Learn the process of making homemade caramel sauce! This Cinnamon Salted Caramel Sauce is one of my favorite variations on a classic.

A mason jar of Cinnamon salted caramel sauce

Overview

A basic caramel sauce can be made in under 20 minutes and only requires granulated sugar, water, heavy cream, and salt!

To mix it up a bit I made a few additions to my classic caramel sauce recipe. For this Cinnamon Salted Caramel version, I upped the amount of salt for a distinctly salty flavor and just a hint of cinnamon.

This is the real deal caramel sauce and you are going to want to make it all the time. I love to dip apple slices on it or top over a cheesecake or even an apple pie!

Full tutorial on How to Caramelize Sugar for Caramel Sauce including step-by-step instructions and photos

VEGAN CARAMEL SAUCE, AKA COCONUT CARAMEL SAUCE

This sauce works really well with full-fat coconut milk (the kind you find in a can). If you want to make this vegan, this is your best substitution because the fat content is necessary for the final texture. The coconut flavor is also delicious!

Caramel sauce warm in a saucepan

Cinnamon Salted Caramel sauce in a mason jar
Yield: 12 ounces

Cinnamon Salted Caramel Sauce

Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes

Learn the process of making homemade caramel sauce! This Cinnamon Salted Caramel Sauce is one of my favorite variations on a classic.

Ingredients

  • 200 grams (1 cup) granulated sugar
  • 113 grams (½ cup, 120 milliliters) water
  • 235 grams (1 cup, 240 milliliters) heavy cream, see notes for substitution
  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt
  • ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon

Instructions

  1. PREP: Before starting this recipe measure out all of your ingredients and gather anything you need so that once the sugar starts caramelizing you are ready to go. It moves quickly. It would also be wise to have a bowl of ice water nearby just in case the sugar spatters.
  2. In a heavy gauge saucepan at least 3 quarts in size (you can use a bigger pan, but do not use a smaller pan) add the sugar (200 grams/ 1 cup) and the water (113 grams/ ½ cup). Gently stir to completely saturate the sugar, being careful not to splash sugar granules up the side of the pan.
  3. Turn the heat on to medium. The sugar will start to dissolve in the water and will come to a boil. As the mixture boils, the water will begin to evaporate off and the liquid sugar will start caramelizing. Stay close by because when the caramelization process happens it moves very quickly. Do not stir during this process or you risk re-crystallizing the sugar resulting in a gritty texture. If the sugar is caramelizing unevenly, gently swirl the pan to even out the color.
  4. Once the sugar smells nutty and is a deep golden brown, carefully pour all of the heavy cream (235 grams/ 1 cup) into the pan and stir vigorously. The mixture will bubble up quite a bit, so a long handled spoon or spatula is your best tool here.
  5. Add the salt (2 teaspoons) and cinnamon (¼ teaspoon) continue cooking and stirring the mixture until it thickens, about 3-5 minutes.
  6. If you are using this as a warm sauce, a thermometer is not needed. Cook until thickened. However, a candy thermometer can help you reach a more accurate final texture. As the caramel reaches higher heat, it will become more hard in texture once cooled. At 210-215°F/ 99-101°C the mixture will be liquid right out of the refrigerator and very thin when warm. At 225°F/ 107°C it will be runny when warm and thick when cooled. Cooking the mixture to 250°F/ 121°C will give you a soft chewy caramel texture once cooled that is perfect for covering apples.
  7. Remove the sauce from the heat and pour into a heat resistant container. A mason jar is perfect. Store in the refrigerator for up to 1 month. If making caramel apples, pour into a bowl and allow the caramel to cool to about 215°F/ 101°C before dipping your apples.

Notes

*For more variations see my Homemade Caramel Sauce recipe

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Nutrition Information:


Amount Per Serving: Calories: 0