioned way. Drop a spoonful of hot caramel sauce into a cup of ice water and mold it with your fingers into a ball. When ready it will feel pretty firm and pliable, but still slightly sticky.) 

  5. Once you reach 238 degrees F / or the firm ball stage, remove from heat. Stir in vanilla.

  6. Pour caramels into a buttered jelly roll pan. Refrigerate until cooled and hardened. (Best if you refrigerate them overnight, or for several hours. They will be easy to cut and wrap). 

  7. The caramel will seem hard in the fridge after they're set, but they should be soft at room temperature. Cut caramel into small pieces and, if desired, wrap like a tootsie roll in wax paper.

  8. Try these dipped in chocolate or pretzel rods.

Recipe Video

Recipe Notes

Don't miss the tips and tricks for this recipe listed above in the post!

Have you tried this recipe?! 

RATE and COMMENT below! I would love to hear your experience.

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Comments

  1. I am from Australia and I have been trying to get a good recipe for caramels, however I cannot get kayro syrup can I substitute glucose the recipe also calls for evaporated milk can I use sweetened condensed milk?
    Thanks for your wonderful recipes.
    Chris

    Reply

    • Hi Chris, I honestly couldn’t say about using glucose vs Karo syrup since I’ve never used glucose…I wouldn’t substitute sweetened condensed milk for evaporated milk either, in this recipe. A better substitution would be half and half or heavy cream instead of evaporated milk.
      Also, I know many good caramel recipes use sweetened condensed milk, so you could try a different recipe. The ratios of sugar and butter would be different than this. Sorry to not be of more help!

      Reply

    • Yes i was watching The Chew. Its a cooking show on everyday here in the states and the added sweetened condensed milk. Not sure about the karo syrup. Good luck.

      Reply

    • I used sweetened condensed milk. I had to cook it an additional five minutes. But they turned out awesome.

      Reply

  3. I made these for a family gathering as I am in charge of desserts more often than not. I want to just say they were a total hit. I salted half of the pan while cooling with course kosher salt but next time will use pink Himalayan salt. I will also be adding this to my regular holiday treats as it was easy and tastes wonderful melts in your mouth…. Thank you for the sharing of this recipe…

    Reply

    • Hi Connie, I never use a candy thermometer (see my notes in step 4 about this). I use the ice water method to test the caramel and when it comes to a hard ball stage in the ice water It’s finished.

      Reply

    • Hi Kristi, I’m sorry the caramel is overcooked. You have to check it religiously as it get golden. I use the ice water method, since I’ve found using a candy thermometer to lead to harder caramels. Next time make sure to check it using the ice bath method–if you think it’s even getting close to the hard ball stage, remove it from the heat and pour it into your pan. If the caramels are too soft you can always add them back to the pot later and cook them longer, but you can’t fix overcooking them. I hope you get to try the recipe again because they’re delicious.

      Reply

    • Hi Karen, I’ve never tried freezing them, but they keep in the fridge very well for a looong time. You could make them and wrap them, store them (wrapped) in an airtight container in the fridge for several weeks.

      Reply

    • I used to freeze a coffe can of Carmel’s that were hand dipped in chocolate. A working mom is – teacher went to the freezer and found the can EMPTY!!! Guilty Culprit- my husband- found the pile of hidden wax paper wrappers behind his parents portrait on the mantle. Never made em again…we’re divorced now so I’m doing a batch for Christmas to take to my sons!

      Reply

  9. I tried this recipe twice and both times it failed. I wonder if high altitude causes a problem. The first time the mixture had not reached more than 200 after 2.5 hours at medium heat. The next time after an hour at medium heat I started turning it up gradually but by the time it reached 240 on two different thermometers the butter had separated. I put it in the pan and into the fridge and the butter just formed a layer on top.

    Reply

    • Mandy, I’m so sorry to hear of your struggle! I have learned when making caramels to never rely on a candy thermometer. They’re not dependable when you have people cooking at different altitudes and climates. I ALWAYS rely on the ice water test, as described in the instructions. Spoon some hot caramel into a cup of ice water and try to pinch it together with your fingers in the cold water to test for done-ness. It should come together in a nice ball that’s not overly soft but not brittle.

      Reply

  10. I made the mistake of not reading the recipe carefully! I mistakenly added the evaporated milk right away. Is there any way to save the Carmel?

    Reply

    • Hi Barb, I’m sorry! There’s a good chance your caramels will curdle. If the evaporated milk is added too quickly it changes the heat of the candy too quickly, causing it to curdle. My best advice is to stir it constantly, and try adding 1 tsp of baking soda if it curdles. But I’m honestly not sure if that will save them… Best of luck.

      Reply

  11. I used this recipe to make carmels for the first time ever and everyone who tasted them went nuts over them. I’m making some today (for Easter!) This time I’m going to dip some of them in chocolate. I highly recommend you line the entire jelly roll pan with parchment paper ( including up and over the sides) … when it has firmed up, you pick it up and lay on flat, hard cutting surface. I cut it with a pizza cutter … Not the roller kind, but the curved blade type).

    Reply

  12. I tried these Friday night and they turned out amazing! I have to admit, though, I didn’t realize this was going to be a solid 2 hour investment. I wouldn’t have done it at Grandma and Grandpa’s if I knew that!

    Reply

  15. I dont want to make hard toffee caramel; I want it thick and gooey to go on top of a bed of digestive biscuits/graham crackers, to be the crumbly base for banoffee pie. It has to be firm enough to support the sliced bananas & double whipped cream.Any help out there Good People regarding cooking times ? Thanks in advance. Dave.

    Reply

    • Hi Dave, I would cook it until the “soft ball stage” (about 235 degrees F on a candy thermometer) instead of the hard ball stage, and that should be the consistency you’re looking for.

      Reply

  16. These are AMAZING! I love caramels and I was dying to find one. The only thing was there are some black spots in the caramel mixture, I think it might be from the vanilla.
    Also, do you know if “tastesbetterfromscratch” has any fudge recipes?
    Thank you for a wonderful Christmastime dessert! 🙂

    Reply

  17. Great recipe! I used heavy whipping cream and like you said…slooooowwwww and stiirrrrrrr. Wait for that amber color and the thickness of the caramel sauce. I used both thermometer and ice water. Thanks for including that tip. Never heard of it and it worked amazing! i used several thermometers i had around and the newest one we had did say the correct temp. I sprinkled my with sea salt, threw them in some dollar store tins with a bow and they will make a perfect gift for my daughter’s teachers, neighbors and maillady! Thanks again and Merry Christmas!

    Reply

  18. Kate,
    My family has been making these caramels for 3 generations. It’s always a big event to make the caramels before Christmas (One night of stirring a double batch and one night of wrapping). It is worth all the trouble because everyone loves these caramels.
    Things I have learned: the slower you cook the caramel the better it tastes. Browning the butter adds a nice nutty note to the candy. Our recipe calls for adding 1/4 of the milk to the butter/sugar mixture from the start and we’ve never had a curdling problem adding the rest (slowly, but more like a minute per can). We also add chopped roasted pecans at the end. Yum!!

    Reply

    • I tried this version as well, browning the butter and adding some evaporated milk to the butter/sugar …. turned out exceptionally well, though I did take forever adding the rest of the milk.

      Reply

  19. After many, MANY failed attempts at making homemade caramels I had given up for a few years but forgot to buy caramels for my Christmas baking so I decide to give it one more try. I followed this recipe to a tee (except I halved it) and they turned out beautiful. Yay! I used most in my Twix squares and made salted caramels with the rest. Both were awesome! Just a note too Karo syrup is also called light corn syrup for those that were having trouble finding it.

    Reply

    • Hi Tasha, thank you so much for sharing! I’m so happy you tried again! Those treats sound amazing. Thanks for taking the time to comment with your experience. I hope you get a chance to try more of my recipes 🙂

      Reply

  20. This is my FAVORITE carmel from the very first time I made it!
    Question though. I have under cooked it. It’s on pans, because I doubled it, and isnt setting up. I was a little impatient. What can I do to get it a little firmer?

    Reply

    • Hi Rashell, thanks so much! My best advice, if you’re willing to be patient with it, is to scoop all of it back into a pan, slowly bring it back to a boil, and cook it a tad longer.
      Otherwise, you can refrigerate them and serve them cold/firmer.

      Reply

  21. I added the evaporated milk slowly but probably 5 min per can instead of 15 … even though the mixture stayed boiling the whole time, it still curdled. Added pinch baking soda and popping it into freezer a bit to firm up for dipping pretzels. Still delicious. I’ll have to try again another day and be more patient! Waiting on caramel is the hardest bc it tastes SO good!

    Reply

  22. I am in love with these caramels, they take practice though. The first time I did these they were too soft and sticky, second time I cook them too long and they were as hard as rocks. Third time was a charm though and they turned out perfect! Such a great and classic Christmas gift/treat to give friends, families and neighbors. I made them with my daughter, we had a lot of fun together so I am planning on making this a new tradition of ours. I would like to see a video of you actually doing the ice test though Lauren, I did it a few times but I don’t know if I left it in the water long enough for it to pull into a ball. how long do you leave the tablespoon of caramel in the ice water? Anyway, these caramels are amazing, my absolute favorite, like most of the other recipes on this blog!

    Reply

    • Hi Heather! I’m so happy that you like the caramels. The video is a great idea, I will have to do that.
      I put a lot of ice in my water cup so that when I add a spoonful of caramel, it cools instantly. I can usually tell how done it is within 10 seconds or so of molding it in my fingers. I look for it to be a pretty firm ball, but still pliable inside the ice water.

      Reply

  23. I tried this recipe on Christmas Eve hoping to have some candies for relatives. Do t k is what I did wrong but it would not pass the hard ball/cold water test and never ‘set up’ – any ideas of how it failed?? I did exactly as instructed. 🤔

    Reply

    • Hi Susan, I’m sorry you had troubles. I have never had that problem. If you maintain everything over medium heat during cooking, the whole mixture should get hotter and hotter. The caramels will either be too hard if you cook it too long, or too soft if you don’t cook them long enough.

      Reply

  24. Hi I am currently cooking these and the caramel is not forming to a ball, it’s just slightly getting thicker and it doesn’t reach anywhere above 222 degrees. Is there a way to help it get thicker?

    Reply

    • I’m sorry you are having trouble with the temperature. The mixture itself will not form into a ball. When you do an ice water test (as described in the post), the caramels will form into a ball around 238 degrees).
      Most likely the caramel just needs more time to cook!! Maintain a steady heat and continue cooking them!

      Reply

  25. Great recipe, thanks for sharing.
    I heated the milk almost to boiling before adding it, hoping to be able to add it a little faster and it seems to work.
    I did add it slowly but not as much as the recipe says.
    As for the final temperature, gel point for marmalades is 8deg Farenheit (about 4C) above the boiling point of water at your altitude.
    I thought something similar would work for caramel but it didn’t. The iced water method worked beatifully though.

    Reply

  26. Every time someone incudes “butter” in a recipe, I have the same issue/problem…. there is more than one type of butter ! Do you use “salted” or “unsalted”. I really wish everyone would specify this when they post a recipe.

    Reply

    • Hi there,
      I understand how that can be frustrating :. Generally when a baking recipe uses butter and calls for salt, I assume they used unsalted butter. If I am planning to use salted butter, I just omit or lessen the amount of salt the recipe calls for. The caramels could also use unsalted butter – just add a pinch of salt. This method should help you in the future. You can use salted or unsalted recipe in almost any recipe using this practice.

      Reply

  27. This! This is exactly what I am looking for 🙂
    One quick question though: Is the 24oz of evaporated milk including the cans or without (sorry, from Australia, we generally measure in ml)
    Thank you!

    Reply

  30. I made caramel at the fair in batches to dip 1 case of apples. You can use heavy glucose syrup, but I am not sure about the measurement. When you make a batch you really like, save some, and add 1 caramel to the butter when you melt it. Also, drizzle the milk down the side of the pan as you add it. This warms it a bit so it doesn’t drop the temperature as much. 20 minutes per can ofthe milk would not be unreasonable. Enjoy!

    Reply

  31. My husband’s favorite candies are the molasses chews that come in the Russell Stover box, so I have been trying to make my own, since each RS box only comes with ONE molasses chew. I found your caramel recipe and substituted molasses for the Karo syrup hoping to make a sort of RS copycat recipe. Well, after over an hour of stirring the caramel at a rolling boil, it never reached the hard ball stage, so dipping them in chocolate was…messy, to say the least. The taste was great, so we will put it on ice cream and the like, but they are too soft to dip in chocolate. That was my first ever attempt at making caramels, so I’m pretty happy with how it came out. Maybe next time I’ll just follow the recipe and enjoy some regular caramels!

    Reply

  32. I made these as a gift for friends and they were amazing. I got a ton of compliments and gave the recipe to so many people. Thanks for the step by step instructions!

    Reply

  33. After carefully reading your recipe, tips, reviews and watching the video my 9 year old daughter and I decided to attempt your caramels. We are happy to report that it is perfection! I can definitely see how patience is key. Even my daughter kept reminding me and quoted you, “It takes patience and time, but it’s sooo worth it!” We strongly agree! We do not have a candy thermometer and were halfway through the stirring process of the milk when we decided to call a trusted neighbor with cooking supplies. I’m glad we did. We did the ice water test and used the thermometer to 238 degrees. From start to finish it took us 1 hour and 15 minutes. Thanks Lauren for being a part of our new tradition!

    Reply

    • Thank you so much for sharing!! I’m thrilled you and your daughter tried them, and I loved reading your experience. I have such great memories making these with my mom <3

      Reply

  34. I followed the recipe exactly (even putting a 15 minute timer every time I poured a can to make sure I did it slowly). The only difference was I kept mine on very low heat once it started really going as to avoid burning. Came out perfect!

    Reply

  35. Hi there, I was wondering if it would be possible that I could swap out the condensed milk with half-and-half and the syrup for honey? I want to make this for my mom for Mother’s Day, but I couldn’t find these ingredients anywhere! Lovely recipe by the way, some people that I know ( amazingly enough ) found where to get the ingredients, and said it turned out amazing!! Thank you so much for sharing this recipe 🙂

    Reply

    • Hi Olivia, where are you located? You could substitute half and half for the evaporated milk (I don’t use condensed milk in this recipe–just *evaporated milk*). Corn syrup is an invert sugar which helps keep the caramels soft and chewy. Honey would change drastically change the taste (and texture), and I’m not confidant at all that it would work well, but you can try. Sorry I can’t be more help. I’d love to hear what you decide to do 🙂

      Reply

  36. I tried making them for the first time today and they turned out amazing! There really isn’t anything as satisfying as pouring out a successful batch of caramel into the trays. Thank you for your recipe!

    Reply

  37. They taste amazing(i added salt afterwards). Only problem is they are EXTREMELY soft. I had to put it in the freezer to overnight to get it cuttable and now thats where the pieces are. The too softness just make the way too sticky.
    I did both the temp and ice test.
    Also, wear long sleeves and ovem mitts ehen adding the evaporated milk, as it get explosive with just a drop.
    Still, they are so rich Id say they replsce 3 fully decked out bowls of ice cream in flavor and satisfaction.

    Reply

    • Thanks Christian! If they are soft, just cook them a little longer next time. (And you can even scoop the completed batch back into the pot and boil it for longer, if needed.)

      Reply

  38. I’ve been wanting to try this recipe for 2 weeks. Last night I did! This is EXACTLY what I wanted. I made no substitutions and just followed the recipe! They are PERFECT and delicious!!! Now I wish I hadn’t made it because I can’t stop eating them!!!!

    Reply

  39. Would you say that the way they should come out in the ice test is pretty much the way you’d want them to come out when they’re finished so that people have a guide? If they’re pliable and can form a ball they’re good and if you can form a ball but they wouldn’t hold their shape it’d be more like sauce? I just want to make sure before I start them to understand the best way to know for certain when testing them in ice water. Thanks!

    Reply

  41. I have this exact same recipe that I got from my mother-in-law (who is no longer alive) over 30 years ago and it is a big hit no matter where I take the caramels. I have found the easiest and fastest way to cut them is with a pizza cutter on a covered cutting board. It was only the last 3 years that I discovered this. lol At first I used scissors to cut them and then a knife. My motto for getting older is “work smarter, not harder”.

    Reply

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