This salted caramels recipe yields decadent homemade chewy caramel candy that’s rich and buttery with a hint of vanilla; and it’s easier to make than you might think! It’s a beautiful, festive homemade gift or party treat for the holidays or any time of year.
Line an 8 by 8-inch pan with 2 pieces of parchment paper so it hangs over all 4 sides (so you can easily lift out the caramel later). Lightly brush the parchment paper with vegetable oil.
Stir together the cream, butter, vanilla, and salt to a small to medium-sized pot over medium-low heat. Once it starts steaming, turn the heat down to very low to keep it warm for now.
Add the sugar, corn syrup, and water to a medium-sized pot over medium heat. Bring the mixture to a boil, and then continue cooking until it turns a warm golden amber color and reaches 320F on an instant-read candy thermometer.
Immediately pour the warm cream mixture into the sugar mixture. Be careful, it will bubble up. Give it a stir, and continue cooking until it reaches 240 to 245F on an instant-read thermometer.
Carefully pour the hot caramel into the prepared pan. Cool to room temperature, and then refrigerate until the caramel is chilled enough to cut, about 3 hours.
Cut the caramel into 24 pieces and sprinkle a little flaky sea salt on top of each piece.
Wrap the salted caramels in parchment paper or cellophane candy wrappers.
Notes
Recipe Yield and Serving Size: You can cut the caramel into smaller or larger pieces if you like. I find that 24 pieces yields decently sized caramels without being too big. The nutrition information for this recipe was calculated based on cutting the caramel into 24 pieces.
To Help Prevent Crystallization: When you’re cooking the sugar, corn syrup, and water, you can give the sugar a quick stir at the beginning, but avoid touching the spoon to the sides of the pot. Once the mixture is boiling, you can swirl the pot, but don’t stir.
Storage: You can store wrapped homemade salted caramel candy at room temperature for up to 2 weeks (keep it in a cool, dry place, such as your pantry). Or you can keep them in the fridge for up to 4 weeks, or in the freezer for up to 6 months.