Homemade caramel is great all year round. I use it for dipping apples, over pecans and coated in chocolate, dipping pretzels, or molding in candy-coated molds. The possibilities are endless! It’s also especially yummy on its own!
My favorite is the Golden Caramel recipe from Wilton’s “Gifts from the Kitchen” book. Caramel For Dipping is another recipe option.
You’ll need the following ingredients to make the Golden Caramel:
- 2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, cut in small pieces
1 cup light corn syrup
1 can (14 oz.) sweetened condensed milk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Once the sugar, butter, and corn syrup melts and begins to bubble, stir in the condensed milk and continue cooking with a candy thermometer until it reaches 245 degrees.
It takes awhile for it to cook, about 25-30 minutes, but is definitely worth the time.
Look at the nice golden color this turns into after cooking for a little while. I’m stirring it and thinking of all the yummy recipes I can make.
After letting it cook until the thermometer reaches the desired time, it turns a nice golden color. Add the pure vanilla extract. Pour it into a pan lined with buttered parchment paper and let it cool.
I like to use the Golden Caramel to make one of my favorites, Caramel Covered Pecans! It’s quick and easy:
Arrange three pecans on a parchment paper covered pan. Cut off a small piece of the Golden Caramel and cover the pecans.
Using the microwave on the defrost setting, melt Light Cocoa Candy Melts® in a bowl for short intervals of time until it almost melts. Stir until smooth. Microwave longer, if needed. Top the Caramel Pecans with the Light Cocoa Candy Melts®. Using the back of a small spoon, spread the melts over the caramel.
Put some Orange Candy Melts® in a disposable decorating bag. Microwave on the defrost setting until almost melted. Knead bag. Microwave longer, if needed. Snip the bottom off of the bag and make random stripes over the Caramel Pecan Chocolates. Refrigerate until set. Enjoy!
Paula's love of creating things and using Wilton products started in high school when she began making candy. She even made a speech on cake decorating! Paula enjoys candy making, baking, cooking, crafting, and sharing her interests with her two daughters and her grill-master husband.
Paula's favorite part of candy making and baking is sharing her treats with friends, family and co-workers and believes chocolate makes everything better! Paula is a Wilton Customer Service Representative. 
Yummy!!! This is an excellent recipe! I will make this this weekend!
Hi Chandra!
Thanks! It is a great recipe! I hope we can try some on Monday, if you have any left!!!
Oh that looks delicious! I’ve never made caramel at home but I really would like to.
Hi Cat!
Thanks! They were easy and yummy! I would give it a try; you’ll wonder why you didn’t make them sooner.
Looks good Paula! After you make it does it need to be refrigerated?
Hi Jenn!
Thanks! No, they do not need to be refrigerated. You can wrap the caramels in parchment paper and store them at room temperature.
does this set up enuff to be able to cut squares and wrap???
Hi Jann!
They do set up enough to be able to cut and wrap them. Just be sure to use the regular sweetened condensed milk. I made a batch last night using the fat free sweetened condensed milk and I was able to cut them into squares, but then they sort of spread out and stuck together. They are still yummy; they just don’t look like neat little squares.
Hmmm. You made that look easy! I may have to try that!
Hi Jennifer!
Thank you! It is very easy; just keep stirring! Warning: you will probably be addicted after making homemade caramel!
Excellent, and with April fools day coming up, you can caramel coat a few raw onions too!!!!
Excellent recipe Paula!
HI Cake Commando!
Thank you! I never thought about doing that with an onion! Thanks for sharing your idea!
how do I print this out
Hi Cherri!
Highlight the text, right click, and click on print. Or click on “file” at the top (it’s under the back arrow) and click print.
Thank you for this great info! I am very new to candy making & had 2 questions- #1 I am trying to make chocolate candy bars w/ creamy goey caramel filling (I use the wilton bark mold for the bars) but I don’t know how to get the caramel inside-can anyone please help- I would like to make some for Easter? #2 For the above recipe can the candy thermometer be placed in the mixture while it’s heating or just insert-get temp & then remove? Thanks in advance for all your tips!
Hi Aisha!
Thank you for replying. I’m glad you found this blog helpful!
Here is a link to Creme Candy Centers: http://www.wilton.com/technique/Creme-Centers you can follow those directions, but instead of using a truffle or peanut butter center, you can pull some caramel and put that in the center. Or if you use a recipe that is more gooey you can pour it in.
You may want to use a deeper mold for a filled center. Any of the truffle and peanut butter cup molds would work well for that. Please see here: http://www.wilton.com/store/site/department.cfm?id=59D1D265-475A-BAC0-5623C5530021ACB8&fid=59D1D275-475A-BAC0-5149305508ED4C0F and these Cookie Candy Molds here: http://www.wilton.com/store/site/department.cfm?id=B8B78AC5-1E0B-C910-EAA990913DB828D2&fid=B8B78AE4-1E0B-C910-EA81171736A69F0C would also work well by putting caramel where the cookie would be.
To use the candy thermometer, attach it to the pan before you start heating your recipe. You want to make sure the bottom of the thermometer does not touch the bottom of the pan, otherwise you will not be getting an accurate reading. It needs to be up a little bit from the bottom of the pan. It stays on the pan while you make your candy.
Please let me know if you have any more questions! Happy Candy Making!
how much caramel does this recipe make?
Hi Mary!
The caramel recipe made a square pan (8″ or 9″) size and it was about 1″ high.