This homemade butterscotch sauce recipe offers an incredible caramel flavor and a smooth texture, making it incredibly easy to whip up in no time. Use it as a topping for a variety of desserts, drizzle it over your French toast, or indulge by enjoying it with your morning granola.
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Butterscotch sauce vs salted caramel sauce
The main difference is the sugar and cooking temperature. The butterscotch sauce uses brown sugar, heated to 115°C (240°F), resulting in a toffee-like taste and a runny texture.
On the other hand, salted caramel is made with white sugar. The sugar gets heated to 170°C (340°F), then mixed with heavy cream and butter. Once it cools, salted caramel becomes thick with a strong caramel flavor.
Why you should try this recipe
- It takes 10 minutes to make. With minimal effort, you'll have a delicious and easy butterscotch sauce ready to elevate your treats to a whole new level.
- A versatile sweet condiment. From making Butterscotch cookies to drizzling this sauce over ice cream, dipping pretzels in it, or even spreading it on toast, the possibilities are limited only by your imagination.
What ingredients you will need
- Light brown sugar – You can use dark brown sugar if you want a deeper flavor.
- Unsalted butter
- Heavy whipping cream
- Vanilla extract
- Flaky sea salt – Although it’s an optional ingredient, I like to mix some flaky sea salt into my butterscotch sauce.
What tools you will need
The most important tool you will need to make this easy butterscotch recipe is a saucepan with a heavy bottom. This type of saucepan helps distribute heat evenly, preventing the sauce from scorching and ensuring a smooth and consistent texture.
Cooking tips
- Measure all ingredients using a digital kitchen scale. Using a digital kitchen scale to measure your ingredients ensures accuracy and helps you achieve the perfect balance of flavors and textures.
- Control the heat. Begin with medium-high heat to melt the butter and sugar, then reduce it to medium to prevent burning while simmering your sauce.
- No candy thermometer? No problem! You don't need one for this butterscotch sauce. Instead, rely on visual cues and the sauce's texture. It should become smooth, glossy, and coat the back of a spoon in a thick and even layer.
Step by step directions
- In a saucepan, combine the brown sugar, butter, and heavy cream.
- Cook over medium-high heat until it starts boiling.
- Reduce the heat to maintain an active simmer, and let it cook for about 5 minutes. The mixture should become darker, and the bubbles on the surface should be larger and not burst as quickly as they did initially.
- Remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract and salt.
- Allow the mixture to cool down to room temperature before serving.
Serving options
- Ice cream – Drizzle this homemade butterscotch sauce over a scoop of Vanilla bean ice cream, Condensed milk ice cream, or Peanut butter ice cream creating a delightful blend of warm and cold, creamy and silky textures.
- Brownies – Take these Fudgy brownies to the next level by generously pouring or swirling this decadent butterscotch sauce over the top.
- Cheesecake – Drizzle this sauce over a slice of San Sebastian cheesecake or Biscoff cheesecake. The sweet butterscotch complements the tangy creaminess of the cheesecake.
- Pie – Whether it's Homemade apple pie, pecan pie, or Pumpkin pie - a drizzle of butterscotch sauce adds an extra layer of deliciousness.
FAQ
You can freeze it in an air-tight container for up to 2 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight before using.
Store it in a clean air-tight jar in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
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Recipe card
Butterscotch sauce
Equipment
- Digital kitchen scale
- Saucepan
- Rubber spatula
Ingredients
- 200 g brown sugar
- 60 g unsalted butter
- 300 ml heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Flaky sea salt
Instructions
- In a saucepan, combine the brown sugar, butter, and heavy cream.
- Cook over medium-high heat until it starts boiling.
- Reduce the heat to maintain an active simmer, and let it cook for about 5 minutes. The mixture should become darker, and the bubbles on the surface should be larger and not burst as quickly as they did initially. The ideal temperature for fully cooked butterscotch sauce is 115°C (240°F).
- Remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract and salt.
- Allow the mixture to cool down to room temperature before serving.
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