Easiest Caramels Recipe (Microwave Version) - Cooking Classy (2024)

Published December 15, 2018. Updated February 21, 2019

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Caramel is one of my all time favorite treats and this is a foolproof recipe that turns out perfectly! They’re soft and chewy and perfectly buttery with a rich caramel flavor. These make one of the best homemade gifts and no one will know how easy it was for your to make them!

Easiest Caramels Recipe (Microwave Version) - Cooking Classy (1)

The Easiest Caramel Recipe Ever!

Oh the things you can make in the microwave! Honestlythough, I don’t know if it gets much better than this one, caramel made in the microwave. I got this recipe from my mother-in-law and it is one of my favorite recipes ever!

This is caramel made easy and they taste completely perfect. She’s used this recipe for about 30 yearsand she said everyone she gives the recipe to absolutely loves it and I can see why.

She also said it’s so easy that her kids always used to make it when they were younger (adult supervision required here though people, this bowl gets HOT!). And now my kids love to help me make it, and we’ve been using the recipe for 4 years.

I’ve added a few minor changes to the recipe, like adding some vanilla and adding Maldon sea salt, add them if you’ve got them otherwise feel free to leave them out.

Try a batch this weekend, you’ll be amazed!

Post originally shared Apr. 2014.

Easiest Caramels Recipe (Microwave Version) - Cooking Classy (2)

Ingredients for Caramel

  • Unsalted butter
  • Light corn syrup
  • Granulated sugar and brown sugar
  • Sweetened condensed milk
  • Salt
  • Vanilla

Easiest Caramels Recipe (Microwave Version) - Cooking Classy (3)

How to Make Caramels

  • Butter an 8 by 8-inch baking dish.
  • Place butter in a large microwave safe bowl (not anything plastic, something micro safe glass or ceramic), heat in microwave until melted.
  • Add corn syrup, granulated sugar, brown sugar, sweetened condensed milk and salt and whisk mixture very well. R
  • Return to microwave and cook mixture on HIGH power for 6 to 7 minutes (some have even mentioned 5.5 worked for them).
  • Using hot pads, carefully remove bowl from microwave. Mix in vanilla.
  • Pour mixture into prepared baking dish and sprinkle with flaky sea salt if desired.
  • Let set in refrigerator then cut into pieces and wrap.

Easiest Caramels Recipe (Microwave Version) - Cooking Classy (4)

Tips for This Recipe

  • Use unsalted butter, salted butter will splatter.
  • Test caramel at 6 minutes instead of going to the full 7 minutes. To do so test with a candy thermometer (should be 238 – 242d) or you can drop a small spoonful in ice water and after just a bit is should be pliable and chewy.

My first batch was too hard because I went the full 7 minutes, the time will vary based on your microwave wattage and the how large the bowl is you’re using.

Can you believe it though, caramels made in 7 minutes in the microwave!? Trust me, I’m hanging onto this recipe forever, and I’m thinking you will too!

Easiest Caramels Recipe (Microwave Version) - Cooking Classy (5)

More Easy Treats and Desserts to Try!

  • Easiest Fudge
  • Microwave Peanut Brittle
  • Christmas Crunch
  • One Santa Cookie
  • Hot Chocolate

Easiest Caramels Recipe (Microwave Version) - Cooking Classy (6)

16 Quick & Easy 30 Minute Recipes! (plus weekly recipe updates)

Easiest Caramels Recipe (Microwave Version) - Cooking Classy (7)

4.96 from 62 votes

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Microwave Caramels

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A super easy foolproof recipe for homemade caramels! They're soft and chewy and perfectly buttery with a rich caramel flavor. These make one of the best homemade gifts and no one will know how easy it was for your to make them!

Servings: 40 caramels

Prep10 minutes minutes

Cook6 minutes minutes

Chill20 minutes minutes

Ready in: 36 minutes minutes

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Butter an 8 by 8-inch baking dish. Place butter in a large microwave safe bowl (that is microwave safe to high temps such as heavy duty glass**), heat in microwave until melted.

  • To bowl with butter, add corn syrup, granulated sugar, brown sugar, sweetened condensed milk and salt and whisk mixture very well.

  • Return to microwave and cook mixture on HIGH power for 6 to 7 minutes.***

  • Using hot pads, carefully remove bowl from microwave. Add in vanilla extract and mix well.

  • Pour mixture into prepared baking dish, sprinkle top lightly with Maldon sea salt or fleur de sel if using.

  • Place in refrigerator until set, about 20 - 30 minutes. Cut into rectangular pieces (I cut into rows slightly less than 1/2-inch then cut each row into three) and wrap in cut rectangles of wax paper.

Notes

  • *Don't use salted butter or it will splatter a lot.
  • **For safety I recommend referring to the bowls manufacturer to ensure the bowl is microwave safe to high temperatures. For safety avoid setting on a cold surface after removing from the microwave and be sure that you don't begin with a cold bowl or it could shatter.
  • ***I recommend taking it out around 6 and testing either with a candy thermometer which should register between 238 - 242 degrees or placing a small spoon of the caramel in a bowl of ice water then remove it from the water and it should have formed a small pliable ball - nothing too soft or too hard.
  • ***If it needs a little more time return to microwave and heat in 20 second increments. Mine was done at 6 minutes 20 seconds but will will vary slightly based on the wattage of your microwave and the size of the bowl you use.
  • Recipe from my mother-in-law, thanks Jill!

Nutrition Facts

Microwave Caramels

Amount Per Serving

Calories 78Calories from Fat 36

% Daily Value*

Fat 4g6%

Saturated Fat 3g19%

Cholesterol 13mg4%

Sodium 14mg1%

Potassium 15mg0%

Carbohydrates 8g3%

Sugar 8g9%

Vitamin A 150IU3%

Vitamin C 0.1mg0%

Calcium 12mg1%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Nutrition values are estimates only. See full disclaimer here.

Course: Treat

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Caramel, Microwave Caramels

Author: Jaclyn

Easiest Caramels Recipe (Microwave Version) - Cooking Classy (8)

Easiest Caramels Recipe (Microwave Version) - Cooking Classy (2024)

FAQs

How do you make Ina Garten caramel? ›

Directions
  1. Mix the water and sugar in a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan. Cook over low heat for 5 to 10 minutes, until the sugar dissolves. Do not stir. ...
  2. Simmer over low heat, stirring constantly, until the caramel dissolves and the sauce is smooth, about 2 minutes. Allow to cool to room temperature, at least 4 hours.

Can caramels be melted in microwave? ›

To melt caramels using a microwave, open up a bag of soft caramels, unwrap the individual candies, and place them in a microwave-safe dish. Next, add milk to the bowl, or if you'd like a richer treat, add heavy cream instead. Then, place the bowl in the microwave and heat the caramels on HIGH for 1 minute.

Why is my homemade caramel so hard? ›

The water evaporates, leaving sugar crystals behind. If even one sugar crystal falls back into the pan of cooking caramel, it starts a chain reaction of sugar crystals and the entire pan will harden. The result? Gross, grainy caramel that is unusable in most recipes.

How to make caramel Jamie Oliver? ›

Sprinkle 100g of the sugar into a non-stick frying pan, add 3 tablespoons of water and place on a medium heat for about 8 minutes, or until you've got a chestnut brown caramel – don't be tempted to stir or taste it, just gently swirl the pan occasionally. Quickly and carefully divide the caramel between the ramekins.

Which method is quickest in caramel making? ›

Dry caramel is quicker to make than wet caramel, but it's also trickier: Without additional liquid, the sugar can caramelize very quickly, burning before you realize it. Using moderate heat, as Mel suggests, can help safeguard against burning, as can vigilance: Don't walk away from the pan once you've started.

Does boiling a can of condensed milk turn into caramel? ›

This is a simple baking hack to create 'Carmel in a Can' (Dulce De Leche). It comes together super easy, all you need to do is take the label off a can of condensed milk, fire it into boiling water for about 3 hours (make sure it's fully under the water) and boom, it's ready to go.

What is the difference between dulce de leche and caramel? ›

Caramel and dulce de leche might look and taste somewhat similar, but they are actually pretty different. While caramel is made from slowly simmering water and sugar until it caramelizes, dulce de leche is made from simmering milk and sugar super slowly until it turns into a creamy, caramelized substance.

Can I melt Werther's hard caramels? ›

Instructions. Melt Werther's Original Caramels with half and half, salt and vanilla in medium saucepan over medium heat until smooth, stirring occasionally. Serve immediately with assorted fruit, cookie, pretzels, marshmallows, nuts or cubed pound cake.

Does microwaving condensed milk make caramel? ›

How to make caramel from a tin of condensed milk in a microwave - Quora. It's easy, as long as you have a nice large bowl. Empty a can of condensed milk into a bowl and microwave it for 3 minutes. Take it out, stir it, and do it again, watching carefully.

How do you melt caramel and keep it soft? ›

How to Melt Caramels in the Microwave
  1. Unwrap the individual caramel candies. Place in a microwave safe bowl along with 1 tablespoon of water.
  2. Microwave on high for about 1 minute. Stir until smooth, then heat longer if needed.
Sep 11, 2023

What makes caramel soft vs hard? ›

Heat until the syrup reaches 240 to 245 degrees Fahrenheit. The lower the temperature, the softer the resulting caramels will be.

What are the two methods for making caramel? ›

Wet caramel is made by combining sugar and a liquid and cooking them together, while dry caramel is made from just sugar, heated in a dry pan until it liquefies and browns.

Does sweetened condensed milk turn into caramel when cooked? ›

Most of the time, people cook caramel by heating up regular or brown sugar until it turns into a smooth and creamy substance. However, you can also make caramel out of sweetened condensed milk, creating the same great sauce with a unique, extra-sweet kick.

How is caramel traditionally made? ›

Traditionally, caramel is made by heating sugar at a particular temperature until it melts and gradually turns brown. Usually, this process begins around 320°F, when the sugar melts and becomes a clear molten liquid. After that, if the temperature increases, the caramel will begin turning into a darker shade of brown.

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