Homemade Caramel Recipe

Many years ago when my husband was in grad school and we were young and poor, I decided to learn how to make candy so I could gift everyone something homemade (and cheap) for Christmas.

My experiments were a resounding success. I learned how to melt chocolate without destroying its temper, how to make toffee, glaze nuts, and the tricks to homemade peanut butter cups. Most importantly, I learned to make homemade caramel, and that is so, so, so much better to dip apples in the real stuff than to unwrap and melt Kraft Caramels like we did when I was a kid.

So although I don’t often go the full-on candymaking route these days, I still own a candy thermometer and a good heavy saucepan, and I still make caramel every Halloween, to dip the apples in (and sometimes a few other goodies, like pretzel rods or clusters of nuts).

1 cup butter
16oz package (2 1/2 cups packed) brown sugar
14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk
1 cup light corn syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla

In a heavy saucepan, melt butter. Add rest except vanilla. Stir and cook over med-high heat to boiling. Clip on a candy thermometer. Continue to cook, stirring constantly, to 240 degrees.

Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.

If you will be dipping apples or pretzels:

Working quickly, dip apples or pretzel rods while caramel is still hot. Roll in nuts if desired and cool on greased foil. (can dip in chocolate once cool.)

For individual caramel candies, pour hot liquid into a large baking pan lined with greased foil, then cut into squares when cool and dip in chocolate. For nut turtles, add nuts to hot caramel, mix, and dollop onto greased foil. Dip in chocolate when cool.

This caramel freezes well. Pour into container lined with (you guessed it!) greased foil. Put the whole thing in a ziplock & freeze for months. When defrosting, warm it in the pan but do not re-boil.

Note: it’s important to use a thick, heavy pan. I’ve always used my Calphalon Professional Series 3 1/2 qt. saucepot and it turns out beautifully.