The best Bourbon Caramel Sauce to top your favorite fall and holiday desserts! Sweet, gooey with an added depth of flavor from the salt and bourbon! It’s made with just 7 simple ingredients.
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Caramel Sauce is one of those things that makes any dessert extra delicious and extra decadent.
I have wanted to create bourbon desserts for a while. I love caramel, so bourbon caramel sounded like the perfect treat!
If you are looking for more caramel recipes, try my Maple Caramel Sauce, Tahini Caramel and my Chocolate Caramel Shortbread Pretzel Bars.
Why This Recipe Works
- The bourbon, sweet vanilla and caramel and salt add so much depth of flavor.
- Bourbon takes caramel to another level of delicious!
- It’s simple to make!
Ingredients
- Granulated Sugar
- Water
- Butter: Make sure to use room temperature butter, otherwise the caramel will most likely seize up.
- Heavy Cream: It’s also important that your cream is at room temperature when added.
- Bourbon: I find 1 1/2 tablespoons the perfect amount. You can definitely taste the bourbon but it’s not overpowering. If you want a stronger bourbon taste, add an extra 1/2 tablespoon.
- Vanilla extract: For its sweet flavor.
- Salt: I like to use 1/2 teaspoon of fine sea salt. You can use regular table salt if you don’t have fine sea salt. Add more or less than the suggested amount.
Equipment
Unlike many caramel recipes, this recipe does NOT require a candy thermometer. Instead of a thermometer, you can go by the color to know when to take the caramel off the heat.
I recommend using a light colored saucepan as it makes it easier to notice those important color changes.
You’ll also need a heatproof spatula or wooden spoon and a jar to pour the caramel into.
Instructions
Step One: Place the water and sugar in a saucepan over medium heat. Pay attention to the color of the mixture as it boils. Once it reaches the color of copper/iced tea, take it off the heat.
Step Two: Whisk in the heavy cream and the butter. Once the butter has melted, whisk in the vanilla extract, bourbon, and salt.
Enjoy! You can also pour the sauce into a jar and allow it to cool to room temperature. The sauce will thicken as it cools.
Hint: Be careful when adding these ingredients as the mixture may bubble and splatter!
Expert Tips
Tip #1: Read over the instructions carefully before starting the recipe. This will help you understand the steps and know what to look for. Once you start the caramelization process, you can’t stop it so it’s good to know what to look for.
Tip #2: If you’ve never made caramel before, it’s definitely helpful to watch it being made. Cooking Classy has this great video on making Caramel Sauce. It’ll help you understand the process and know what to look for in terms of color.
Tip #3: Have your ingredients measured and next to the stove. Don’t wait til it’s time to add them to measure them out.
USES FOR BOURBON CARAMEL
This bourbon caramel sauce is delicious any way you serve it. Here are a some ways to enjoy it:
- CAKE: Drizzle it over top or in between layers. I can’t wait to try it over my Pumpkin Carrot Cake with Brown Sugar Cream Cheese Icing!
- CUPCAKES: This Bourbon Caramel Sauce would be delicious over cupcakes with or without frosting. I’m already imagining it over Brown Butter Brown Sugar Cupcakes with Brown Sugar Cream Cheese Icing.
- ICE CREAM: It turns even a dish of vanilla ice cream into an ultra decadent dessert. You can even make your own ice cream out of bourbon caramel sauce! Check out this No-Churn Bourbon Salted Caramel Ice Cream from Mike Bakes NYC!
- CHEESECAKE
- COOKIES
- BROWNIES
- AND MORE!!
I just happen to be finishing this Bourbon Caramel Sauce on a Friday and I can’t think of a better treat for the weekend. It amazingly only takes about 15 minutes and is super easy to make! The different ways to enjoy it are endless and it’s a recipe you’ll want to make all fall and winter long!
More Recipes You’ll Love
Bourbon Caramel Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup (59.15 ml) water
- 1/2 cup (118.29 ml) heavy cream room temperature
- 3 1/2 tablespoons (49 g) butter chopped, room temperature
- 1 1/2 tablespoons (22.18 ml) bourbon
- 3/4 teaspoon (3/4 teaspoon) vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon (1/2 teaspoon) sea salt
Instructions
- Tip: Read through the instructions fully before starting. Make sure your cream and butter are at room temperature, and have all ingredients measured and ready by the stove — caramel moves fast once the sugar is hot!
- Combine the water and sugar in a medium, heavy-bottomed saucepan. Gently stir just once or twice to moisten the sugar, then stop stirring — too much stirring can cause it to crystallize.
- Next, set the pan over medium to medium-high heat and let it cook undisturbed for about 10–13 minutes, until it turns a deep amber or iced tea color. If the sugar isn’t browning evenly, you can gently swirl the pan at the end to help it color consistently — avoid stirring with a spoon, which can cause crystals. If using a thermometer, the caramel should reach about 330–340°F (165–170°C), but color is the best guide since every stove heats a little differently.
- Remove pan from heat and whisk in the room temperature cream carefully — it will bubble up quite a bit, so use caution. Once the bubbling settles, add the butter and whisk until fully melted. Next, whisk in the vanilla, bourbon, and salt until smooth.
- Pour the caramel sauce into a heatproof jar and allow to cool slightly. It will thicken up as it cools.
Notes
Nutrition
Please note that nutritional values are created by an online calculator and should only be used as an estimate.
Tom
Not sure what I did wrong, but the first time I tried making this, all of the water evaporated leaving a giant slightly yellowed sugar block in my pot. The second time, I stirred constantly until it read 240F on a thermometer and it was barely a yellow color. Hope the author can add a couple more details to make this more robust!
Natalie
Hi Tom, sorry to hear this caramel recipe didn’t work out for you! Thank you for trying it twice and for sharing your feedback. From what you described, it sounds like the sugar may have crystallized the first time, and the second time just needed a bit longer to reach that deep amber color. Since you’re using a thermometer, the caramel should be around 330 to 340°F when ready, but I find the color is really the best guide since every stove heats a little differently. I added a few extra notes in the recipe about not stirring once the sugar dissolves and watching the color to hopefully make it easier. Hope this helps, and please let me know if you have any other questions.
Pam
How do you store this? Does it need to be kept refrigerated?
Natalie
Hi Pam, Apologies for the late response. This caramel can be stored in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.