Creamy Microwave Caramels Recipe (2024)

Jump to Recipe

These Creamy Microwave Caramels couldn’t be more simple! They are so rich and buttery that no one will guess how easy they are to make.

I love making homemade candies over the holiday season. Crispy peanut butter balls, caramel turtles, and homemade toffee are favorites, and they all make great neighbor gifts!

Creamy Microwave Caramels Recipe (1)

My mom and I have started a Christmas tradition of getting together to make goodies to hand out to neighbors. Last Christmas my sister in law joined us, and it was even more fun!

We made a few family favorites, but also tried a few new recipes like these microwave caramels.

Creamy Microwave Caramels Recipe (2)

In the past we’ve made my aunt’s recipe for traditional caramels that requires a lot of stirring over the stove. We decided to try this speedier version to see how they compared.

Honestly, they are so close that I don’t know if I can ever go back to my old recipe. With just six minutes of cooking in the microwave, you have rich and buttery caramels that are simply out of this world!

Creamy Microwave Caramels Recipe (3)

Even if you’ve never made candy before, you should be able to make perfect caramels with this recipe! Cooking the mixture in the microwave takes out so much of the guesswork. Some people like to use a candy thermometer, but I prefer the ice water test. It’s easier to see the exact consistency of your caramels that way.

Just spoon a little bit of caramel into ice cold water and let it sit for a few seconds. When you pull it out, you should be able to roll it into a soft ball that holds its shape but can be molded.

Creamy Microwave Caramels Recipe (4)

How to make microwave caramels:

-The first thing you need to do is prepare your pan so it’s all ready to go when your caramel mixture is ready.

-Next up you melt your butter, then stir in the sugar, corn syrup, and sweetened condensed milk.

-You cook the mixture for 6 minutes, stirring once. Yep, just once!

-Stir in the vanilla and salt and pour the mixture into your prepared pan.

-Let the caramels set, then cut into rectangles and wrap in waxed paper.

So easy, so very delicious!

Creamy Microwave Caramels Recipe (5)

Can I add nuts or other ingredients to my microwave caramels?

-Absolutely! You can stir in chopped nuts with the vanilla (pecans are our favorite), or you can sprinkle nuts on top after you pour the caramel into the pan. I prefer the sprinkling method, I think it makes for prettier caramels.

-You could also sprinkle chocolate chips or toffee bits on top of the caramel mixture after you pour it into the pan.

Be creative and see what other flavor combinations you can come up with!

What is the best way to store homemade caramels?

Wrap the individual caramels up in waxed paper and store them in an airtight container. A ziplock bag works just fine. I always store mine at room temperature, but you can store them in the refrigerator.

How long will microwave caramels last?

Homemade caramels will last for about 2-3 months at cool room temperature. If you live in a hot and humid place, you may want to store them in the refrigerator.

Love caramel? Check out these recipes:

Creamy Microwave Caramels Recipe (6)Turtles Candy/Easy Caramel Sauce/No Bake Cornflake Cookies

Creamy Microwave Caramels Recipe (7)Caramel Brownies/Caramel Crunch Torte/Rolo Cookies

MORE CANDY RECIPES:

  • English Toffee Recipe
  • Chocolate Mint Candy
  • Brigadeiro Recipe
  • Peanut Butter Rice Krispie Balls

EASY MICROWAVE CARAMELS

Yield: 4 dozen

Creamy Microwave Caramels

Creamy Microwave Caramels Recipe (8)

These creamy caramels are so easy to make! They are cooked in the microwave and turn out perfect every time!

Prep Time10 minutes

Cook Time6 minutes

Additional Time45 minutes

Total Time1 hour 1 minute

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. Butter a square 8" pan, line with parchment. Set aside.
  2. Melt butter in a large glass mixing bowl. Add sugar, corn syrup, and sweetened condensed milk. Cook 3 minutes, stir, cook 3 more minutes.
  3. Spoon a bit of the caramel into a cup of ice cold water. If it can be rolled into a soft ball, it's ready.
  4. Stir in the vanilla and salt.
  5. Pour into prepared pan and let sit till completely cooled.
  6. Cut into rectangle or square shaped pieces and wrap in waxed paper.

Notes

Recipe inspired by I Heart Naptime

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

24

Serving Size:

1

Amount Per Serving:Calories: 90Total Fat: 2gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 7mgSodium: 33mgCarbohydrates: 17gFiber: 0gSugar: 17gProtein: 1g

Serving size is 2 caramels.

Did you make this recipe?

Leave a comment below and pin the recipe to Pinterest!

Creamy Microwave Caramels Recipe (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 you microwave caramels to melt them? ›

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 do you add cream 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 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.

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!

How to make caramel from condensed milk without boiling? ›

Place unopened cans in the slow cooker, cover with water, put the lid on and cook on high power for 5 hours.

Do you add milk when melting caramel? ›

Ingredients for Melting Caramels

Make sure to unwrap them first! Water - the caramel stays slightly soft if you add a touch of water while melting. You could also use cream or milk instead of water.

How do you melt soft caramel in the microwave? ›

Combine caramels and water in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave mixture in 30-second increments, stirring between each increment, until caramels begin to melt, about 1 to 1 1/2 minutes.

Why is my caramel not creamy? ›

Graininess occurs when the sugar in caramel sauce hasn't completely dissolved before adding in butter and heavy cream or if the caramel is cooled too quickly. Luckily, you can bring grainy caramel sauce back to a smooth, creamy consistency with an easy fix. Simply reheat it on the stovetop and add more liquid.

How do you keep caramel from seizing when adding cream? ›

If too many bits of sugar get stuck to the side of the pan, they will harden and can cause the caramel to seize or become gritty or grainy when you add in the butter and/or the cream. Prevent this by gently swirling the sugar around as it melts, while holding the pan's handle, instead of using a utensil to stir it.

How do you thicken caramel after adding cream? ›

To thicken a caramel sauce, I would first mix some cornstarch with a little water then add it to the caramel sauce. The easiest way is to simmer it longer. Also, it helps to start out with whipping cream rather than milk.

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 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.

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.

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.

Is it safe to heat can of condensed milk? ›

First of all, if you boil a sealed can it can explode. It could literally blow a hole in your roof. So for safety you need to either open the can before heating, or put it in warm water away from the heat source so there is no way it can boil inside.

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Kimberely Baumbach CPA

Last Updated:

Views: 5665

Rating: 4 / 5 (61 voted)

Reviews: 92% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Kimberely Baumbach CPA

Birthday: 1996-01-14

Address: 8381 Boyce Course, Imeldachester, ND 74681

Phone: +3571286597580

Job: Product Banking Analyst

Hobby: Cosplaying, Inline skating, Amateur radio, Baton twirling, Mountaineering, Flying, Archery

Introduction: My name is Kimberely Baumbach CPA, I am a gorgeous, bright, charming, encouraging, zealous, lively, good person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.