Vanilla Bourbon Salted Caramel Sauce

This Vanilla Bourbon Salted Caramel Sauce is creamy, a little bit salty, and perfectly hinted with vanilla and bourbon. Serve it over ice cream or brownies—or just eat it with a spoon!

Would you judge me if I told you that I burnt my tongue trying to lick the spoon while this vanilla bourbon salted caramel sauce was cooking? I couldn’t help it…

Seriously, the combination of salt, butter, sugar, cream, and bourbon is enough to make anyone lick a scorching metal spoon clean! 😉

Ingredients

This bourbon caramel sauce is creamy, a little bit salty, and perfectly hinted with vanilla and bourbon

• Brown Sugar and Unsalted Butter – whisked together to form the base for the caramel sauce.
• Heavy Whipping Cream – gives the sauce a slightly creamy texture and rich flavor.
• Vanilla Extract – adds depth of flavor and warmth to bring out the flavor of the brown sugar and bourbon.
• Bourbon – I love adding bourbon to my caramel. It brings out the warm flavors from the brown sugar and vanilla while also adding its own additional layer of flavor.
• Salt – add as much or as little as you like!

How to make

This bourbon caramel sauce comes together in just 10 minutes!

1. In a saucepan, whisk together brown sugar and butter over medium-low heat until thickened.
2. Slowly add in heavy cream, vanilla, and bourbon, whisking constantly then rase the heat to medium/medium-high and bring to a boil.
3. Remove from heat and whisk in salt, cool slightly, then serve and enjoy or store in a sealed container in the fridge!

Why is my caramel sauce watery?

If your salted caramel sauce came out watery or too thin chances are you didn’t boil it long enough. You want it to be at a full boil for about 60 seconds so the mixture has a chance to thicken.

You’ll know the mixture is boiling when you see lots of tiny bubbles on the surface and it starts to rise. Once you that, you can start the 60 second timer!

Can you leave out the bourbon?

You sure can! I love the extra warmth and flavor the bourbon adds to the caramel but if you prefer it without, feel free to omit it.

Can you leave out the salt?

Yep! If you prefer plain caramel over salted caramel, feel free to omit the salt or just add less.

How to serve bourbon caramel sauce

This vanilla bourbon salted caramel sauce is best served on a spoon or with a straw. 😉

Here are a few other ways you can serve this delicious caramel sauce!

• Over ice cream. Serve it over a bowl of plain vanilla ice cream or a scoop of my roasted s’mores ice cream.
• In or on brownies. Slather it on plain brownies or check out my flourless salted caramel brownies.
• Drizzled over cake. Serve it on a slice of my vegan flourless chocolate cake or my caramel fudge brownie ice cream cake.
• In coffee. Take your morning coffee up a notch with a scoop of whipped cream and a drizzle of bourbon caramel.

How to store

Leftover caramel sauce will last in an airtight container or mason jar in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.

To serve again, warm on the stovetop or in the microwave.

Cheers!

– Jennifer

Vanilla Bourbon Salted Caramel Sauce

4.94 from 15 votes

This Vanilla Bourbon Salted Caramel Sauce is creamy, a little bit salty, and perfectly hinted with vanilla and bourbon. Serve it over ice cream or brownies—or just eat it with a spoon!

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Yield: 16 tablespoons

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Ingredients

US Customary - Metric

• ▢ 1 cup brown sugar packed
• ▢ 6 tablespoons unsalted butter cubed
• ▢ 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
• ▢ 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ▢ 1 tablespoon bourbon*
• ▢ 1 teaspoon salt

Instructions

• Mix the brown sugar and butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Cook while whisking gently for about 7 minutes, until it gets thicker.
• Slowly add in heavy cream, vanilla, and bourbon. Continue to whisk.
• Raise the heat to medium/medium-high and bring the mixture to a boil.
• Boil for 60 seconds*.
• Remove from the heat and whisk in the salt.
• Cool slightly for about 10 mins**.
• Pour the sauce into a jar, seal, and store in the refrigerator until ready for use.
• To serve: warm up desired amount in the microwave.
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STORING

Room Temp:N/A

Refrigerator:2 Weeks

Freezer:3 Months

Reheat:If frozen, thaw in fridge before serving. Warm in microwave

*Storage times may vary based on temperature and conditions

Notes

Can replace with vanilla extract to make this kid friendly & gluten free.

*You'll know the mixture is boiling when you see lots of tiny looking bubbles and the mixture starts to rise. I started the timer a few seconds after the bubbles started and then it came to a full blown boil.

** If you get any “clumps” while/after cooling, just whisk until smooth again!

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Nutrition Information

Nutrition Facts

Vanilla Bourbon Salted Caramel Sauce

Amount Per Serving (1 tablespoon)

Calories 119 Calories from Fat 63

% Daily Value*

Fat 7g11%

Saturated Fat 4g25%

Trans Fat 1g

Polyunsaturated Fat 1g

Monounsaturated Fat 1g

Cholesterol 22mg7%

Sodium 153mg7%

Potassium 25mg1%

Carbohydrates 14g5%

Sugar 13g14%

Protein 1g2%

Vitamin A 110IU2%

Calcium 16mg2%

Iron 0.1mg1%

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

*Note: Nutrition information is estimated and varies based on products used.

Keywords: bourbon, salty, sweet, vanilla

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Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Author: Jennifer Debth