Use this chewy Caramel recipe with my tips and tricks this holiday season. These tasty treats are easy to make and they make a great gift!
There are really only a few things that are better than homemade caramels. This caramel candy recipe has been one of the most popular recipes on the blog alongside with caramel brownies, homemade caramel sauce and caramel apple cobbler. One is not enough. It really isn't. Once you taste one of these, you won't stop!
Table Of Contents:
About this recipe
Who loves caramels as much as I do? This chewy caramel recipe is for you. Learn all the details and tips and tricks for once and all so you can make amazing caramel candies every single time. These are perfectly chewy and soft, but still keep their shape.
These delicious treats come in different varieties and can be quite difficult to make flawlessly. The recipe I'm sharing with you today is perfect for beginners as I have mentioned all the tips and tricks I know to make perfect caramels!
Is it difficult to make caramel candy?
Making homemade caramels might seem intimidating but if you have the right ingredients and tools it can be as easy as making any other treat. Using an instant read thermometer is strongly advised for this chewy caramel recipe as there is a certain temperature (240° F) at which you know they're perfect and ready to be poured into the pan.
Once you have all the ingredients and tools ready, all you have to do is to follow the instructions step by step. just make sure your thermometer is working properly. A candy thermometer is the best type to use for this chewy caramel recipe.
Ingredients
Heavy cream: Use regular heavy cream, not light, fat free or dairy free varieties. It's best to have the cream at room temperature.
Butter: Use unsalted butter for this recipe since salted butter could change the flavor. The butter needs to be at room temperature as well.
Sugar: Regular granulated sugar works well for this recipe.
Corn syrup: There is no alternative to corn syrup. If you don't have it on hand, make a homemade version.
Instructions
Start with an 8X8 dish and coat it with cooking spray, line it with parchment paper, coat it again with the cooking spray and set it aside.
Place the heavy cream in a saucepan and add the butter to it. Cook it until butter is melted. You don't want the mixture to boil at all. Turn the heat off and set it aside. Now Put a big pot on the stove over medium heat. Mix the sugar, corn syrup and water until it forms a paste. Turn the heat to medium high and out the candy thermometer in the pot. Watch it until it reaches 285° F.
Now turn the heat off, add in the butter and heavy cream mixture and whisk at the same time. The mixture will start boiling and tripling in size so make sure you start making the corn syrup mixture in a large pot.
Heat the mixture again over medium high heat with the thermometer attached inside the pot. Heat until the mixture reaches 240° F. Now, turn the heat off and pour the caramel into the prepared pan. Tap the pan on the counter a couple of times and then let it sit at room temperature for at least 2 hours. Then cut them into 60 rectangles and wrap them in wax paper or plastic wraps.
Frequently asked questions
Candies rarely go bad. These caramels are better be wrapped in plastic wrap or wax paper when they're ready. You can store them in an airtight container for up to 3 months. It's best to keep them in a cool and dry place.
If the caramel is too hard, it's very difficult to salvage it. Sometimes it's possible to salvage it by placing it back in the pot and adding a few tablespoons of water and heating it a bit.
This is our favorite chewy caramel recipe. It's perfect for Christmas and everyone would love a jar of these as a gift!
Notes and tips
- The most important part of making caramels at home is to have everything prepared, including the pot, the thermometer, the brush and the spoon. Have all the ingredients measured and ready, too.
- Make sure your pot is big enough to make the corn syrup and sugar mixture because it will boil and triple in size.
- Use a wet brush to brush the sugar down from the edges of the pot. The crystals should be all dissolved in the mixture to have smooth and velvety caramels in the end.
- Once the sugar and corn syrup have formed a paste and you clip the thermometer, don't stir the sugar anymore. Turn the heat to medium high and bring the mixture to boil.
- Spray your knife with cooking spray before cutting the caramels so they don't stick to the knife.
More Christmas Deliciousness:
Did you make this recipe? I'd love to hear about it! Please comment and leave a 5-star🌟 rating below. You can also follow us on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest or subscribe to our newsletter to get a free e-Cookbook!
Step-by-Step Recipe
Chewy Caramel Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 ¼ cup heavy cream room teperature
- 4 tablespoon butter room temperature
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup corn syrup
- ¼ cup water
Instructions
- Line an 8X8 heat proof dish with parchment paper and coat it with non stick spray.
- Place butter and heavy cream in a small sauce pan over medium heat. Heat until butter is melted. Don't bring the mixture to boil. Add Salt to butter heavy cream mixture. Turn the heat off.
- In a big pot, mix sugar, corn syrup and water. Using a spoon stir it until forms a paste. Using a wet brush, wipe down the sides of the pot so there are no sugar crystals left on the sides.
- Turn the heat on to medium high and clip an instant-read thermometer to the side of the pot. Don not stir the mixture. Bring the mixture to boil and let it boil until it reaches 285-290°F.
- Turn the heat off.
- Whisk in the cream and butter mixture slowly to the pot. It will boil rapidly and triple in size. Stop whisking once all the cream is all in.
- Turn the heat on to medium high and clip the instant thermometer again. Bring the caramel to a boil and let it boil until it reaches 240°F.
- Turn the heat off and take the thermometer out of the pot.
- Pour the caramel into the lined dish and let it sit in the room temperature for at least 2 hours or until set completely.
- Cut into rectangles or squares and wrap them in wax paper or candy wrappers. Keep the caramels in a container with a lid.
Notes
- The most important part of making caramels at home is to have everything prepared, including the pot, the thermometer, the brush and the spoon. Have all the ingredients measured and ready, too.
- Make sure your pot is big enough to make the corn syrup and sugar mixture because it will boil and triple in size.
- Use a wet brush to brush the sugar down from the edges of the pot. The crystals should be all dissolved in the mixture to have smooth and velvety caramels in the end.
- Once the sugar and corn syrup have formed a paste and you clip the thermometer, don't stir the sugar anymore. Turn the heat to medium high and bring the mixture to boil.
- Spray your knife with cooking spray before cutting the caramels so they don't stick to the knife.
Valerie
I have never made homemade caramel. My Dad loves caramel, I should give this recipe a try and surprise him.
Gina
So fun to make caramel at home. The kids love stretching it out and it's a wonderful edible homemade gift too!
Mari
Oh I love, like truly love caramel! In Mexico we have a recipe called Cajeta that is very similar in taste (and ingredients ofc). I am just afraid that if I make this recipe I might finish all the treats the same day haha.
Teodora Grujic
I'm going to make these as small Christmas presents, wrapped in nice paper! Thanks for the great idea!
sonia
Beautiful idea to make candy at home
Dawn Morrow
Can I use a nonstick pan?
Shadi HasanzadeNemati
Absolutely!
Robin Gagnon
My daughter is thrilled with the candies!
Shiho
Thank you for the tips and tricks. I made this successfully and my children loved it! They are all gone.
Tariq
Hi, I don't get double cream very easily where I'm from, do you know if these will work with regular fresh cream or if there's a substitute for double cream that I could use?
Shadi HasanzadeNemati
Hi Tariq, are you able to find the cream which you use to make whipped cream? That would work best 🙂
Tariq
That's not easily available here. What we get most commonly is 25% fat Fresh Cream that doesn't whip up however much you try. Wasn't sure if that would majorly affect the texture of the caramels.. I've seen double cream substitutes online that say to just add in the fat by putting extra butter, but I don't know if that will work.. will just have to try it out and see..
adina
Hi if i want to double the recipe. what size dish should I use.
Shadi HasanzadeNemati
Hi Adina, I would say a 9x13 would work well 🙂
Meri
Hey !! I would like your help !! I made the recipe but it dint stay chewy! Could you pls tell me what I did wrong ? I am from India is it because of the temperature here?? This is soooooo tempting I so want to make these again 😍😍😍
Shadi HasanzadeNemati
Hi Meri! There could be a few reasons that the caramel didn't stay chewy, one could be the temperature, another could be the fact that the caramel cooked more than it needed to. Try cooking it for a shorter time next time. Hope it works out! <3 <3 <3
Tom
Is it possible NOT to add any kind of syrup? I understand it's there to prevent sugar crystallization - could I add some more sugar and squeeze a little lemon juice into the mixture instead?
Thanks
Shadi HasanzadeNemati
Hi Tom, I have not tried making caramels without corn syrup, but my research shows that for one cup of corn syrup you can use 1 cup sugar, dissolved in 1/4 cup warm water. Hope that helps 🙂
cakespy
The only answer is yes. SO MUCH YES.
Shadi HasanzadeNemati
Bet our unicorns will love this too! <3 <3
Liz @ Ready to Yumble
Ooo I could eat about 100 of these! And I love that stretch picture - they look so chewy and amazing!
unicornsinthekitchen@gmail.com
Thank you Liz! They are so delicious! 😀