Caramel has always been one of those recipes that sorta scared me. I have no idea why, because it is one of the easiest homemade candies you can make – and the recipe is one you can’t forget. Four ingredients and about 20 minutes and you have a batch of caramel that tastes like heaven in your mouth.
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Easy Classic Caramel Recipe
Ingredients:
- 1 cup of sugar
- 1 cup of dark brown corn syrup
- 1 cup (2 sticks) of butter
- 1 cup (one can) of sweetened condensed milk (NOT evaporated milk)
Equipment:
- large sauce pan
- candy thermometer
- 8×8 inch square baking pan
Directions:
- Butter an 8×8 baking pan and sit aside (the paper wrappers from the butter work great.)
- In a large sauce pan, put in the sugar, corn syrup and butter. Bring to a boil on medium heat, once boiling cook for four minutes. Remove from heat.
- Add in the sweetened condensed milk, then put back on medium-low heat. Cook until it reaches 238 degrees with a candy thermometer.
- Pour into 8×8 inch baking pan and let cool completely. Cut into small pieces and wrap with wax paper.

How to make caramel (the easy way!)
Ingredients
- 1 cup of sugar
- 1 cup of dark brown corn syrup
- 1 cup 2 sticks of butter
- 1 cup 1 can of sweetened condensed milk ( NOT evaporated milk)
Instructions
-
Butter an 8×8 baking pan and sit aside (the paper wrappers from the butter work great.)
-
In a large sauce pan, put in the sugar, corn syrup and butter. Bring to a boil on medium heat, once boiling cook for four minutes. Remove from heat.
-
Add in the sweetened condensed milk, then put back on medium-low heat. Cook until it reaches 238 degrees with a candy thermometer.
-
Pour into 8×8 inch baking pan and let cool completely. Cut into small pieces and wrap with wax paper.
Like this caramel recipe? You might also enjoy:
- Caramel sauce – it’s so delicious and super easy to make.
- Caramel cake with whipped apple cider cream – so yummy to look at it makes your eyes hungry!
- Caramel chocolate nut ice cream – because everything is better in ice cream!
Looking for more gifts in jars? See my friends for ideas!
Hi Gina, I enjoy your posts so much. I also have been nervous about making caramels but this receipe is so simple and sounds so good. I am looking forard to making some for the upcoming holidays. I wake up to your posts everyday and LOVE IT !! Keep ’em coming !!
Do you know what can replace the sweetened condensed milk to make this recipe vegan? Replacing the butter is easy. But I haven’t seen anything but condensed coconut milk. I wonder if that will work? Thank you.
I am not sure other than condensed coconut milk which would be yummy if you like coconut. Let me know if you try it, how it turned out 🙂