This post contains affiliate links.
These Homemade Caramels are perfectly soft and chewy and easy to make with a few pantry ingredients. We love to gift them to friends and family.
Want more candy recipes? I love these Chocolate Turtles, Buckeyes, Homemade Almond Joys, Chocolate Fudge, and Rocky Road!
Why I love these caramels:
- Family Tradition – This is my Mom's homemade caramel recipe we've been making at Christmas time for decades. They were always our food gift for friends and neighbors during the holidays.
- Perfect – They really are soft, chewy, melt-in-your mouth delicious caramels! They truly couldn't be any better! This is a treasured family recipe.
- Easy – This easy caramel recipe only uses pantry ingredients and the steps are simple. But the magic is in the cooking process – it's important to not rush these! Read my tips below for the best caramels every time.
How to make Homemade Caramels:
Combine: Add butter, sugar, and karo syrup to a large heavy-bottom saucepan then stir over medium heat until mixture begins to boil, about 5-10 minutes.
Add Evaporated Milk: Gradually add the evaporated milk, one can at a time, taking about 12-15 minutes PER CAN, while stirring constantly. Make sure the mixture maintains a constant boil, otherwise your caramels can curdle.
Caramelize: Stir the mixture constantly, scraping the sides occasionally, until it reaches a firm ball stage. I don't rely on a candy thermometer. I use the ice water test: Drop a spoonful of the hot caramel into a cup of ice water then mold the caramel with your fingers into a ball. You will know the caramels are ready when they feel pretty firm and pliable. Remove from heat then stir in vanilla.
Cool: Pour caramels into prepared pan then refrigerate until cooled and hardened. (Best if you refrigerate them overnight, or for several hours. They will be easier to cut and wrap).
Cut: I like to use a stainless steel scraper to get perfectly even lines.
Wrap: The caramel will seem hard in the fridge after they're set, but they should be soft at room temperature. Cut soft caramels into small pieces then wrap like a tootsie roll in wax paper, if desired.
Tips for Perfect Caramels Every Time:
- SLOWLY stir in evaporated milk: This should take about 15 minutes per can, pouring in a little bit at a time (or warm your evaporated milk a little, to make the process faster). The caramel must maintain a constant boil the entire time.
- Maintain steady heat: Keep your burner/stove on medium heat to avoid any changes of temperature. Maintaining heat the same is why the milk gets added so slowly.
- Candy Thermometer vs Ice Water Test: I personally don't trust candy thermometers. Unless you take the time to calibrate yours, they can often be “off”. And depending on your location (altitude and humidity) 238°F may not be the perfect temperature for you. The best (and easiest) way I've found is using the ice water method. Drop a spoonful of the hot caramel into a cup of ice water then mold the caramel with your fingers into a ball. You will know the caramel candy recipe is ready when they feel pretty firm and pliable.
- Wrap them cold – I like to make them 24 hours ahead of time so they can get nice and cold in the fridge, making them easier to cut and wrap.
Make Ahead Instructions:
To Make Ahead: These easy homemade caramels will keep well in the fridge for several weeks. Take them out to come to room temperature for them to be soft and chewy.
More Caramel Recipes:
- Caramel Apples
- Caramel Popcorn
- Caramel Sauce
- Chocolate Covered Pretzel Rods
- Chocolate Covered Marshmallows
- Salted Chocolate and Caramel Pretzel Bars
Homemade Caramels
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
- Line a 9×13” 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–9×13” will yield thicker caramels.
- 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.
- 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 steady heat and constant boil (no drastic changes in temperature) otherwise your caramels can curdle.
- Stir the mixture constantly, scraping the sides occasionally until it reaches a firm ball stage (about 240-245 degrees F on a candy thermometer). It takes patience and time, but it's sooo worth it! (Also, I don't really trust or rely on a candy thermometer–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.)
- Once you reach 240-245 degrees F / or the firm ball stage, remove from heat. Stir in vanilla.
- Pour caramels into prepared pan. Refrigerate until cooled and hardened. (Best if you refrigerate them overnight, or for several hours. They will be easier to cut and wrap).
- 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.
Notes
- Candy Thermometer: I don't always trust candy thermometers, and depending on your location (altitude and humidity) temperature will vary. A good way to test them is the ice water method. Drop a spoonful of the hot caramel into a cup of ice water and mold the caramel with your fingers into a ball. The caramel should feel pretty firm but pliable in the ice water.
- Caramel is too soft after it has set up: It needed to cook longer. You can pour the whole batch back in to a pot and warm it up again!
- Caramel is too hard: it cooked for too long. Use the ice water method to avoid this.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Text me new recipe ideas!
Simple, tasty ideas sent once a week. No spam.
Follow Me
I originally shared this recipe November 2017. Updated May 2020 and November 2023.
These taste AMAZING!!! Unfortunately, they are still so gooey after keeping them in the refrigerator even overnight. I did both the candy thermometer as well as the ice water but they are hard to cut and wrap in wax paper. Any suggestions for my next batch?
I’ve been making this exact caramel recipe for the past 6 Christmases. They are ALWAYS a crowd pleaser & I am always happy to contribute with these delicious treats. I have definitely gotten better at keeping a good temperature throughout the process of making them, but even if you don’t, they are almost full proof if you follow the recipe and tips. I almost didn’t make them this year but I’m so glad I did! Thank you thank you!
I haven’t made them yet but have a question. Would using a double boiler help maintain a constant temp while cooking?
These are out of this world! I did add 1/2 tsp of salt at the beginning and topped it off with a little more salt when they were setting up to cool. Honestly INCREDIBLE! Thank you so much for the recipe and for detailed instructions!
Can these be frozen? How long do they remain fresh?
Sound wonderful.
Thanks for recipe.
Maryann
I haven’t tested freezing them, but they will stay fresh for several weeks, covered in the fridge.
I plan to wrap in wax paper individually, place in clear plastic bags and give as gifts. How long do you think they will remain fresh when in a cooler room temperature place? I wanted to estimate when I should make them based on when I plan to deliver them. .
Best caramel recipe I’ve ever tried. It’s my go to now, and thanks to the detailed instructions, I always get caramels and not caramel sauce… my advice to anyone giving these away as gifts (like I do) wrap in PARCHMENT PAPER not wax paper. I use a buttered sharp knife to cut them but they still need wrapped in parchment not wax… unless you dip them in chocolate then you can use whatever.
Will warming the evaporated milk up before adding to the pan help? Let say by warming in the jug in a microwave? Thanks
I think others have had success with that.
I am making a Carmel apple pie for thx giving and I was wondering do u think I could use this 1/2 c. In the apple pie?
Yum! Yes, just don’t cook it to the hard ball stage–only cook to soft ball.
This worked very well to make caramels and I was pretty pleased with myself until I used it for dipping pretzels. I let it cool about ten to fifteen minutes and it was very thick so I couldn’t get an even coating. A number of pretzels broke. I was disappointed that I couldn’t find thinker pretzels like Snyder’s at the store. I want to try again, but not until I find stronger pretzels. I’m wondering if I would have been more successful if I didn’t allow the caramel to get to 240 degrees, the soft ball stage. I did the ice water trick as you suggested. Maybe 230 degrees or less. Looking for your advice. Thank you for a wonderful, detailed set of instructions.
A little clarity. 48 ounces is 4-12oz cans. Just wanted to verify since recipe is a bit confusing.
you must have doubled the recipe at the top before printing. I changes the amount of ingredients to the batch size, but does not change the information in the ingredient description which is where the (2 cans) is.
A family friend made these back in the 1970s for the holidays. I WAS HOOKED!
Have used this recipe for years now and is my favorite treat. I make these in an electric skillet and it works fine using the ice water test.
I read your comment and used 4 cans instead of 2 and ruined it.
I am just wondering if caramels can be recooked
I don’t think I cooked mine long enough and just wondering about recooking the for a while
Yes, add them back to the pot and keep cooking!