Coffee Caramel Sauce
This coffee caramel sauce recipe makes a luxuriously smooth and thick caramel sauce. It’s gently infused with coffee. If you’re a coffee fan, you will love this sauce. Coffee and caramel are a perfect match.
This coffee caramel is deliciously decadent. The homemade caramel is made using a dry caramel method, then adding butter and cream. Before being added, the cream is spiked with coffee.
It’s based on my simple 3 ingredient caramel sauce recipe.
For another coffee-flavored treat, try this cappuccino muffin recipe!
Dry caramel method
This homemade caramel sauce is made using a dry caramel method. This means sugar is melted slowly over medium-low heat, without the addition of water until it becomes a deep amber color.
(Wet caramel is when sugar is melted alongside a little bit of water.)
A dry caramel method is faster than wet caramel. It can also be stirred with a wooden spoon or heatproof spatula, which you can’t do with a wet caramel method.
Stirring a wet caramel causes sugar crystals to form on the side of the pot which can make a gritty caramel sauce. Dry caramel fast BUT it does need close attention because it can burn very quickly.
Did you know that you can turn this caramel into whipped caramel?
Ingredients
Have all your ingredients set out, and at room temperature before proceeding with the recipe. The amounts are listed in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Granulated sugar – Use granulated white sugar. Using white sugar as opposed to brown sugar is what sets caramel apart from butterscotch. Cook it very slowly over low-medium heat until it melts and turns amber brown. It needs to be caramelized enough to give the flavor needed, but not so much that the caramel is bitter. Usually, by the time all the sugar has dissolved, the caramel should be colored enough.
- Butter – Create a smooth and rich caramel with a buttery flavor.
- Heavy cream– Also known as whipping cream. Thins out the caramel and gives a creamy caramel sauce with a silky smooth texture.
- Instant coffee (dissolvable coffee) – 2-3 teaspoons of instant coffee dissolved in the heavy cream brings a rich coffee flavor. Next time, try this spiced caramel that has spice-infused cream instead of coffee!
- Vanilla and salt – Rounds out the flavors in the sauce. For salted caramel, add extra salt.
Step-by-step instructions.
The first step is to set out the ingredients needed. Making this dry caramel sauce is an easy process but getting the timing right is essential. It involves melting and caramelizing sugar, which can very quickly go from perfection to burned sugar.
Begin by measuring out the butter cubes and setting these aside.
Next, warm the cream to lukewarm then stir through the instant coffee and vanilla. Set this aside.
Melt the sugar In a deep, medium saucepan over low to medium heat. Stir it gently with a wooden spoon or heatproof spatula while it melts. It will first clump together, then gradually melt into a brown amber liquid.
Ensure all the sugar in the middle of the pot has melted before going to the next step.
Adding the butter
Once completely melted, switch to using a whisk and add in the cubes of butter, two or three cubes at a time. Start whisking straightway while you do this and don’t stop until all the butter has melted.
It will form a thick caramel but initially, the mixture may look like it has split. Take care doing this because the mixture will bubble up a lot and steam.
Once the butter has completely melted into the sugar, pour in the coffee cream and keep whisking.
Again, take extra care here as the cream will make the caramel bubble and rise. Whisk it and let it keep cooking until it turns into a runny and deep brown caramel sauce.
It may look split initially as the cream hits the hot caramel, but just keep whisking. Afterward, take it off the heat and stir in the salt.
Leave the caramel sauce to cool for 5-10 minutes, then pour it into a clean mason jar. It will thicken up as it cools down.
It’s delicious drizzled over ice cream, cheesecake, brownies, or swirled into yogurt.
Storing
Store the coffee caramel sauce in a sealed jar or airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a month. It will thicken up considerably and have a scoopable firm consistency once cooled.
It can be gently rewarmed when needed to make it liquid and gooey again. Warm it in the microwave or place the jar of caramel in a bowl of hot water to warm it.
Coffee caramel sauce can be frozen too, for up to three months.
Related recipes
Coffee Caramel Sauce
This coffee caramel sauce recipe makes a luxuriously smooth and thick caramel sauce.
Ingredients
- 120g / ½ cup heavy cream, at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons instant coffee granules
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 200g/ 1 cup granulated sugar
- 85g / 6 Tablespoons butter, at room temperature
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Measure out the butter, cut it into cubes, and set it aside.
- Warm the cream to lukewarm then stir through the instant coffee and vanilla. Set this aside.
- In a deep, medium saucepan over low-medium heat, melt the sugar. Stir it gently with a wooden spoon or heatproof spatula while it melts. It will first clump together, then gradually melt into a brown amber liquid. Don’t turn up the heat or let it become too dark or it will be burn and be bitter.
- Once completely melted, switch to using a whisk and add in the cubes of butter, two or three cubes at a time. Start whisking straightway while you do this and don't stop until all the butter has melted.
- It will form a thick caramel but initially, the mixture may look like it has split. Take care doing this because the mixture will bubble up a lot and steam.
- Once the butter has completely melted into the sugar, pour in the coffee cream and keep whisking. Again, take extra care here as the cream will make the caramel bubble and rise. Whisk it and let it keep cooking, whisking continuously until it turns into a runny and deep brown caramel sauce.
- Take it off the heat and stir through the salt.
- Leave the caramel sauce to cool for 5-10 minutes, then pour it into a clean jar. It will thicken up as it cools down.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 10 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 180Total Fat: 11gSaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 32mgSodium: 111mgCarbohydrates: 20gFiber: 0gSugar: 20gProtein: 0g
This is an informational estimate only. I am not a certified Dietitian or Nutritionist
FAQ
This coffee caramel sauce recipe cannot be made with milk instead of heavy cream. Milk has too high a water content and the sauce will curdle.
Yes, to make this caramel sauce runny again it can be reheated in the microwave, over the stove, or placed in a bowl of hot water.
This recipe is gluten-free
this can happen because the cream is at a cooler temperature than the hot sugar. Keep stirring the caramel over medium heat to incorporate the cream with the sugar mixture.
Can I use condensed milk except heavy cream?
Not for this recipe
Can I use the wet caramel method for this recipe?
Yup you could
This came out so nicely. Nice and shiny, and not too thin— I needed a stickier sauce. I added a tiny bit of almond extract. Looks great on the mocha cheesecake I made, but I look forward to using the leftovers for ice cream.
Just wanted to ask what would be the measurements if I wanted to make the sauce thicker to top shortbread cookies
Hey this sauce will thicken up once cold so it’s scoop-able to top cookies 🙂
Would this caramel be appropriate for a cake filling?
Yup it makes a great cake filling 🙂
I have made this several times and it always comes out perfect. I’ve tried some variations, flavoring the cream with chocolate, rose, almond or rum extract, or omitting the cream and using orange juice instead (stirring in a bit of cream after cooking). It’s also good with some decent liquer or whisky