Microwave Caramel Candy Recipe - Cooking With Karli (2024)

Jump to RecipeRate Recipe

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.

Caramel Candy has never been easier to make! With just a few ingredients and a few minutes of time you can make rich, chewy caramel squares in your microwave.

Microwave Caramel Candy Recipe - Cooking With Karli (1)

Homemade Caramel Candies

I don’t know about you, but I can hardly contain my excitement when a Christmas plate is delivered and they have some homemade caramels wrapped in wax paper on them. They are always the softest, melt in your mouth caramels and I have great news for you..

YOU can make them. Seriously, with just a few ingredients, a microwave and a little stirring you’ve got those decadent caramel squares dreams are made of.

Microwave Caramel Candy Recipe - Cooking With Karli (2)

Caramel Candy Recipe ingredients

There is a full list of ingredients with exact measurements in the printable recipe card below.

  • Butter– I generally use salted butter, but be warned that salted butter will pop in the microwave when you are initially melting it down. I just place a paper towel over my bowl to avoid a mess in the microwave. You could use unsalted if you have it though. Just add a pinch of salt to the caramel mixture prior to microwaving.
  • Sweetened condensed milk– just one 14 oz can.
  • Corn syrup– light corn syrup is what we will use. Dark corn syrup will yield a richer and darker flavor and color.
  • Brown Sugar– You need brown sugar for this recipe, don’t try and substitute granulated sugar. Trust me, you will be so disappointed!
  • Vanilla extract
  • flakey sea salt– I use Maldon’s flakey sea salt, I purchased it on amazon.
Microwave Caramel Candy Recipe - Cooking With Karli (3)

How to Make Caramel Candy in the Microwave

Making Caramels in the microwave couldn’t be easier. Follow the steps below and you’ll be golden!

  1. in a large microwave safe bowl, melt your butter completely. (Please use a heavy duty, microwave safe bowl. The bowl will get very hot. Check the manufacturers website to ensure it is microwave safe to high temperatures.)
  2. Stir in the sweetened condensed milk, corn syrup and brown sugar. The mixture will be grainy, but there should be no lumps.
  3. Microwave on high for 5 minutes and then stir. Continue microwaving and stirring 1 minute at a time until the temperature reaches 240° on an instant read thermometer. (see below for instructions on how to check doneness without a thermometer.)
  4. Pour the mixture into a buttered 8×8 pan. Allow the mixture to cool at room temperature for 30 minutes and then place in the fridge for 3 hours.
  5. Wait until the caramel is cold before cutting.
  6. Cut with a sharp knife in one up and down motion for each cut.
  7. Wrap with wax paper and enjoy!

Tips for this Microwave Caramel Recipe

How to check temperature of Caramel Candies

You’ll check if the caramel is done by quickly bringing it down to room temperature and ‘setting’ the caramel to see what the finished texture would be like. To do this, get a bowl of ice water and drop a small amount of the hot caramel liquid into the ice water. When the caramel is ready, the caramel will ball up and be easily pliable between your fingers. If it is still really soft and doesn’t come together in a ball, you’ll need to cook it for longer. If it hardens and is more like toffee, the caramel has been cooked too long.

How to store Microwave Caramels

How to freeze Microwave Caramel Recipe

Yes, you can! Just make sure that the caramel is wrapped well and then in an air tight container.

Microwave Caramel Candy Recipe - Cooking With Karli (4)

Check out these other Dessert Recipes

  • Sugar Cookie Recipe
  • Chocolate Fudge
  • Cookie Dough Fudge
  • Toffee

Microwave Caramel Candy Recipe - Cooking With Karli (5)

Save

PinPrint

5 from 13 votes

Microwave Caramel Candies

By: Karli Bitner

Caramel Candy has never been easier to make! With just a few ingredients and a few minutes of time you can make rich, chewy caramel squares in your microwave.

Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 7 minutes minutes

Cool Time: 4 hours hours

Servings: 25 Squares

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup (111g) salted butter, if using salted butter, make sure to cover your bowl in the microwave
  • 2 cups (492g) brown sugar
  • 1 cup (340g) corn syrup
  • 1 14 oz can sweetened condensed milk
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • flakey sea salt, optional

Instructions

  • In a microwave safe bowl, melt the butter completely.

  • Add the brown sugar, corn syrup and sweetened condensed milk to the bowl and whisk until completely combined.

  • Microwave on high power for 5 minutes.

  • Stir and check the temperature of the mixture. Our goal is to get it to about 240°.

  • If you don't have a instant read thermometer, you can check the doneness by dropping a small spoonful into a cup with ice water. The texture of the caramel after it cools down in the ice water is what the texture of the caramel will be if you stopped cooking it right now. It should be soft and pliable, but not super hard or super soft.

  • If needed, return the caramel to the microwave and cook for an additional one minute and then check the temperature, repeating until the temperature has reached 240°f (115°c) or until it is done to your liking by the ice water test.

  • Stir in the vanilla extract.

  • Pour the caramel mixture into a buttered 8×8 pan.

  • Allow the caramel to cool at room temperature for 30 minutes.

  • Then place the caramel in the fridge for 2-3 hours or until set.

  • Sprinkle with flakey sea salt, if desired.

  • Cut into desired shape and size, wrap in wax paper. Enjoy!

Nutrition

Calories: 133kcal | Carbohydrates: 26g | Protein: 0.1g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 10mg | Sodium: 42mg | Potassium: 27mg | Sugar: 26g | Vitamin A: 118IU | Vitamin C: 0.001mg | Calcium: 18mg | Iron: 0.1mg

Like this recipe? Rate and comment below!

Latest Recipes:

Cake

Starbucks Cookies and Cream Cake Pop Recipe

Cookies

Peaches and Cream Cookies

Pizza

Neapolitan Pizza Crust Recipe

Cookies

Coconut Cream Pie Cookies

Microwave Caramel Candy Recipe - Cooking With Karli (2024)

FAQs

Microwave Caramel Candy Recipe - Cooking With Karli? ›

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. Slowly add cream, 1 tablespoon at a time, until desired consistency is reached and mixture is smooth. Pour into a serving bowl.

Can you melt hard caramel candy 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. Slowly add cream, 1 tablespoon at a time, until desired consistency is reached and mixture is smooth. Pour into a serving bowl.

Why did my caramel candy get hard? ›

If caramels are too hard, you can try placing them back in a saucepan, adding a couple tablespoons of water and stirring until the thermometer reads 242°F. Pour back into a prepared buttered pan. If caramels are too soft, that means the temperature didn't get high enough.

When cooking sugar to the caramel stage what temperature should the sugar reach? ›

To achieve caramelization—and flavor—we first have to cook the sugar to a temperature of at least 320°F (160°C). This is best accomplished by cooking the sugar in a pot over medium to medium-high heat and adding either some corn or glucose syrup to your sugar or adding up to 20% of the weight of the sugar in water.

How long does it take to melt hard candy in the microwave? ›

Initially cook them for approximately 1 minute. Microwaves will vary, so you will need to adjust based on your specific model. This should get all four pieces to melt in one go. If the candies do not melt entirely on the first heat, cook them again in 15-second intervals.

How do you melt caramel without hardening it? ›

Double Boiler:

Set up your double boiler on the stove top as normal & add your Peter's Caramel to the top bowl. Start with your heat on low to help prevent your caramel from burning & only increase temperature as needed. Stir occasionally for the next 5-10 minutes until the caramel is sufficiently melted.

How do you thicken caramel for candy? ›

For each cup (240 mL) of caramel sauce that you need to thicken, run 1 tbsp (14.7 mL) of cold water into a measuring cup, and slowly stir in 1 tbsp of cornstarch. Pour the cornstarch mixture into your pot caramel sauce, and stir constantly. Keep the sauce on low heat until it begins to thicken.

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. However, if you want to turn it into a more spoonable sauce, you add other ingredients like butter or cream to the melted caramel.

How long does it take sugar to melt when making caramel? ›

Boil for 10 to 15 minutes or until the sugar caramelizes and turns golden brown. Do not stir the mixture as the sugar heats or it can start to crystallize. Instead, gently tilt and/or swirl the pan side-to-side to ensure the sugar cooks and colors evenly.

How to tell when caramel is done? ›

You can test to see whether your caramel is done by having a bowl of cold water (we recommend adding ice cubes if you have them to hand) and then using a spoon, remove some of the mixture from the pan, immerse the spoon into the cold water, moving the spoon and then remove from the water and test the caramel with your ...

What is the difference between hard caramel and soft caramel? ›

If the caramel forms a pliable soft ball, for instance, it's around 240°F. If it forms a hard ball, it's between 250°F to 260°F, etc. Sometimes recipes will even use the descriptors below to specify the stage your caramel should be cooked to.

Is it safe to melt candy in a microwave? ›

ONLY if the candy placed in the microwave can be softened by heating it. Hard candy will often explode rather than soften or melt. Such candy already has had all the moisture removed from it so it would excite the sugar molecules rather than the water molecules that are missing and the heat would fracture the candy.

How to make hard candy soft again? ›

Toss them in a bowl of hot or warm water (don't use cold water - gelatin is only soluble in warmer water) until they reach the desired consistency - usually around 20 minutes or so. The longer you leave them in the water, the more water they'll absorb, the more they'll grow and the softer they'll get.

Can you melt Kraft caramel bits 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.

Top Articles
99+ Beautiful African American Thursday Images and Quotes
220+ Beautiful African American Good Morning Quotes and Images
Kostner Wingback Bed
Menards Thermal Fuse
Public Opinion Obituaries Chambersburg Pa
Melson Funeral Services Obituaries
80 For Brady Showtimes Near Marcus Point Cinema
From Algeria to Uzbekistan-These Are the Top Baby Names Around the World
Obituaries
Pickswise the Free Sports Handicapping Service 2023
Canelo Vs Ryder Directv
Tight Tiny Teen Scouts 5
ocala cars & trucks - by owner - craigslist
Munich residents spend the most online for food
Xxn Abbreviation List 2023
Virginia New Year's Millionaire Raffle 2022
How to Create Your Very Own Crossword Puzzle
Rondom Ajax: ME grijpt in tijdens protest Ajax-fans bij hoofdbureau politie
50 Shades Of Grey Movie 123Movies
Trivago Sf
Tu Pulga Online Utah
When Does Subway Open And Close
From This Corner - Chief Glen Brock: A Shawnee Thinker
Giantbodybuilder.com
Albertville Memorial Funeral Home Obituaries
Co10 Unr
Ehome America Coupon Code
Panchang 2022 Usa
Sun-Tattler from Hollywood, Florida
Craigslist Albany Ny Garage Sales
Moxfield Deck Builder
Rocketpult Infinite Fuel
Workday Latech Edu
Chs.mywork
AI-Powered Free Online Flashcards for Studying | Kahoot!
Babbychula
2008 DODGE RAM diesel for sale - Gladstone, OR - craigslist
Mid America Clinical Labs Appointments
How to Get a Better Signal on Your iPhone or Android Smartphone
2007 Jaguar XK Low Miles for sale - Palm Desert, CA - craigslist
Gotrax Scooter Error Code E2
Tableaux, mobilier et objets d'art
Craigslist Rooms For Rent In San Fernando Valley
Enr 2100
Best Haircut Shop Near Me
Craigslist Mendocino
A jovem que batizou lei após ser sequestrada por 'amigo virtual'
Underground Weather Tropical
Inloggen bij AH Sam - E-Overheid
Itsleaa
Bloons Tower Defense 1 Unblocked
Stone Eater Bike Park
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Kimberely Baumbach CPA

Last Updated:

Views: 5931

Rating: 4 / 5 (41 voted)

Reviews: 80% 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.