Homemade Butterscotch Sauce

4 ingredients and 10 minutes!

Butterscotch is right in my wheelhouse. I’ve spent years cooking with this whole family of flavors ~ brown sugar, butter, caramel, maple, toasted nuts, vanilla, and salt. You’ll see it all through my recipes, from butter pecan to maple walnut desserts, caramel cakes, blondies, and old-fashioned sauces. But butterscotch sauce might be the purest expression of them all: it’s glossy, buttery, brown sugar-rich, and made for pouring over anything that needs a little drool-worthy drama (like a bowl of vanilla ice cream.)

➡ The warm rich flavor of butterscotch is pure nostalgia.

➡ It’s not at all fancy, but when you serve it the room goes quiet.

➡ The combination of textures, temperatures, and flavors is incredible.

Summer food memories are powerful, especially the ones from our childhood. I got my taste for hot butterscotch sundaes from my mom and it’s been the height of summer indulgence ever since. For me it’s one of those simple pleasures that define the season.

Butterscotch vs caramel, what’s the dif?

Butterscotch = brown sugar + butter cooked together, then finished with cream. Deeper, warmer, more molasses-y and buttery. It’s my preference of the two.

Caramel = white sugar cooked until browned, then finished with cream/butter. Clean, slightly toasted-sugar flavor.

Let’s make butterscotch sauce (4 ingredients + 10 minutes)

Butter + light brown sugar + cream + vanilla

1. Melt butter in a saucepan and add light brown sugar.
2. Cook until it liquifies and comes to a bubble.
3. Add the cream and cook a few minutes longer.
4. Remove from the heat and add vanilla (those specks are from my vanilla bean paste.)

Can I use dark brown sugar?

Yes. Dark brown sugar will make the sauce darker, with a stronger molasses flavor. I prefer light brown sugar for a classic golden butterscotch sauce.

Can you freeze butterscotch sauce?

Yes. Freeze it in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then reheat gently and whisk until smooth.

Can I substitute milk for the heavy cream?

I don’t recommend it. Milk has much less fat and will make the sauce thinner and more likely to separate. Half-and-half can work in a pinch, but the sauce won’t be quite as rich or thick.

How long does homemade butterscotch sauce last?

Stored in a covered container in the refrigerator, butterscotch sauce will keep for up to one week.

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Butterscotch Sauce

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This easy homemade butterscotch sauce is rich, buttery, and silky smooth, with deep brown sugar flavor and a touch of vanilla. Spoon it over cheesecake, apple crisp, brownies, or your favorite ice cream.

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Cook Time:10 minutes minutes

Total Time:10 minutes minutes

Servings: 16

Equipment

• saucepan

Ingredients

 

US CustomaryMetric

• 1/2 cup salted butter
• 1 1/2 cups light brown sugar
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 tsp vanilla bean paste, or good quality vanilla extract

Instructions

• Melt the 1/2 cup salted butter in a medium saucepan. Add the 1 1/2 cups light brown sugar and stir until the sugar is wet and bubbling. Cook for 2–3 minutes, stirring often, to deepen the flavor.
• Slowly add the 1 cup heavy cream ~ it will bubble up ~ and whisk until smooth. Simmer for 4–5 minutes, stirring often, until glossy and slightly thickened. Be aware that it will foam up as it cooks. Keep an eye on it.
• Remove from the heat and stir in the 1 tsp vanilla bean paste. The sauce will thicken more as it cools.
• When cool, the sauce can be covered and chilled until needed. Butterscotch sauce can be kept in the refrigerator for a week.
• When ready to enjoy, just microwave your butterscotch sauce for about 10 seconds to loosen and warm it.

Notes

If using unsalted butter, add a bit of salt along with the vanilla, about 1/4 teaspoon, or more to taste.

NOTES ~ Click here to add your own private notes.

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Author: Sue Moran

Keyword: candy, dessert, ice cream, sauce, summer

Nutrition

Calories: 181 kcal · Carbohydrates: 21 g · Protein: 1 g · Fat: 11 g · Saturated Fat: 7 g · Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.4 g · Monounsaturated Fat: 3 g · Trans Fat: 0.2 g · Cholesterol: 32 mg · Sodium: 55 mg · Potassium: 43 mg · Sugar: 21 g · Vitamin A: 396 IU · Vitamin C: 0.1 mg · Calcium: 29 mg · Iron: 0.2 mg

Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. This information comes from online calculators. Although The View from Great Island attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures are only estimates.

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