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December 22, 2020 By Brandy 2 Comments

Home » Recipes » Dessert Recipes

Easiest Microwave Caramels With Sea Salt (Video)

Filed Under: Dessert Recipes

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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.

sliced caramel squares on parchment paper

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 1/2 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.

hand holding caramel candy wrapped in parchment paper

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. 242-245 is what you are looking for. Microwaves cook differently so if you want to double check with a thermometer, go for it. Otherwise cook your caramels anywhere from 6 minutes to 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.

knife slicing caramel into squares

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 one 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 in the microwave and dip each caramel into the melted chocolate. Let excess drip off and allow candy to set up on parchment paper.

caramel candies on parchment paper

This recipe yields 36 delicious pieces of caramel candy. According to stilltasty.com, caramels last quite awhile when stored at room temperature and should be stored in the refrigerator in hot and humid climates.

Easiest Microwave Caramels with Sea Salt Recipe

caramel candies on parchment paper

Easiest Microwave Caramels

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.
5 from 1 vote
Print Pin Rate
Prep Time: 10 minutes
chill: 30 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Servings: 36 pieces
Calories: 65kcal

Equipment

  • parchment paper
  • 8x8 baking dish
  • glass microwave-safe bowl

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup butter
  • 1 cup light brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup light corn syrup
  • 1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk
  • pinch of salt
  • sea salt for sprinkling

Instructions

  • Line an 8x8" baking dish with parchment paper.
    pan lined with parchment paper
  • In a glass microwave-safe bowl, melt 1 stick of butter (heat for 60 seconds).
    stick of butter in large glass bowl
  • Stir in brown sugar, corn syrup, sweetened condensed milk and a pinch of salt.
    microwave safe bowl with butter, corn syrup, condensed milk and melted butter
  • Microwave for 6 minutes. Stir.
    Microwave an additional 30 seconds. Stir.
    glass bowl with bubbling caramel mixture inside
  • You do not need a candy thermometer, your caramel should be ready, but if you happen to have one 242-245 degrees is the ideal temperature for caramel squares.
    candy thermometer dipped into hot caramel mixture
  • 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.
    hot caramel mixture being poured into baking dish
  • Remove caramels from dish by pulling up on the parchment paper.
    Slice into squares.
    hand cutting caramels into squares
  • Wrap squares in parchment paper or waxed paper.
    hands wrapping piece of microwave caramel in parchment paper
  • This recipe makes 36-40 (1") pieces of caramel.
    microwave caramels cut into small squares

Nutrition

Calories: 65kcal
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About Brandy

Welcome! I'm Brandy, mother to 5 darling kiddos and a cute black lab named Toby. My husband is in the Coast Guard so we've lived all over the place, turning each house into a home. I love baking, sewing, making cute things with my kids, and sharing what I've learned with all of you!

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Comments

  1. Lisa Jahnke says

    December 24, 2020 at 5:38 pm

    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.

    Reply
    • Brandy says

      December 25, 2020 at 11:44 am

      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.

      Reply

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About the Author

Welcome! I'm Brandy, mother to 5 darling kiddos and a cute black lab named Toby. My husband is in the Coast Guard so we've lived all over the place, turning each house into a home. I love baking, sewing, making cute things with my kids, and sharing what I've learned with all of you! Learn More About The Author

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