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
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Recipe
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
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I originally shared this recipe November 2017. Updated May 2020 and November 2023.
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This caramel recipe is the best. I used the caramel to make turtles. Previous recipe I used always turned into a more fudge like consistency , this is the best caramel!
Absolutely amazing caramels. Soft, chewy, buttery awesomeness.
I threw out four failed attempts at caramels before trying the recipe. It is absolutely delicious and a perfect texture. However, I watched an entire episode of SNL and half of their Christmas special while making it. Way longer than the recipe indicates. Even bringing to the initial boil was much longer than 5 to 10 minutes.
I cut up the butter and preheated the pan that helped a lot. But the first time yes it took forever! I watched Christmas vacation. Lol
I cannot wait to make this! I’ve made caramel before using different recipes, but I’m still in search of thee one. **Can I halve this recipe by chance?**
Thank you! Liz
Liz, I halved the recipe and it worked great.
I made these just about to the letter of the recipe, with the exception that I followed some of the comments and brought the evaporated milk to near simmer. I still added it slowly, maybe drizzling in a few tablespoons at a time. Probably 5-10 mins for all of the milk. Even with that short cut, it was a good 35-40 mins of constant stirring with a whisk. I use a javelin instant read thermometer and was checking the temp pretty regularly. It definitely took a while to get it past 220. My guess is the water inherent in the butter and milk kept the temp down. Once it was all boiled off (steam was no longer being produced) and the bubbling was constant but not quite as furious, the temp moved quicker so keep your eye on it. I took it off heat at 240 and it was just perfect. Certainly the best caramel I’ve ever made, and I think the best I’ve ever eaten. Just incredible. Be patient and you will be rewarded!!
If I want to make chocolate caramel with cocoa powder, how much should I add and any other adjustments needed? My son and I found this recipe 3 years ago and make 4-6 batches to share every year. Looking to change it up a little.
Thank you for sharing this amazing recipe! You saved my Christmas!
Every year my Mom would make Carmel’s for the older people at our church. I loved helping and when I started my own family continued the tradition. For some strangle reason my Mom’s recipe went missing and with her no longer with us, I thought for sure I would never be able to make Carmel as good ever again.
Yep! You saved my Christmas! Thank you again! Merry Christmas! ❤️
Although my caramels taste fabulous, I believe I cooked them too long. My thermometer read 242 F and at room temperature they’re a bit too firm. Not soft enough. If I re-melt some and add a bit of evaporated cream, water or heavy cream do u thunk they’ll soften up?
This is some real sh*t. The pot I used was a little small so it almost boiled over but when I tested it by putting some into some ice water it tasted great and was smooth and beautiful. I put about 1.5 teaspoons of brown sugar in because I always do and i think it helped a lot. Overall easy and amazing recipe.
1 1/2 teaspoons of brown sugar makes what kind of difference in a mixture with 4 c of sugar and 2 cups of corn syrup?
These are delicious and exactly how we used to make them when I was a kid. I just wanted to say that it is ALOT of caramel. If making for personal use, I suggest halving the recipe. I got a blister on my finger from wrapping with parchment paper.
Maybe let people know APPROXIMATELY how long to boil to get to the right temp. I know everyone will have different times so an approximation would be appreciated!!
I have a poorly written recipe that is very old from my mother and I didn’t understand the directions so I looked online to see if I could find some tips. Her recipe is very close to this but makes a slightly smaller batch (3#) and it said to cook on medium while stirring constantly for exactly 28 minutes! This goal is to reach the “soft ball” stage (which I see defined on the thermometer). It also says may need to turn up the heat in the last two minutes. Hope that helps.
Thank you! I’m going to attempt this soon