Sea Salt Caramels Soft Buttery (Printable)

Soft, buttery caramels with a touch of flaky sea salt for a perfect sweet and salty balance.

# What You'll Need:

→ Dairy

01 - 1 cup heavy cream
02 - 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces

→ Sweeteners

03 - 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
04 - 1/4 cup light corn syrup
05 - 1/4 cup water

→ Flavorings

06 - 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
07 - 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

→ Finish

08 - Flaky sea salt, for sprinkling

# Directions:

01 - Line an 8x8-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on two sides for easy removal, and lightly butter the parchment.
02 - Combine the heavy cream and butter in a small saucepan and warm over medium heat until the butter melts and the mixture is hot but not boiling. Remove from heat and set aside.
03 - In a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine granulated sugar, corn syrup, and water. Stir gently to combine.
04 - Cook the sugar mixture over medium heat without stirring until the sugar dissolves.
05 - Increase heat to medium-high and bring to a boil without stirring. Cook until the mixture turns light golden and reaches 320°F.
06 - Carefully pour the warm cream and butter mixture into the caramelized sugar, stirring constantly. Cook until the mixture reaches 245°F for soft caramels or up to 250°F for firmer texture.
07 - Remove from heat and stir in vanilla extract and fine sea salt.
08 - Immediately pour the hot caramel into the prepared pan. Let sit 5 minutes, then evenly sprinkle flaky sea salt on top.
09 - Allow caramel to cool at room temperature for about 2 hours. Using the parchment overhang, lift out the caramel block and cut into 1-inch squares with a sharp knife.
10 - Wrap each caramel in wax paper or cellophane to prevent sticking.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • They taste like you spent hours perfecting them, but they're honestly just 40 minutes of your time plus waiting.
  • The moment that sea salt hits the warm caramel is pure sensory joy—sweet, salty, buttery perfection in one small square.
  • Homemade caramels wrapped in wax paper make the kind of gift people actually remember.
02 -
  • A candy thermometer is not optional here—guessing the temperature is how you end up with either grainy sugar or burnt-tasting candy.
  • That scary bubble when you add the cream is completely normal and expected; it means your sugar reached the right temperature.
  • Don't stir the sugar mixture before it caramelizes, but do stir constantly once the cream goes in—this is the turning point where technique matters.
03 -
  • Keep your cream warm—cold cream hitting the hot sugar causes more violent bubbling, which can cause splashing and burns.
  • Use a heavy-bottomed saucepan so the heat distributes evenly and prevents hot spots that can cause uneven caramelization or burning.
Return