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

Can you turn condensed milk into caramel in the microwave? ›

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.

Can I melt Kraft caramels in the 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? ›

This is usually caused by sugar crystals stuck to the side of the pan that didn't get fully dissolved. It only takes one to set off a chain reaction, and before you know it you have crunchy caramel.

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.

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 do you keep melted caramel from hardening? ›

Just keep the flame low to keep it from going too far. If the temperature gets too hot and the caramel becomes too hard as it cools, you can put it back in the pan with a couple of tablespoons of cold water to try and save it.

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.

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.

What thickens homemade caramel? ›

To thicken a caramel sauce, use one tablespoon of cornstarch or tapioca starch (sometimes known as tapioca flour) and one tablespoon of water per cup of caramel. Then simmer the caramel, stirring it constantly with a wooden spoon until it becomes thick.

Why do you put vinegar in caramel? ›

Add acid. Acid ingredients (like vinegar or lemon juice) can help prevent re-crystallization which causes caramel to become grainy. Acid physically breaks the bonds between the glucose and fructose molecules that form sucrose and ensure that it stays apart.

What are the two methods for making caramel? ›

There are two basic methods of making caramel – wet and dry; the basic difference between the two methods being water. Essentially both methods are heating sugar, then adding fat (butter and cream, typically); but the wet uses water to dissolve the sugar faster.

What makes caramel softer? ›

This recipe makes a soft caramel as opposed to a hard caramel like the one that I use in my salted caramel cookies which is made from using melted sugar. The softness comes from the ratios of ingredients - condensed milk and butter help to soften the mix to give perfectly chewy, delicious caramels.

What happens when you microwave sweetened condensed milk? ›

After the first two stirs, you'll notice that the milk bubbles and foams up as it expels moisture. Then, with each stirring, the milk will be thicker and more caramel colored. If after the 10 minutes, you like the color and consistency, stop!

Can you heat condensed milk in microwave? ›

MICROWAVE METHOD: Pour one (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk into a 2-quart glass measure. Cook on MEDIUM (50% power) 4 minutes, stirring briskly every two minutes until smooth.

How to make caramel from condensed milk without boiling? ›

Place your baking dish into a larger pan – I use a disposable foil pan. Pour enough water into the larger pan to come up 1 inch. 3. Place both pans into a preheated 400 degree oven and bake for 90 minutes to 2 hours, or until the caramel sauce is as dark as you'd like.

What happens when you warm condensed milk? ›

Dulce de Leche is a heavenly substance. At first glance, it looks a little like caramel, but it's actually sweetened milk that's been heated long enough to cause a caramelizing to occur. That's the long-winded explanation, so here's the short one: It's creamy, dreamy substance used as an ingredient in so many desserts.

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