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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.
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I originally shared this recipe November 2017. Updated May 2020 and November 2023.
These look absolutely amazing. I definitely need to try them.
I just made these now. They turned out great. I put salt on half of them and they taste amazing!!
The caramel has set as hard as glass. Can I just reheat it and add milk to it.
Is it cold or at room temperature? If it’s at room temperature and still hard as glass then it’s overcooked–sorry! I’ve never tried reheating it and adding milk–if you have the time you could try, but I’m not sure if it will soften it…
i just made these! For my first time making caramels it turned out great! Thanks for the recipe!
I was so excited to find this recipe and set time aside to make it. I did everything by the directions, but I’ve never made anything like this before so I had no idea what firm ball stage was and is it really the right consistency. I boiled for 1 hour and decided it was ready but it never set up all the way. I decided to try to scrap it off and boil that batch again for another 30 mins and test it again. This time I did it on a low setting and watched it carefully, but I somehow managed to burn the sugar and now have chunks in my caramels haha. It tastes fantastic….but doesn’t look so pretty. I decided to put that batch into a mason jar and use it for ice cream topping and the next batch will be better. I plan to give these as gifts for Christmas! Thanks for the recipe!!
Hi Meghan, I’m sorry it didn’t set up right for you. You were right to add the caramels back to the pot to cook them longer. Depending on where you live (altitude and humidity) they may take longer to set. Make sure to cook them on medium or medium-low heat and stir constantly so the sugar doesn’t burn. It can be time intensive, but the end result is wonderful!
This recipe is really awesome, however, when I made them they didn’t turn out like I had planned. I was wondering if you coulld give me some advice on what to do next time. I followed the directions like they were written but after they had cooled and I had refrigerated them for a little while I tried to cut them and they were still too soft and I couldn’t get them out of the pan without messing them all up. I thought you may have an idea of something that I could do a little different. But other than than that they tasted amazing!!
Hi Taylor, If they were too soft they just need to be cooked longer. You could even scoop the entire batch back into your pan and continue cooking it. Use the ice bath method to test it and make sure you reached firm ball stage 🙂 Glad you liked them though!
I’ve been making caramels for years to give as Christmas gifts. Got the recipe from my red & white Betty Crocker cookbook, using the fast cook method they are ready in 1/4 the time. I also use a smaller pan so they are thicker.
Ok thanks for the help! I will definitely try them again!!
I just got done making these! So good and easy. Only thing I will add, make sure your pot is bigger than you need and you can sub out butter rum oil for the vanilla for a new flavor, soooo good.
Is there a substitute for evaporated milk? Cant get it in Norway.
I can get condensed and ordinary milk.
Hi Tonje, do you have access to heavy cream? That would work as a substitute–just make sure to cook the caramels on a low temperature. It may take a little longer than normal, but cook them low and slow to ensure the cream doesn’t curdle.
The size jelly roll pan is it the 9×13 or 11×17 Thanks
I use a 11×17 jelly roll pan. You could use a 9×13 if you want thicker caramels
Just made these and my entire house loves them! Thank you for the recipe! Mine developed this layer of oil over the top when I poured them into the pan, I used paper towel to soak up the oil so no worries but is there a way to avoid this?