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 caramels be melted 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.

What not to do when making caramel? ›

12 Mistakes To Avoid When Making Caramel
  1. Not assembling your ingredients. Juanmonino/Getty Images. ...
  2. Choosing the wrong pan. Milanchikov Sergey/Shutterstock. ...
  3. Using the wrong sugar. ...
  4. Getting the temperature wrong. ...
  5. Stirring the sugar too much. ...
  6. Forgetting about safety. ...
  7. Not heating your liquid. ...
  8. Stopping before the sugar browns.
Jan 29, 2024

How do you make caramel not gritty? ›

Add Moisture: If the sugar is melted but you still see a few crystals- sometimes adding some liquid like water or heavy cream to the mixture can help dissolve any sugar crystals that have formed and promote a smoother texture.

Does sweetened condensed milk turn into caramel when cooked? ›

This is how to make sweetened condensed milk caramel: Place sealed cans of sweetened condensed milk in slow cooker, fill slow cooker with water, slow cook on low for 8 hours. Output: Perfectly smooth, no stir, thick, deep flavoured caramel sauce. It's incredible!

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.

Why is my microwave caramel lumpy? ›

A note about sugary or grainy caramels: If you find that your caramels are sugary or grainy, it is because sugar crystals were reintroduced to the caramel candy after it was cooked. The uncooked sugar causes sugar crystal regrowth in the finished product.

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 caramel harden after melting? ›

Once you make caramel, it will harden as it cools, and you'll have to heat it up again to use it.

Why does my homemade caramel taste bad? ›

You're Not Watching the Pot and the Syrup Got Too Dark

Caramel isn't one of those things you can set and forget—once the sugar starts to brown, the caramelization process happens quickly. If you're not careful, the sugar can burn and take on a bitter, unpleasant taste.

What enhances caramel? ›

Here are the foods you should consider pairing with caramel for maximum flavor.
  • Apples. This pairing is very well known. ...
  • Coffee. The acidity of coffee is leveled out by the addition of sweet caramel. ...
  • Chocolate. Candy bars, anyone? ...
  • Ginger.
Dec 27, 2019

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.

Why add butter to caramel? ›

Some form of dairy — typically butter and/or heavy cream — is usually added to the mixture at either the beginning or the end of cooking. This addition makes the caramel richer, thicker, and lighter in color, lending more viscosity and rounder flavor.

How do I get my caramel to harden? ›

Refrigerate until cooled and hardened. (Best if you refrigerate them overnight, or for several hours. They will be easier to cut and wrap). The caramel will seem hard in the fridge after they're set, but they should be soft at room temperature.

Can I microwave condensed milk? ›

Directions. Empty the can into a large (2-1/2 quart or larger) glass bowl, and cover with plastic wrap (cling film), keeping a tiny bit uncovered to prevent excess steam build-up. Microwave on medium power (I used level 5 on a 10-level appliance) for 2 minutes. Remove, stir with a wire whisk, and recover.

Is it safe to heat sweetened condensed milk in the can? ›

Is it safe to boil my can of sweetened condensed milk to make caramel sauce? No. For safety reasons, we do not recommend heating a can of our condensed milk, opened or unopened. The current can is not designed to withstand high temperatures.

What does condensed milk turn into when heated? ›

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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