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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.
holy cow you can’t believe so delicious best caramel you have ever eaten except for the ones I just made hahaha
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!
Yes, I think that’s a safe guide, just be careful not to get them too hard. Enjoy!
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!!!!
Well done!!!! I’m so happy to hear it, and I know what you mean about them being addicting!
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.
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.)
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!
I agree with you– so satisfying! I’m really happy you enjoyed them 🙂 Thanks for your comment.
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 🙂
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 🙂
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!
Thanks for sharing Maddie! Enjoy!
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!
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
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!
They really do make the best gifts! I’m happy you liked them, and thanks for sharing!
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!