OMG I turned honey into caramel sauce and the flavor is unreal!! If you’ve got 3 ingredients and 15 minutes you can make it too!
Honestly it’s been a while since I’ve tasted anything this jaw dropping. Honey is one of nature’s most complex flavor bombs ~ even a small jar of honey represents nectar collected from well over a million flowers! And when you make honey caramel sauce you’re adding another layer of flavor through caramelization. My mind is blown.
Honey varies wildly in flavor. No two honeys taste exactly the same, so no two honey caramel sauces will taste exactly the same, and that’s another layer of the magic!
related recipe: Salted Maple Caramel Sauce
3 honey caramel ingredients
- honey (more about choosing your honey below)
- cream
- salted butter
honey caramel steps
This is similar but not quite the same as the method used for traditional caramel sauce. Honey is made mostly of fructose and glucose, which both caramelize at lower temperatures than sucrose (table sugar.)
- Bring honey to a boil and boil for about 3 minutes. As you boil the honey water evaporates and the sugars begin to darken, thicken, and develop deeper, more complex flavors aka it caramelizes.
- Whisk in butter, and then the cream, off the heat.
- Briefly return to the heat and cook to 220F on an instant read thermometer.
- Let cool undisturbed at room temperature.
- Refrigerate.
choosing honey for honey caramel sauce
Clover Honey: Classic and neutral; perfect if you want a traditional caramel flavor with subtle floral undertones. It’s the most common variety in supermarkets.
Wildflower Honey: A blend of nectars from local blooms. Had a complex, layered flavor.
Orange Blossom Honey: Brings light citrusy brightness to caramel; lovely over fruit, pancakes, or ice cream. This is what I used for this honey caramel sauce.
Acacia Honey: Very mild and clean; ideal for a light, silky caramel that lets the butter and cream shine.
Buckwheat Honey: Bold, dark, and malty ~ makes a deeply flavored, almost smoky caramel.
honey caramel flavor?
I’m not trying to be cute here, but it really does taste like a honey caramel. Those two flavor associations are pinging back and forth in my mouth every time I dip a spoon in to taste. The flavor is…I want to use the word transcendent but it sounds a bit pompous. This is hyper-flavored caramel sauce, for sure.
and the texture?
Honey caramel is naturally silky-smooth because there’s no granulated sugar to crystallize or turn gritty ~ just pure, fluid sweetness from start to finish.
some separation is normal: here’s what to do
Yes, it’s common — and not a failure. Just a natural part of making caramel the old-fashioned way.
PROBLEM: Fat + sugar + water don’t always stay perfectly emulsified, especially without stabilizers (which commercial sauces often use).
SOLUTION: If you notice any separation in your honey caramel, just stir gently or whisk gently to re-emulsify before serving.
how long will it last
Homemade caramel sauce is made with dairy cream and butter so it will need to be refrigerated and enjoyed within the week. Won’t be a problem 😉
what to do with your honey caramel sauce?
Decisions, decisions…
My very first thought was ice cream, and I really think only vanilla will do. Anything else would compete with this amazingly delicate flavor, which you definitely want front and center.
Then there’s cake, pound cake is a no-brainer
- Perfect Pound Cake
- Perfect Buttermilk Pound Cake
- Cheesecake
- Almond Flour Banana Cake
- Jewish Cardamom Apple Cake
It makes a decadent drizzle topping for:
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Honey Caramel Sauce
Equipment
- small saucepan
Ingredients
- 1 cup honey, I used orange blossom honey
- 4 Tbsp salted butter, room temperature, cut in pieces
- 1/2 cup cream, best if not cold*
- splash of vanilla, optional
Instructions
- Put the 1 cup honey in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Boil gently for 2-3 minutes. Water will evaporate and the honey will darken slightly and begin to caramelize.
- Remove from the heat and whisk in the 4 Tbsp salted butter. Be careful, the mixture is hot and can sputter. When the butter has melted, add the 1/2 cup cream and stir to combine.
- Put the pan back on the heat and let cook for a bit more until it reaches 220F on an instant read thermometor. Add the splash of vanilla at this point, if using.
- Pour into a jar or jars and let cool, undisturbed, at room temperature.
- When the honey caramel has cooled, cap and refrigerate it until chilled. It will thicken further as it chills.
- Use your honey caramel within a week.
Notes
Nutrition
more incredible sweet sauces
- Rhubarb Sauce Recipe
- Homemade Strawberry Sauce Recipe
- Hot Fudge Sauce
- Rhubarb Applesauce
- Fresh Cherry Sauce
This turned out fantastic. Couldn’t stop taking spoonfuls waiting for it to cool.
add some brandy or bourbon and it will sing!
🙂
Hi Sue, do you think this would freeze well? What about using evaporated milk instead of cream? Thanks – looks delish!
Sue, this looks incredible. Can I use raw honey to make it?
Yes, raw honey can have amazing flavor. Keep in mind that heat destroys the raw qualities (like enzymes and probiotics), so you’ll lose the “raw” benefits once it’s boiled. But the results will taste incredible.