Evaporated Milk Caramel

This easy evaporated milk caramel sauce requires only 6 ingredients and is ready in 15 minutes. It’s a delicious topping for just about any dessert. From ice cream sundaes to cheesecake and brownies, you’ll want to spoon the caramel sauce over everything!

For more dessert sauces, try our hot fudge sauce, blackberry syrup, and lemon curd sauce.

Easy caramel sauce with evaporated milk

This evaporated milk caramel sauce has an addicting, rich flavor and a smooth, thick texture.

It’s good enough to eat right out of the jar, but it’s even better drizzled over melty ice cream or a gooey brownie.

If you find homemade caramel sauce intimidating, my simple recipe will change your mind.

I’ve been making and perfecting this recipe for many years. In this post, you’ll learn my foolproof method to cook the perfect caramel sauce every time!

And if you love caramel as much as I do, try my evaporated milk fudge too!

Ingredients

Let’s chat about the ingredients needed to make the best caramel sauce with evaporated milk!

• 1 cup light brown sugar – I prefer brown sugar over granulated sugar because it cuts down the cooking time and creates a rich flavor. Be sure to pack the sugar into your measuring cup for accurate results.
• 1/4 cup water – helps the sugar melt better.
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter – Since we’re adding extra salt, unsalted butter is best.
• 2/3 cup evaporated milk – incorporates perfectly into the caramel and gives the sauce a velvety smooth, silky consistency. Have the milk at room temperature.
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract – I recommend pure vanilla extract for the best taste.
• 1/4 to 1 teaspoon salt – Regular table salt or sea salt will work fine. Use as little or as much as you like to achieve your desired level of sweetness.

How to make caramel with evaporated milk

To make caramel sauce, the sugar needs to cook at a specific temperature until it caramelizes. Here’s a breakdown of the recipe step-by-step:

1.  Dissolve the sugar

Add the sugar, water, and butter to a large, heavy-bottom saucepan. Heat over medium flame, stirring constantly, until the butter has melted and the sugar has dissolved.

2.  Cook

Once everything is liquid, increase the heat and bring the mixture to a rolling boil. Do not stir the mixture at this point. Then reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 5 to 10 minutes, until the mixture turns a deep amber color.

3. Incorporate evaporated milk

Take the saucepan off the heat and slowly pour in the evaporated milk, whisking constantly as you go. Feel free to stir in additional evaporated milk for a thinner consistency.

4. Add flavorings

Whisk in the vanilla extract and season the caramel sauce with salt according to your taste.

5. Cool

Transfer the sauce to a jar or storage container and let cool to room temperature. The sauce will thicken as it cools. I recommend cooling the sauce before sealing and keeping it in the refrigerator.

Tips for success

If you’re striving for the perfect evaporated milk caramel sauce, read through my tips and tricks.

• Use a large, heavy-bottom saucepan: A sturdy, heavy-bottom saucepan works best because it distributes the heat evenly and caramelizes the sugar evenly. Also, the evaporated milk bubbles up quite a bit when you pour it in, so opt for a saucepan with high sides that can hold at least 2 quarts.
• Prepare ingredients: Have all the evaporated milk and vanilla measured and ready so you can add them once the caramel comes off the heat.
• Use medium heat: Cook the caramel over medium heat to avoid burning the sugar.
• Stay safe: The caramel will bubble and steam when you add the evaporated milk. Please wear oven mitts to protect against splatters and keep exposed skin out of the way.
• Adjust the consistency: My recipe produces a lovely, thick, yet pourable sauce. You can change the consistency by adding more or less evaporated milk. For a thinner, syrup-like consistency, stir in additional evaporated milk. For a thicker texture, use only 1/2 cup evaporated milk or continue cooking the caramel over low flame after adding the milk.

Serving suggestions

Caramel sauce with evaporated milk makes everything more delicious, and the serving options are endless! I’ve put together a few of my favorite pairings as inspiration.

• Ice cream: Drizzling caramel sauce over ice cream is one of the best desserts I have ever tried.
• Brownies: Almost as good as caramel sauce over ice cream is caramel sauce on brownies. Test it out with our pudding brownies, Pizza Hut brownies, or vanilla brownies.
• Cake: Bake condensed milk cake or nectarine cake and pour caramel sauce all over your slice.
• Cheesecake: Combining cheesecake and caramel is pure dessert heaven. Whip up our Philadelphia cheesecake, chocolate cheesecake, or no-bake cheesecake.
• Bread pudding: Serve bread pudding with a generous helping of caramel sauce for a decadent treat.
• Parfaits: Homemade caramel sauce adds oomph to layered desserts such as banana pudding, raspberry parfaits, or pumpkin mousse cups.
• Pie: Spoon this dessert topping as a finishing touch over pie like sawdust pie, peanut butter pie, apple pie, or pumpkin pie.
• Breakfast favorites: Drench a pile of pancakes, waffles, or French toast with this glorious confection.

Store & reheat

Storage instructions

Let the caramel sauce cool completely, and then store it in a sealed jar or airtight container. The sauce will stay good at room temperature for up to 3 days and in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. You can also freeze the sauce for up to 3 months.

Reheat

You can enjoy the sauce cold, at room temperature, or reheat it gently in the microwave. To reheat, microwave the sauce in 30-second bursts, stirring between each heating, until your desired temperature.

You may need to add more evaporated milk as the caramel thickens in the fridge.

More evaporated milk desserts

• Banana Pudding
• Chocolate Silk Pie
• Key Lime Pie
• Rice Pudding
• Evaporated Milk Cake
• Evaporated Milk Cookies
• Evaporated Milk Frosting
• Sweet Potato Pie

FAQ