The BEST Soft Homemade Caramels
THIS is what I bring to my neighbors and family every year for Christmas. These homemade caramels are buttery soft! It's not Christmas without them!
Ingredients
- 4 Cups sugar
- 1 Cup butter unsalted
- 2 Cups white corn syrup one 16 oz. bottle
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- Two 12 oz. cans evaporated milk
Instructions
- Line a 13X9 inch casserole dish with parchment paper and set aside.
- Place sugar, butter, corn syrup, and salt in a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan or pot over medium heat to melt. (The caramel will bubble up so make sure it's a large pan, I like to use my enamel cast iron)
- Bring the mixture to a boil, then slowly add evaporated milk a little at a time. Take about 10-12 minutes per can. Stir constantly.
- After the evaporated milk is added, continue to stir until the mixture has reached 238 F, no hotter! Use your candy thermometer. (See recipe notes for high altitude adjustments)
- Pour into your prepared dish and let cool completely. Cut (see my tips above in the post) and enjoy!
Notes
Temperature adjustments for high altitude:
When I'm in Utah I cook the caramel to 234 degrees
When I'm in Colorado I cook the caramel to 232 degrees
You can always use the soft ball test (drop a little bit of caramel into a glass of cold water and see if it gets firm) to check before you take your caramel off the heat!
Note:
You can add 1 tsp of vanilla extract if desired