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.
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.
The evaporated milk gives these such a delicious flavor! Lots of stirring but worth it.
These look delicious! I saw you eat gluten free and mostly dairy free. I’m allergic to gluten, dairy protein and coconut protein. Do you know what I could use instead of the evaporated milk? I already have a butter substitute. Thanks!
Do you know with what I can substitute the white corn syrup, because here in Europe we don’t have it.
Unfortunately I’m not sure! This recipe is kind of precise and has to be made as written. Sorry about that!
I’ve used honey in place of corn syrup in a honey-carmen recipe before. But you can probably order it online. Oooh… I’d experiment, too. I wonder if molasses would work instead? I’m stuck on a milk substitute, myself:(
You could try golden syrup or treacle… I’ve seen it used in caramel recipes before.
Thank you so much .
I am using fresh goat milk instread of evaporated milk. My milk is curdling when I add it to the sugar mixture. I have even tempered my milk so it’s not that drastic of a temperature change. Why is this happening? It cannot be do to the high butterfat content of the goat milk, because others have successfully used cream in place of the evaporated milk. Also, I’ve always read that stirring is a big NO NO when making caramels, so why is stirring necessary in this recipe?
Alyce – I don’t stir during the sugar melting phase, just let the heat do the work. If you stir during the first stage your sugar will crystallize on the side of your pot. If you forget and stir anyway just get a pastry brush and water to brush down the sides and then don’t stir until after the milk is added. For me, I don’t like to use corn syrup. I mainly use this recipe to make GF brownies with a caramel center. Delicious recipe. Thanks for sharing.
Mr B, what do you use instead of the corn syrup? Or do you just do without?
Thank you for sharing this recipe! Tried it last night and it is everything you describe and more and totally worth the stirring required! Delicious!
I just found your recipe Pinterest and can’t wait to try it!
Just had one question… I noticed ypir Grandmas recipe didn’t include salt but you have it in yours. May I ask if there’s a difference in the taste, or what the salt adds?
They look amazing!!
I tried this recipe a week ago and added it to pecan turtles. They were awesome and everybody raved about the caramels. Today, out of laziness, I tried making a 1/4 batch using the microwave trick. Again, the caramel turned out awesome! Just throw all ingredients in large microwave safe dish and microwave at 90 second intervals til done. Mine took about 9 minutes. I checked it by testing a couple drips in very cold water. Saved some time. Maybe it will work for you too. Thanks so much for the recipe!!
Okay, I made this & sadly it did not come out correctly. Really disappointed, because I just knew that it would work. Are we to stir the mixture after the 1st boiling point? Like after the 2 cans of evaporated milk are all poured in? I actually think that’s where I had goofed up.
Do I use white or brown sugar? It doesn’t specify
White sugar!
Do you use evaporated milk or sweetened condensed milk
Yes, Sharon, hope it’s okay that I answer this…..However, evaporated milk is correct. The thin type milk, not the sweetened thick & creamy kind.
When I poured the caramel into the dish with parchment paper, had a lot of butter on the surface, any suggestions?
But how they turn out, overall, Mark? I’m curious…..
Hi there, I realize I’m late to the party, but I am just wondering if anyone has made this recipe in half quantity? I think I’m going to try it this evening.
So that would be 1 stick of butter, 1 C of Karo syrup, 1 can evaporated milk, 1/2 teaspoon of salt & of course, 2 cups of white sugar. Fingers crossed. Thanks for the recipe!
How did your half recipe turn out?
I just made these last night and I cut the recipe in half because I thought the full recipe would give me way more than I needed. I used an 8”x8” pan and the caramels came out perfectly!! The best caramel recipe I’ve ever used!
Heavy cream does work! I highly recommend investing in something like a 2kg digital food scale & doing your own tests to determine weights. This, along w/ a candy thermometer is the easiest easy to repeatable results. Sticks of (unsalted) butter are the only thing I don’t scale when making candy or baked goods.
I’m onto my own brown sugar coffee caramels now, thanks to this recipe’s inspiration. Almond butter & vanilla powder 🙂 Having some issues getting the right chocolate to dip them in but no one is complaining..
Can you sub whipping cream for evaporated milk
I haven’t tried that so I’m not sure!
Made these last night. Good flavor but very sticky. I have a much easier and faster recipe that I normally use. Ok but won’t make this recipe again