Silky Vegan Caramel Sauce Recipe for Drizzling on Everything
A silky, dairy-free caramel made the traditional way: real granulated sugar caramelized on the stove, then loosened with coconut cream and balanced with vanilla, salt, and a touch of cinnamon. No candy thermometer needed, just a pan and about fifteen minutes.
Servings: 8
Calories: 160kcal
Ingredients
- 1 cup granulated sugar 200g
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil 30ml
- ½ cup coconut cream (see notes below) 120ml
- 1 teaspoon flaky sea salt, plus more to taste 3g
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 10ml
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon 0.5g
Instructions
- Warm the coconut oil and coconut cream together in a small pan over low heat until no longer cold. Set aside.
- Spread the sugar in an even layer in a medium, heavy-bottomed saucepan. Heat over medium until it starts to melt at the edges, then reduce to medium-low. Stir gently to redistribute as it melts, keeping crystals from the sides out of the melted sugar.
- Once fully melted, stir once more until smooth and clear, a dark golden amber. Discard and restart if it goes darker than that.
- Remove from heat, pour in the warm coconut mixture (it will bubble and steam), then stir vigorously. Return to heat and stir gently until smooth.
- For a thicker sauce, simmer 1 more minute, swirling instead of stirring.
- Remove from heat, let the bubbling settle, then stir in the vanilla, salt, and cinnamon. Pour into a glass jar and cool completely before sealing.
- Store in the fridge up to 2 weeks.
Notes
Make-ahead: this keeps well, so it's worth making a batch just to have on hand.
Storage: refrigerate in a sealed jar up to 2 weeks. It firms up when cold, warm gently before using.
Substitution: if you can't source coconut cream, chill a can of full-fat coconut milk overnight and scoop the thick top layer.