Our microwave caramels with sea salt are ridiculously easy to make, and are so nice to have on hand during the holidays! Butter, brown sugar, sweetened condensed milk and corn syrup! Sprinkled with sea salt.
You might also like our homemade tootsie rolls and homemade butter mints!
Watch our step by step video!
There are certain holiday recipes that I make for myself every year (English toffee) and others that I make for my husband. These ridiculous EASY microwave caramels with sea salt are for him. He loves them!
EASIEST Microwave Caramels
If you like the soft caramel candies (Werther's) that we use in our Reindeer Caramels you'll love these ones. They're even better. The sprinkling of sea salt totally elevates them. I love this recipe so much that I altered it to use for homemade caramel apples in the fall!
Ingredients for Microwave Caramels
- Butter: I always use salted butter for my baking. You can use unsalted and add a little more salt to the recipe if you'd like.
- Brown sugar: some recipes call for white sugar or a mixture of both, but I always make my microwave caramels with BROWN SUGAR. I think it gives them the best flavor.
- Sweetened Condensed Milk: just ½ a cup. Save the rest to make our butter mints recipe.
- Corn Syrup
- Pinch of Salt: I like kosher.
- Sea salt: sprinkle the salt across the top of the caramels before putting them in the refrigerator.
Do you need a candy thermometer to make microwave caramels with sea salt?
Nope! I cook mine for 6 minutes, then an additional 30 seconds which generally comes out to be 245 degrees. Microwaves cook differently so if you want to double-check with a thermometer, go for it. Otherwise, cook your caramels for 6 and a half minutes and you'll be set.
What do you wrap the caramels in?
We've used waxed paper and parchment paper. Both work well. I always have parchment paper on hand for baking so I usually just go with that.
Because the caramels are soft, they will stick to each other. You won't have a lot of success stacking the candies in a container so you'll want to wrap them if you aren't going to eat them right away.
What is the consistency of microwave caramel?
I've tried some that friends have made where the caramels were super soft and stuck to your teeth, almost like a thick caramel sauce. Others are thicker and hard to chew. These ones are more like soft and chewy Werther's (not the hard candy, but the soft caramels). Perfect.
Can you dip microwave caramels in chocolate?
Absolutely. Melt chocolate in a double boiler or microwave and dip each caramel into the melted chocolate. Let excess drip off and allow candy to set up on parchment paper.
This recipe yields 36 delicious pieces of caramel candy. According to stilltasty.com, caramels last quite a while when stored at room temperature and should be stored in the refrigerator in hot and humid climates.
Easiest Microwave Caramels with Sea Salt Recipe
Easiest Microwave Caramels
Equipment
- parchment paper
- 8x8 baking dish
- glass microwave-safe bowl
Ingredients
- ½ cup butter
- 1 cup light brown sugar
- ½ cup light corn syrup
- ½ cup sweetened condensed milk
- pinch of salt
- sea salt for sprinkling
Instructions
- Line an 8x8" baking dish with parchment paper.
- In a glass microwave-safe bowl, melt 1 stick of butter (heat for 60 seconds).
- Stir in brown sugar, corn syrup, sweetened condensed milk and a pinch of salt.
- Microwave for 6 minutes. Stir. Microwave an additional 30 seconds. Stir.
- You do not need a candy thermometer, your caramel should be ready, but if you happen to have one 242-245 degrees is ideal for caramel squares.
- Pour caramel into prepared baking dish. Sprinkle with sea salt.Let set up in refrigerator for 30 minutes. Note: You can leave it in the refrigerator longer, but if the caramels get too cold they will be hard to get out of the pan. That's ok though, just let them sit on the counter until they come to room temperature and they'll be perfect again.
- Remove caramels from dish by pulling up on the parchment paper.Slice into squares.
- Wrap squares in parchment paper or waxed paper.
- This recipe makes 36-40 (1") pieces of caramel.
amy says
hi!
can you use silicone molds? if so, do you have to spray the molds?
this looks simple and delicious!
Brandy says
Hi Amy! I haven’t ever tried using molds. The caramels are greasy so they might be fine without spraying, I’m just not sure! Maybe a good idea to spray with non stock just in case.
Lisa Jahnke says
My caramels turned out rock hard. What possible could I have done wrong ? Easy recipe just trying to figure out why it’s hard and not easy to cut.
Brandy says
Hi Lisa! Did they end up softening after coming back to room temperature? They can be hard coming straight from the refrigerator, but should soften again.