Spike your dark roast with this creamy caramel coffee syrup made from nothing but simple pantry staples! No additives here.
I don’t know about you, but this time of year when Starbucks is busting out the PSL’s and other yummy flavored coffee drinks, I get a mad craving for fancy coffees like this one that I can make at home for less cost. It’s no surprise that with the holidays coming up I veer toward traditional flavors, like this irresistible caramel syrup that tastes incredible in coffee and on homemade ice cream too.
Actually, this coffee syrup recipe is more of a caramel sauce than a syrup since this caramel recipe involves heating whipping cream with dark, handsome brown sugar and a touch of vanilla. No matter what you consider it, I call it DEE-LISH!
You might be surprised to find out how easy it is to make this caramel sauce. So simple, in fact, that you’ll probably want to double the recipe and pour it into a few pretty jars as co-worker gifts or handmade holiday hostess gifts for all those fiestas you’re sure to attend over the next few months.
I shared a jar with my neighbor last week and a photo of my caramel sauce gift appeared soon after on her husband’s Facebook feed. It’s just that good!
This is friend-making material, folks. Unforgettable, show-stopper kind of caramel coffee syrup goodness.
Let’s make it!
- 1¼ cup cream
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- pinch salt
- Mix ⅓ cup water, brown sugar and sugar in a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan. Cook over low heat without stirring until the sugar dissolves. Turn heat up to medium and bring to a boil for about 5 minutes uncovered or until the mixture reaches about 350F on a candy thermometer. It should darken slightly but be careful not to burn it! Turn off heat.
- Slowly pour in cream and add salt. The mixture will bubble violently and it may solidify. Put the pot back over low heat, stirring constantly, until the caramel dissolves and the sauce is smooth, about two minutes.
- Stir in vanilla and cool.Sauce will thicken as it cools.Cool to room temperature and pour into pretty jars. Store refrigerated.
What your favorite hot drink this time of year? Please share in the comments below, and if you’ve got a recipe to share, be sure to include a link!
Happy autumn all!
P.S. If you enjoyed this post, chances are your friends will too! Be a doll and please share it.
More harvest time recipe you’ll love:
I didn’t know you could make caramel syrup with so few things! I don’t drink coffee, but I bet this would be good with so many things! Maybe drizzled over some cookies or mixed into some hot milk! Yum!
Yep, Chelsea, there’s no limit to what you can do with this caramel sauce. Actually, I made it mostly for drizzling on ice cream but it was so good in my coffee that I wanted to steer the post in that direction and save the actual “caramel sauce” post for a few weeks from now with a a little bit of a twist in the recipe. Hope you try it!
Love these pictures! Starbucks is soooo overpriced, it makes so much more sense to make your own drinks if possible! x
Step 2 says slowly pour in Carmel – do you mean cream? Looks so yummy! I may be adding this to hot apple cider tomorrow!
Thanks for catching that, Shaina. Yep, it should read to pour in cream. Getting it fixed now. I really appreciate you taking the time to let me know!
I just printed this! I think my caramel loving husband will enjoy this.
Awesome! Hope both you and your husband give it a big thumbs UP, Valerie. Enjoy!
looks delicious – i may end up doing something like this as the weather gets cooler… 😀
You seriously have mad skills….this looks too good not to try…
Thanks so much, Mardene. Caramel merits any and all efforts to try it homemade at least once. So SO good!
I pinned this earlier this morning, and have been thinking about it all day! I guess I know what I’ll have to make this weekend. Thanks for the great recipe!
Marissa
Thanks so much for sharing, Marissa! Hope you give the caramel sauce a try soon. It’s totally worth the minimal effort!
Such a delicious looking sauce. I’m not a coffee drinker. When the weather gets cold and want something hot to drink I turn to hot chocolate.
Mmm! Now, you’re talking Mary. I’ll bet this caramel sauce would be perfect in hot chocolate too. Seriously having one of those “why didn’t I think of that?” moments 🙂
I LOVE starbuck’s drinks, but you are right they are so expensive! I am going to give this a try. I like how there are no additives too. Thanks for the recipe!
Had no idea caramel was so easy to make….looks yummy!
It’s funny, isn’t it, to realize how many great things you can make with just a few staple ingredients. Unfortunately, we can’t drink cow’s milk here, so I have to do without caramel! I’ve never found goat milk cream in the stores. 😀
Goat milk cream, now that’s an idea! At the ministry where we work we have goats that we milk. From looking at the fresh milk, I’d guess the fat content to be too low to get real “cream” out of it. Maybe that’s why most goat milk producers stick to cheese that they can thicken with other additives.
Oh my stinking goodness, this sounds SO good!
This is such an easy and fun recipe! Anything with caramel is fantastic in my book. Add chocolate to the mix and boy this is a taste of heaven!
I’m with ya, Jonathan! In fact, I’ve got a recipe scribbled down in one of my cookbooks for a chocolate peanut butter ice cream sauce. Can’t wait to try that one over chocolate (or choco brownie) ice cream. Mmm!
Mmm, we’re heading into summer so this would make a great ice cream/waffle sauce.
Sounds like a great plan to me, Melanie!
This looks so yummy!!! I wish I was a coffee drinker but I just cannot find anything that I like. It all looks delicious and smells delicious but my taste buds just don’t agree lol
You know, Ashley, my mom’s the same way. She likes the smell of coffee, but the only way she can stand it is coffee flavored ice cream. Go figure! Good thing this syrup is great on any flavor of ice cream.
Jelli, this looks Ah-MA-ZING!!! I can not wait to make some myself. My hubby is going to love it. My personal favorite coffee drink is pumpkin spice. I also make it at home when I have the time.
Me too! Love me a PSL, Brandi. I haven’t made one yet this season but I have added plenty of cinnamon to my coffee lately. Mmm!
I don’t see an expiration date, is there one? Or just keep in the fridge till used up? This really sounds great.
Melody, I have to be honest with you. This caramel syrup never lasts long enough in my house for me to find out the expiration date. I’d guess it should be used within 2-3 weeks even if refrigerated. Always do a smell test and check for mold.