Simple and easy caramels made in the microwave with just one bowl and no candy thermometer! Sprinkle them with salt, dip or drizzle them with chocolate or wrap them in waxed paper to give as gifts!
I’ve been making these for as long as I can remember!
These are delicious chewy little caramels that are very simple to make and no candy thermometer is required!! They can be used in any recipe that requires you to purchase and unwrap little caramels and are just perfect enjoyed on their own.
The smaller the dish you use, the thicker the caramels will be, I like to make them in an 8×8 pan. A larger dish will just mean a thinner caramel.
You can cut them into squares or into longer sticks. If you’re giving them as a gift, it’s nice to cut them into sticks and wrap each one in a small piece of waxed paper or pretty candy wrappers.
Once they are cut into squares, they are still quite pliable so we store them in the fridge until about an hour before serving! They are perfect dipped or drizzled with chocolate and sprinkled with a little sea salt (or skip the chocolate for a salted caramel).
Ingredients
- ¼ cup unsalted butter
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ½ cup corn syrup (Karo Syrup)
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup sweetened condensed milk
Optional Toppings
- Salt
- Chocolate
Instructions
- Mix all ingredients in a large microwave safe bowl (the mixture will bubble up so make sure there is lots of room in the bowl).
- Microwave on high for 6-7 minutes, stirring every 90 seconds.
- Pour into a small buttered dish and allow to cool completely. Cut into small squares.
- If desired, drizzle with chocolate and a sprinkle of sea salt.
Note: This mixture gets VERY hot. Ensure there are no children underfoot when you make this.
Notes
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Candy, Dessert
Cuisine American© SpendWithPennies.com. Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited. Please view my photo use policy here.
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made this carmel recipe exact and they came out too hard and stick to teeth. What did i do wrong? : (
Did you check the wattage on your microwave? This recipe was made in a 1000W microwave.
Hi, Are you able to substitute the condensed milk for heavy cream? Thanks :)
I haven’t tried it so I can’t say for sure.
If I double the recipe how long should I cook them in the microwave?
I have not tried doubling this recipe. I would recommend making two separate batches.
Thank you for this recipe! So easy! I poured my hot caramel into mini muffin tins. Now I have cute tiny caramel pucks!
Yay! Glad they turned out great!
Hi I love easy recipes! So..can salted butter be used? Thank you..
Do you pack the brown sugar?
Yes, the brown sugar is packed.
Wow! The moment I tried one of these delicious caramels I had a flood of childhood memories rush over me. Thank you for sharing, I have found my new favorite caramel recipe, and the bonus is it takes less than 10 minutes from prep to pouring.
I am so glad you liked these caramels!
I made these and used salted butter so left out the salt and they turned out great. I cooked for 6 minutes 15 seconds. The sea salt on top tastes great! I melted a dark chocolate bar and dribbled on top but wouldn’t suggest to use that as I had trouble getting the chocolate to harden. Maybe chocolate almond bark would work better? Otherwise I would use just salt on the soft and chewy caramels. I will definitely make again. I used an 8 X 8 plate which has a little dip in which worked perfect.
So glad you loved them Kathy, thank you for sharing your tips!
Hello Holly,
I’ve tried the recipe and it tastes really good. However the caramels are too chewy and not presentable for Christmas treats. Do you know if I can put the caramel back in the microvave to liquidity it again?
Thanks
Marie
Microwaving the caramel for a longer time will make them more chewy/harder.
I want to make these. I have a 1000 watt microwave. Is there a way to know if the Carmel is cooked enough at 6 minutes? Also, is it essential to do the stirring every 90 seconds?
I’d highly recommend the stirring. If your microwave is 1000W 6 minutes should produce a soft, slightly chewy caramel.
How long do u think the Carmel would keep?
I have kept them in the refrigerator for up to a few weeks.
Oh yummy
Hi, I added 1 tsp of vanilla extract after taking out of the microwave, stirred it up really quick before I poured it in the pan. It gives the caramels a little more depth of taste.
Yummy idea! Thank you for sharing.
I just got done making these, and they are fantastic!! Thank you so much for the easy recipe, I had no trouble at all, these will be a hit at work and in Christmas gifting ! Great recipe !
I’m so glad you enjoyed them Cindy!
I cannot wait to try these. I was just wondering how you know when they are done? If I stir every 90 sec. What tells me that they are done? Thank you so much!
What wattage is your microwave? 1000W microwave will need about 6 minutes.
So, the concept of the differences in wattage & cooking time is that if I cook it a little longer, they’ll be a little firmer, right? I didn’t look at my microwave, but I did 6 minutes, and they ended up rather soft & pliable. Let them sit out for a bit and they just melded into each other. Had to try to get them cut right out of the fridge.
Hubby didn’t really care for them (I liked them), but people at work thought they tasted great. I did sea salt on some, chocolate drizzle on some (didn’t stay on very well) & left the rest plain. I found that plastic wrap actually worked pretty well too. Even when they softened, it didn’t stick.
Yes, correct. A little bit of extra time will make them a little bit firmer.
Have you ever tried this recipe with dark brown sugar? These look sooo yummy!
Hmm, I think dark brown sugar sounds like a delicious substitution if you like the flavor compared to light brown sugar!
So I made these today and they taste great, just off of the spoon. So I have let them cool and they are a hard like a hard candy. Any idea as to how to get it out of the glass dish now, it doesn’t seem to want to let go.
I would suggest putting them on low in the microwave until the soften enough to remove.
How could this be made into a caramel sauce? Cook less?
I haven’t tried it but cooking less and/or adding heavy cream to the mixture may work.
If I use regular, salted butter, can I just omit adding the 1/4 tsp. salt and the results will be the same? (I don’t buy unsalted butter…so, it would be an extra cost for me to purchase this item)
Please reply Thanks!
The salted butter can potentially cause splattering of the mixture.
What size pan???
I used an 8×8 pan.
What ingredients can you use if your vegan
I can’t say for sure as I don’t follow a vegan lifestyle.