There's just something about the combination of salty and sweet that is so addictive, and this vegan salted caramel sauce perfectly captures that yummy combo.
Homemade caramel sauce just takes four ingredients to make. Even with no dairy, this silky caramel is rich with the perfect creamy texture. It has sea salt added in for that flavor juxtaposition that goes so well with cake, ice cream, and even coffee.
I know some people might find homemade caramel intimidating, but I think making wet caramel is the easy way. Traditional caramel sauce is made by melting sugar then adding cream and butter. But wet caramel (where you start with liquid and sugar) is a lot more foolproof for beginners than a dry caramel (which starts by melting sugar alone). I've included step by step photos below so you can get the best results.
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Ingredient Notes
This dairy free caramel sauce uses just 4 simple ingredients.
- Sugar - Sugar is the main component of caramel. The process of cooking the sugar is what creates the caramel flavor and color. If you prefer, you can use coconut sugar in place of white sugar.
- Non-Dairy Heavy Cream - I've use the silk brand of dairy free cream, which works just as dairy cream would. I have also tested this recipe with coconut cream (the kind in the can) and it works well too.
- Vanilla - Just to give a little more depth to the flavors.
- Sea Salt - I used sea salt to flavor my salted caramel. If you don't have flaky sea salt on hand, table salt will work just as well.
See recipe card for full ingredient list and quantities.
Substitutions & Variations
- Not Dairy Free - use dairy heavy cream in the same measure.
- No sugar - You can use brown sugar or coconut sugar in the same measure, but it will technically be butterscotch instead of caramel.
- No vegan cream - If your store doesn't carry any vegan cream options, you can use coconut cream from a can. Make sure to shake it well before opening.
How to Make Vegan Salted Caramel Sauce
This easy stove top recipe only requires a few minutes of cook time.
STEP 1: Before beginning the cooking process, add the vanilla to the cream.
STEP 2: Combine sugar and ½ cup of water in a saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stir with a silicone spatula until the sugar is dissolved.
STEP 3: Once the sugar has dissolved, you want to cook without stirring. If you notice sugar crystals around the side of the pan, wash them off with a wet pastry brush.
STEP 4: Allow the sugar mixture to cook until it is bubbling rapidly. The simmering will lower the water content. You want to cook until the sugar mixture turns lightly amber colored, it should take 5-10 minutes.
STEP 5: Remove the cooked sugar mixture from the heat and slowly add the cream and vanilla mixture. It may bubble up, so pour a little at a time stirring it in with a spatula.
STEP 6: Add the sea salt flakes to the caramel sauce and stir until they dissolve. Once the caramel has cooled transfer it to a glass container for storage.
How to Use Salted Caramel Sauce
Vegan salted caramel sauce is a delicious topping that is the perfect accompaniment to a variety of dishes:
- Drizzle Over Desserts:
- Ice Cream: Pour warm salted caramel sauce over vanilla ice cream. Or even add it into homemade ice cream to make salted caramel ice cream.
- Apple Pie: Add a decadent twist to your apple pie by drizzling the salted caramel over the filling, like I have in my salted caramel apple pie.
- Cheesecake: Serve a slice of cheesecake with a generous drizzle of caramel sauce.
- Brownies: Add caramel sauce to make caramel brownies from one of my favorite brownie recipes.
- Pancakes and Waffles: Use it as a topping for pancakes or waffles along with fresh fruit like sliced apples or pears.
- Fruit Dipping: Dip apple slices, pears, or bananas into the sauce for a sweet and tangy treat.
- Cake Filling: Spread the caramel sauce between the layers of a cake as a filling.
- Yogurt and Oatmeal: Stir it into Greek yogurt or drizzle it over your morning oatmeal for a cozy breakfast.
- Coffee: Add a spoonful of caramel sauce to your coffee for a salted caramel latte.
- Vegan Caramel Dip: Serve it as a dipping sauce for churros or soft pretzels.
- Gifts and Favors: Package it in small jars and give it as gifts during the holidays or special occasions.
Storage
Store caramel sauce in an airtight container, I prefer a mason jar, in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks. If it becomes very thick when cooled, you can simply heat it for 15-30 seconds in the microwave to get it to a pourable consistency.
More dessert recipes to consider:
If you try this recipe, please leave a 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 star rating and let me know how you liked it in the comments below.
Recipe
Vegan Salted Caramel Sauce
Ingredients
- ½ Cup Plant Based Cream
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla
- 1 Cup Sugar
- ½ Cup Water
- 1 teaspoon Sea Salt
Instructions
- Combine the cream and vanilla extract and set aside.½ Cup Plant Based Cream, 1 teaspoon Vanilla
- Combine the sugar and water in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir together until the sugar is dissolved.1 Cup Sugar, ½ Cup Water
- Continue to cook without stirring until the mixture turns a light amber color. You can occasionally swirl the pan to stir the mixture. Use a wet pastry brush to brush any sugar crystals off the sides of the pan.
- Remove the pan from heat and pour in the cream. Be careful as the mixture will bubble up a lot. Stir it together until it settles.
- Add the sea salt and stir well.1 teaspoon Sea Salt
- Cool to room temperature, then transfer to a sealed container and store in the refrigerator until it’s thickened.
Notes
Tiffany is the recipe developer, stylist and food photographer behind Well Fed Baker. As a lifelong baker who had to go gluten free and dairy free in 2016, Tiffany strives to share allergen friendly recipes that never feel like they are free from anything.
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