Go Back
A spoon drizzles caramel sauce into a glass jar, perfect for pairing with your favorite butterscotch sauce recipe. In the background are red cherries, chocolate chips, a milkshake, colorful sprinkles, and other dessert toppings.
Print Recipe

Easy Butterscotch Sauce Recipe You Can Make in 10 Minutes

A glossy, brown sugar butterscotch sauce that comes together in one pan in about ten minutes, with no caramelizing and no thermometer. It pours warm over ice cream and keeps in the fridge for a week, which is exactly as long as it tends to last.
Prep Time2 minutes
Cook Time8 minutes
Total Time10 minutes
Course: Dessert, Sauce, Topping
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Ice Cream, Sauces, Summer, Toppings
Servings: 10
Calories: 175kcal
Author: Chop and Cheers

Ingredients

  • 1 cup packed light brown sugar 220 g
  • 4 tablespoons salted butter room temperature (57 g)
  • ½ cup heavy cream 120 ml
  • 2 tablespoons corn syrup 30 ml
  • ⅛ teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 5 ml, optional

Instructions

  • Add the brown sugar, butter, heavy cream, corn syrup, and salt to a heavy bottomed saucepan.
  • Place over medium-low heat and stir frequently as the butter melts and the sugar dissolves.
  • Continue cooking for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring often, until smooth and fully combined.
  • Let it simmer gently until it thickens to your liking. It's ready when it lightly coats the back of a spoon. It will thicken further as it cools.
  • Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla. Cool for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.
  • Serve warm, or cool completely and transfer to an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Notes

Make ahead and storage:

Keeps in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week. Freezes up to 3 months in a plastic container. Reheat in short microwave bursts or gently on the stovetop until pourable.

Consistency:

For a thinner sauce, stir in 1 to 2 tablespoons of heavy cream after cooking. For a thicker one, simmer an extra 1 to 2 minutes.

Substitutions:

Dark brown sugar gives a deeper molasses flavor and a darker sauce. Corn syrup can be omitted, though it's what guards against sugar crystals, so go slowly on the dissolving step without it.