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
Table of Contents
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: Use unsalted, real butter for this delicious caramel recipe. (You’ll be adding in salt later.)
- 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 sugar
- 2 sticks butter 1 cup
- 2 cups white corn syrup
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
- 2 12 oz. cans 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.
When I moved I lost my mother’s caramel recipe that she had from her mother. I was so excited to find this recipe. It’s exactly like my grandmother’s! I’ve never had so many compliments with a candy recipe. Everyone loved them!
Hey! Can I half this recipe? If so, what type (size) of pan should I use 🙂 Thank you I can’t wait to make these!!
You can use a 9×9 or 8×8 pan for half a batch!
Can these be made with pecans
Has anyone ever tried mixing sugar with 1/2 Splenda?
These are amazing. My first attempt didn’t go well, the butter separated as the caramels cooled. It also took 3 hours to make them. 🙁 I decided to give it one more try but this time I followed the instruction in the Edna recipe in this post and that worked beautifully for me. I now understand why the butter separated in the first attempt. I’m a rookie at making caramels so I’m learning.
Why did your butter separate?
(So I don’t do the same)
I made these caramels for the first time today. As it cooled I noticed white colored blotchy areas throughout all of the caramel.. After Googling I’m guessing the butter separated somehow? I tried the caramel.s and they tasted really good and texture was good. I am a rookie at making caramel.. Any any idea on what happened? Thank you
Will the recipe work if ingredient are cut in half? Anything I should do differently with the reduced amount of ingredients? I just can’t cope with 80 caramels the first time around. Thanks
You can follow the instructions the same! Just add one can of milk over 10-15 minutes. No need to stretch that time out or anything. I hope you like them!
Wow ! I’ve been looking for the perfect caramel for ages ,just made this & it’s superb.
I’m so happy you like the recipe! Thanks for the comment!
I love that you use the cold water test! Old school method for sure! 🙂
These are exactly like my Grandmother made for me over 60 years ago. You will not find a better tasting Carmel any where including Russel Stover or See’s. Melt in your mouth goodness.
What a WONDERFUL recipe! I have always loved caramels but never thought of making them myself. I was so pleased at the way they turned out, really better than any I have purchased. I want to stress using an instant thermometer or meat thermometer as my candy thermometer did not register the 238° and I would have over cooked the caramels. I also added flake salt to the top of my caramels right after they were poured. Don’t wait to sprinkle the salt as it will not stick as well. I have a bit smaller pan 8″X12″ that I used and that made nice fat caramels. I also ordered the little clear pouches from Amazon to pack them up. I then put them in clear bags with a Christmas bow. They looked so nice and made great gifts. They really were a hit with friends and family. I will make these each year now for gifting.
I want to thank you again for a great recipe!
I have never made candy before but I love caramel and thought I would give it a try. These were so easy and delicious! Thank you!
Hi, just thought I’d let you know I’ve used this recipe for two years now and they are absolutely delicious. Thank you for sharing your recipe. Happy Holidays!
I’m so happy you like the recipe! 🙂
Taste is puuuurfect. Although i added vanilla. Pure vanilla. Gonna try dipping in chicolate and make rollos
At what point do you add vanilla and how much?
Good Morning!
I just thought I’d let you know that I’ve been making these caramels for 5 or so years now to give to my husbands coworkers at Christmas. They seriously start asking about them in October every year! Thank you so much for sharing this recipe and making me very popular
Ha! This is so great to hear. Glad the caramels are so popular! Thanks for the comment 🙂
If you half the recipe, do you still add the can of milk slowly over 15 minutes?
Thanks for sharing your recipe!
The point of adding it slowly is so that the caramel doesn’t curdle. You should do it slowly regardless of the size of the recipe.
I enjoy recipes from church cookbooks as well. This was really a great recipe except…I found my candy thermometer had broken and the meat thermometer only went up to 205 degrees so mine didn’t set so I used it as an apple dip instead. I also thought the taste was off because of the fiasco of the temperature. Going forward back in the day people had more time to spend stirring for 30 minutes and I don’t. I don’t think I will use this recipe again just for the time reason and it doesn’t have cream or brown sugar. Next batch has to work as I need it to set without all the fuss for turtles. Thanks for the post, great read!