Soft, buttery homemade caramels! A tried-and-true recipe you’ll want to make every Christmas. Hundreds of reviewers agree these are the most delicious homemade soft caramels around!
This post was originally published in 2012. It has been updated with new step-by-step photos but the recipe is still the same treasured recipe from an old church cookbook.
I’ve tried other caramel recipes over the years, but always come back to this one. These are perfectly soft, but not such a soft caramel that they fall apart.
This recipe makes a ton of caramels! I usually make them for my yearly Christmas neighbor gifts. It’s a family tradition to make a batch or two the weeks leading up to Christmas.
(Original photo from 2012 post)
I actually look forward to spending the evening wrapping caramels in wax paper (and sneaking some bites!) and hanging out with family.
VIDEO: How to Make Caramels
Homemade Soft Caramels
This recipe makes a ton of caramels, so you’ll want to recruit the whole family to help wrap them and package them in gift boxes for friends and neighbors. They’re a creamy indulgence and quick treat everyone will love!
Long ago my Grandma would cut individual pieces of wax paper to wrap up these caramels. Now I just buy a pack of pre-cut wrappers on Amazon. I like these wax paper squares or these clear wrappers.
The original recipe my Grandma used came from an old church cookbook. It was submitted by a woman named Elda Peck.
So wherever you are Elda Peck, thank you! Your soft homemade caramels are a classic candy favorite at our house!
Why You’ll Love this Recipe
- Soft, melt-in-your-mouth texture
- Great for the holidays
- Deep caramel flavor
- Makes a large batch for gifting
Ingredients You’ll Need
These homemade caramels are made with simple, easy-to-find ingredients. The magic is in the method of making them!
- Sugar: It’s important to use white granulated sugar to create the best rich caramel flavor. No other type of sugar will work! I like Domino brand best.
- Butter: I like to use salted butter for these caramels!
- Corn syrup: For the best caramels, use light corn syrup (not dark corn syrup).
- Salt: Kosher sea salt is best for this recipe — it gives the best texture and flavor!
- Evaporated milk: Evaporated milk helps give these soft chewy caramels a creamy, smooth texture.
Optional but delicious: I also love adding the seeds of a vanilla bean to these caramels. Just add scrape the seeds out of the vanilla bean pod and add them in with the sugar. They’re also delicious topped with some flaky sea salt.
How to Make Homemade Caramels
- Melt the sugar, butter, corn syrup, and salt together in a large, heavy-bottomed sauce pan over medium heat or medium-high heat.
- Once the mixture comes to a boil, add the evaporated milk a little at a time, taking 5-10 minutes per can and stirring constantly. A labor of love indeed.
- Once all the milk is added use a candy thermometer and bring the mixture to 238F-240F and not any hotter! Even a few degrees hotter will make them chewy instead of soft.
- Pour into a parchment lined 13×9 pan and cool completely. Cut and serve. Enjoy!
Storage Instructions
For a perfect bite size candy, individually wrap these creamy caramels in pre-cut wrappers from Amazon. From there, you can store them in an airtight container or in a candy jar. You can store them at room temperature or in the fridge. They’ll last up to a week at room temperature and even long in the refrigerator.
Caramel Recipe FAQs
Some reviewers had reported good success with microwaving the evaporated milk to warm it up before adding it. The key is you want the caramel mixture to keep boiling the whole time you’re adding the milk.
(Adding warm milk won’t bring the temperature down as much so you can add it faster while still maintaining a boil.)
Yes! You can easily half this recipe and use an 8×8 or 9×9 inch pan.
Yes! A sprinkle of salt makes a delicious addition to these caramels. I highly recommend this maldon salt. Sprinkle the salt over the caramels immediately after pouring them into the pan so the salt will stick.
I love adding the seeds of a vanilla bean to these caramels. Just add scrape the seeds out of the vanilla bean pod and add them in with the sugar.
Once the caramels have been cut and wrapped in wax paper or parchment candy wrappers, they will keep in an airtight container for several weeks. I like to keep them in the fridge!
Expert Tips & Tricks
- Testing the temperature: The most important part of making homemade caramels is to be sure they come up to the right temperature. For soft caramels 238F is the perfect temperature. I like to use a candy thermometer while I’m stirring/cooking the caramels then MOST IMPORTANTLY double check the temperature with an instant thermometer. Be sure to check the temperature in the middle of the caramel mixture! If the thermometer is touching the bottom of the pan the temperature won’t be correct.
- Testing the consistency: I highly recommend using a thermometer AND the cold water test to be sure you get perfectly chewy candies. To do the cold water test, simply fill a small cup with cold water then drizzle a little of the caramel into the cup. You should be able to use your fingers to form it into a stable ball, but it will still be soft and easy to squish.
- Use a stainless steel pot if possible! These caramels turn out much butter when made in a stainless steel pot (as opposed to an enameled Dutch Oven).
We also might this tried-and-true marshmallow fudge every year!
More Recipes from My Grandma’s Cookbook
I hope you love this recipe as much as we do! If you try these homemade caramels, be sure to leave me a comment/rating below. I’d love to hear from you!
Soft, Buttery Homemade Caramels
Video
Ingredients
- 4 cups (800g) granulated sugar
- 2 sticks butter 1 cup (226g)
- 2 cups (480ml) white corn syrup
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 12 oz. cans (708ml) evaporated milk
Instructions
- Line a 9×13 pan with parchment paper and set aside.
- Melt the sugar, butter, corn syrup, and salt together in a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. (A stainless steel pot works best for these caramels.)
- Once the mixture comes to a boil, add the evaporated milk a little at a time, taking 10-15 minutes per can and stirring constantly. A labor of love indeed.
- Once all the milk is added use a candy thermometer and bring the mixture to 238F-240F and not any hotter! Even a few degrees hotter will make them chewy instead of soft. (This will take another 15 minutes or so!) I highly recommend double checking the temperature with an instant read thermometer as it comes to temperature.
- Immediately pour into the prepared pan and cool completely. (Once the caramels are cool – I recommend freezing them for 20-30 minutes before slicing. Or you can refrigerate them for a few hours. You don't want them to be frozen solid, but if they're cold this helps the caramels hold their shape when cutting/wrapping.) Cut and serve. Enjoy!
Notes
- Testing the temperature: The most important part of making homemade caramels is to be sure they come up to the right temperature. For soft caramels 238F is the perfect temperature. I like to use a candy thermometer while I’m stirring/cooking the caramels then MOST IMPORTANTLY double check the temperature with an instant thermometer. Be sure to check the temperature in the middle of the caramel mixture! If the thermometer is touching the bottom of the pan the temperature won’t be correct.
- Use a stainless steel pot if possible! These caramels turn out much butter when made in a stainless steel pot (as opposed to an enameled Dutch Oven).
Nutrition
Caramel FAQs
Caramels are made by heating white sugar until the molecules break down, resulting in a dark brown, rich flavored syrup. This recipe also includes butter, white corn syrup, Kosher salt, and evaporated milk.
Corn syrup is a necessary ingredient in caramels because it keeps the sugar molecules from crystallizing after they break down. This creates a soft, smooth texture, rather than a grainy texture.
Butterscotch and caramel flavors are certainly similar. However, there is a slight difference: caramels are made with white sugar, and butterscotch is made with brown sugar.
These caramels were, AWSOME!! Took awhile for my sugar to brown but that’s pretty normal for these kinds of recipes!! Love it!!
Yay! We’re so pleased you enjoyed the caramels, Lauryn! Thank you for your kind feedback.
After adding all the evaporated milk, how often are you stirring the mixture while it comes up to the right temperature?
Hi Rob, unlike other caramel recipes, you’ll want to stir this caramel constantly while cooking. We hope you enjoy!
These are fantastic! All I had was an enameled cast iron Dutch Oven to make them in so that’s what I did and they turned out perfect! I crushed pecans and put them on the bottom of the pan and then poured the caramel over the top. The only thing I would make note of is that this batch makes A TON of caramel. I hadn’t noticed that the recipe said “80 servings” and that is no joke. I’ve wrapped at least 2 dozen caramels that, frankly, are too big and I’m not 1/4 of the way done wrapping them yet. Next time, I’ll halve the recipe and use the same size pan because in a 9 x 13 pan, the caramels are about an inch thick.
Adding that after wrapping all of the caramels in wax paper, I’ve found that the caramels all stick to the paper quite badly. There’s literally no way to eat them without ingesting a lot of wax paper or leaving half that caramel stuck to the paper. If anyone knows how to avoid this for next time, I’d like to hear.
Hi Jason, we’re sorry you had this experience! We recommend letting the caramels cool completely, then freezing for 20-30 minutes before slicing and wrapping. The caramels need to be chilled when wrapping as they’ll stick to the paper if wrapped while still warm. You can also reinforce the nonstick paper by very lightly greasing it with a neutral oil or nonstick spray. We hope these ideas help!
I don’t know what I did wrong I know I add a little less evaporated milk but for some reason it tasted cheesy like great after taste just starts out as cheese
Hi Grant, we’re sorry you had this experience, but we’re glad you enjoyed the recipe despite this hiccup! The “cheesy” flavor would typically be caused by overheating the dairy, whether by adding it too fast or letting the temperature get too high. Caramel is very finnicky so its important to add the evaporated milk slowly, just a little at a time, while stirring constantly. We hope your next batch goes much better!
Hi! I would like to make these as I’m just getting into baking and cooking sweets, and I was wondering if there was any way to know the caramels reached the right temperature without a candy thermometer, as I don’t have one. Any help would be nice! Thank you 🙂
Hi there, we would highly recommend investing in a candy thermometer if wanting to get into candy making. Unfortunately, candy is very finnicky and you really need the thermometer to get these caramels to the right temperature. We’re sorry!
You can use cold water with just a small amount and it will tell you when ready.i have been baking for over 30 years and don’t even own a thermometer.just give it a try
Can you use golden corn syrup?
Hi Kerry, we haven’t tested out the golden syrup, but it doesn’t have the same anti-crystallizing benefits that the corn syrup offers. This is important for candy-making so we wouldn’t recommend the substitution. We’re sorry!
This look very similar to our old family recipe. Our recipe calls for heavy cream and evaporated milk. I was looking for a slightly softer caramel and I think this will work! Should I butter the parchment paper? We usually butler the pan and pour directly into the pan. I’m scared of the paper sticking.
Hi Kristin, we don’t usually butter the parchment paper and it comes off clean, but you can definitely butter it a little if you prefer. We hope you enjoy these caramels! We’d love to hear how it compares to your old family recipe!
I’ve made these from this recipe and they did not stick to the parchment paper at all. Whole family loves them. Making more this week cause we ran out. Definitely recommend store in the fridge like stated as well. Thanks for sharing this recipe.
We’re so happy to hear this recipe was a hit with the whole family! Thank you for sharing your positive experience with us, Jeffrey!
Will it still work without corn syrup? Is there a suitable substitute for corn syrup?
Hi Melanie, unfortunately it won’t work without the corn syrup. It’s a necessary ingredient in the caramels because it keeps the sugar molecules from crystallizing after they break down. Thank you for your question!
Hello,
This will be my first time making candies. I’m an avid cook with some culinary schooling, but candies and sweets are NOT my wheelhouse.
I wanted to use this recipe to make some homemade “Snappers” for my girlfriend on Valentine’s Day.
In your breakdown it says you prefer using salted butter for this recipe, but the picture of the laid out ingredients shows unsalted butter, so I was curious as to which one was accurate?
Thanks for helping a “Virgin Sweet Maker” through their first endeavor!
Dylan
Hi Dylan, salted butter is recommended for this recipe. We hope you and your girlfriend enjoy the caramels!
Can I add chocolate?
Hi Rose, we haven’t tried adding chocolate to the caramels. If you decide to give it a try, we’d love to hear how it goes!
Hi, I’m wondering how many pieces of paper these usually take up? I’m cutting mine myself
Hi there, this recipe typically makes 80 caramels. We hope you enjoy the recipe!
Please help- my caramels are too soft to cut and wrap. They taste amazing but are too gooey. What can I do with them?
Hi Samantha, we’re sorry you had this experience! Too soft caramel is usually a sign that the mixture didn’t reach the right temperature of 238-240°F. If the caramel isn’t cooked long enough, then it won’t firm up to the right texture when cooled which makes it hard to cut and work with. We’re glad you still enjoyed the flavor!
I’m wondering if this recipe would work well if coated in chocolate.
I have candy molds and I would love a caramel filling.
Hi Jen, we haven’t tried adding a chocolate coating to the caramels, but that sounds delicious. If you decide to give it a try, we’d love to hear how it goes!
You can re-cook them to get to the right temperature I usually add a table spoon of water and it comes to temperature eventually
Would you be able to substitute butter for margarine?
Hi Alexis, butter and margarine have different properties so they don’t always produce the same results unfortunately. We recommend butter for this recipe. We hope you enjoy the caramels!
Hi- quick question- I haven’t cut mine yet, they’re in the fridge and still warm and still soft. I think they will cut fine and not be too sticky even though I only cooked to 237. I made a recipe and a half and it filled a 13 X 18 pan full. Of course, it took longer to cook since I had a larger recipe. I did not notice in the recipe, however, whether I was supposed to stir these after adding all the milk. I did a few times b/c I had some foam around the edges of my candy while it cooked, and I did check the bottom of the pan a few times and had no sticking or burning. Was I supposed to stir the candy the ENTIRE time it came up to temp after adding the milk?
Hi Christine, thank you for your question! Yes, unlike other caramel recipes, you’ll want to stir this caramel constantly while cooking. We hope it turned out well for you!
I’ve made this recipe before and it came out perfect. But this year my caramels are VERY sticky . And aren’t holding shape. I got my temp to exactly 240. I’m not sure what went wrong. I also chilled them for a half hour in the freezer before attempting to cut them
Hi Alexandra, we’re sorry you had this experience! You’re right – getting it up to the right temperature is key. Since it reached 240, it could be environmental (humidity and altitude can each impact caramel) or ingredients (different brands of butter/evaporated milk can have different water content). Also, it could be beneficial to double-check that the candy thermometer is stilling reading accurately just to be sure. We hope these ideas help!
I don’t have any stainless steel pots. I do have an enameled 7Q Dutch oven and a 4.5Q Pyrex Dutch oven. Which would you recommend?
Hi Jason, we’d go with the enameled 7Q Dutch oven for the caramels. We hope you enjoy the recipe!