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I don’t think Christmas could happen without caramels. Well, at least not at my farm! I don’t mean a caramel sauce or a hard caramel candy, but instead those soft, chewy, melt-in-your-mouth caramels; the ones I really think you can only truly understand if they’re homemade. Growing up, I seemed to always know who made the “good” caramels, and I knew someday that I had to make them as well. As with many homemade candies, I think people are scared of caramels. But honestly, a thermometer makes the work easy and pretty much stress-free! Soon you can be “the one” with the good caramels!
This recipe makes one 9 x 13-inch pan, but I also explain how to vary the recipe to make unique caramels!
More Christmas Candy
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Homemade Christmas Caramels
Ingredients
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 2 ¼ cups granulated sugar
- 6 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 ¼ cups light corn syrup
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Optional toppings
- 1 cup pecans toasted and chopped
- ½ cup semi-sweet chocolate
- 3-4 tbsp flaky sea salt
Instructions
- Grease a 9 x 13-inch baking sheet pan well with vegetable oil. Line the pan with parchment paper and grease paper as well. Set aside.
- In a 4-quart heavy-bottomed saucepan, bring heavy cream, sugar, butter, and corn syrup to a boil. Continue to boil until 248°F is reached on a candy or thermometer. Swirl the pan every so often to heat evenly.2 cups heavy cream, 2 ¼ cups granulated sugar, 6 tbsp unsalted butter, 1 ¼ cups light corn syrup
- When the temperature reaches 248°F, remove from heat and stir in salt and vanilla extract. Immediately pour into prepared pan.½ tsp kosher salt, 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Cool 6-8 hours or up to 24 hours to allow caramel to set up.
- Use parchment sling to remove caramels from pan. Remove caramels from parchment and cut with a large sharp knife. The caramels are slightly sticky, so to keep the shape and keep from sticking to each other, individually wrap in parchment papers or wax paper.
For turtle caramels
- Sprinkle the pecans over hot caramel. Let cool. Drizzle over the melted semi-sweet chocolate. Let the chocolate cool before cutting.1 cup pecans, ½ cup semi-sweet chocolate
For salted caramels
- Let the caramels cool for 30 minutes, then sprinkle the flaky sea salt over the caramels. Finish cooling and cut.3-4 tbsp flaky sea salt
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Did you make this? Leave a comment below!
I’m making these this weekend to give out for Christmas gifts this year. I can’t wait to make them! This will be my first time making candy! 🤞🤞🤞
My recipe is similar but i only go to 240 they are soft and I have turtle molds i paint the mold then fill it with carmel and peacans. I also use dark karo. yours look like mine. Trying your toffee tonite.
Looks delicious thank you
These look delicious! Can’t wait to try them. I love all the things you do. You are very talented.
Thank You for this recipe!
Love your videos!!
Merry Christmas!!!
I’m new to you and your livestreams, you are adorable and I love your recipes.. Your mom and grandma are just as sweet and that farmhouse is a slice of Heaven.. Keep up the great work.. I loved you the first time I saw you.. I like or not like people within the first few seconds, it’s their energy.. You have a sweet sincere energy.. I wish you all the best..
Love these. Tried making them before but they didnt turn out. I will try again this year.
Hi Kaleb! How long will these caramels keep? I want to make before Christmas but not too early…Love your videos!
Coleen Barnes
You are amazing
Hi,
I love watching your videos. I’m wondering if you need to use light corn syrup for the caramels?
This is now my go-to caramel recipe! I made a couple batches for christmas and now my coworkers want them for nurse’s week! Deceptively simple and so delicious! ????
Your recipe looks super delicious! I tried to make another recipe for caramels and they were a disaster. I cannot wait to try your recipe!
Thank you!! Let me know how it works for you!!