Easy Homemade Caramel Sauce {salted or unsalted} #Christmas #Caramel

The very BEST Easy Homemade Caramel Sauce that can be enjoyed salted (or unsalted!) – whip up in a hurry and enjoy for weeks!

I am SO doing a ridiculous happy dance right now because I’ve been dying to share this recipe with you for the past few weeks. Caramel sauce makes me childishly giddy any day of the week but this particular recipe...

Also try our other recipes > Salted Caramel Pretzel Bark

INGREDIENTS

• 2 cups white sugar
• 12 tablespoons butter (unsalted), at room temperature and diced
• 1 cup heavy cream, at room temperature
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2-3 teaspoons fine sea salt (optional, for salted caramel sauce - see note)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. In a medium-large sauce pan (about 2-3 quart), stir the sugar over medium-high heat until melted. (You may get some sugar chunks, just keep stirring)
2. Once sugar is melted, continue to stir slowly and watch very closely - as soon as the sugar turns a golden/amber in color add the butter and whisk vigorously. Warning: It will bubble up quite a bit and this is normal, just keep whisking until all the butter has melted!
3. Remove pan from heat and slowly pour in the cream while whisking vigorously. Mixture will bubble aggressively again but continue to whisk anyway until all the cream is incorporated, then immediately whisk in the vanilla extract and the sea salt (if making salted caramel sauce).
4. Set the sauce aside and allow to cool for 15 minutes, then pour into a glass jar to cool completely.
5. Store the sauce in an airtight container in the fridge (I keep mine in a jar with a lid, it's perfect) for up to 2-3 weeks. To reuse, simply heat the sauce pack up in a sauce pan over low heat or in the microwave at 5-10 second intervals, stirring throughout. Enjoy!