Homemade Caramel Sauce – You’d never guess this easy to make, gooey, sweet caramel sauce is paleo, dairy-free, and refined sugar free! 
Hello!
I’m so happy you are here for this delicious healthy homemade caramel sauce recipe!
Before I give you this recipe though, I wanted to offer you my newest eCookbook totally for FREE!
I collected 10 of my favorite clean eating dessert recipes (including this recipe for Caramel Sauce and a healthy chocolate fudge to put it on!) and I just know you are going to love them!
Just click HERE or on the image below and enter your email address and I’ll email you a copy.
Now that you’ve requested your free eCookbook, let’s get onto the caramel recipe!
Occasionally I get ridiculously excited to share a recipe with you. Actually, I get ridiculously excited about sharing recipes with you most of the time. Okay, all the time. Haha. But, this recipe for Homemade Caramel Sauce has me especially excited.
You know that I don’t do diets or completely cutting out foods entirely.
What I do love is finding healthier alternatives to satisfy my dessert cravings. I guess you can’t really call caramel sauce healthy, but there is caramel made of tons of refined sugar, heavy cream and butter…and then there is this caramel made of unsweetened coconut milk, maple syrup and unrefined coconut oil.
Add the fact that it is crazy delicious (even better than it’s unhealthy cousin, in my foodie opinion), and I call that a serious win.
You guys, this caramel sauce is A.MAZ.ING!
It’s also super easy.
It does take about 45 minutes to cook, but it’s not tricky or difficult like the sugary version. I made this yesterday while doing 10 other things, mostly forgot about it, stirred it occasionally, and really only paid attention to it for the last 10 minutes and it still turned about perfectly!
Hurry and go make it! Or, maybe wait…later this week I will be sharing a extra yummy way to use it. I’m ridiculously excited about that one too {surprising, right?! ;)}
- 1 can (13.5oz) unsweetened full-fat coconut milk
- ½ cup pure maple syrup
- pinch of sea salt
- 1 tablespoon unrefined coconut oil
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- In a large saucepan with a thick bottom, combine coconut milk, maple syrup and salt.
- Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low and let simmer for about 40 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add coconut oil and cook for another 5 minutes, or until it reaches a deep caramel color.
- Stir a little more often towards the end to keep the bottom from burning.
- Remove from the heat, add the vanilla, then poor the caramel into a bowl and let it cool for about 5 minutes.
- Once it has cooled slightly, stir vigorously until it is smooth and glossy.
- Use the sauce while it is still warm for the best spreading/pouring results.
- Stir leftovers (if there are any) in the fridge and reheat in a double boiler.
73 calories, 4.3g fat, 0g fiber, 0.3g protein
*Actual nutrition info may vary based on exact ingredients used. Find this recipe on MyFitnessPal as FG8 Homemade Caramel Sauce.
P.S. Don’t forget to request your free eCookbook – 10 Clean Eating Dessert Recipes. Just click HERE and enter your email address and I’ll email it to you!
1. Unsweetened Full Fat Coconut Milk: This stuff is fantastic to have in the pantry! Make sure you buy the full fat kind and you can use it for this caramel sauce, in smoothies, and even make dairy free whipped cream with it!
2. Pure Maple Syrup: When we started trying to cut back on refined and processed ingredients, we switched to using honey or pure maple syrup to sweeten our treats. Just make sure you look for pure on the label – it’s definitely not the same as pancake syrup.
Recipe slightly adapted from PaleoOMG
* Some links are affiliates. The cost is the same for you, but I get a small commission. I never recommend any products that I don’t sincerely believe in.
oh! now THIS is exciting! I love homemade caramel and have got to try this version. the sugary version is too finicky to make anyway – i usually burn it haha
Me too Holly!! This one is SO easy and the coconut milk gives it a slight coconut flavor that I know you’ll LOVE! 🙂
Thís looks delicious! Î just might have to make some caramel apples!
You definitely should Jenny! 🙂
I’m so glad to find this recipe for caramel sauce. I picked up some of the caramel sauce for dipping apples the other day and I put it down after I read the ingredient label. This looks like a much better alternative treat. Thanks for linking up to the Be. YOU. tiful link party. 🙂 Hugs Adrienne
Thanks for stopping by Adrienne! I just know you’ll love this caramel sauce! 🙂
THIS is a Christmas miracle!!!! So excited to make it for my dairy-free, sugar-free, allergic to everything kid!
I love this Carolyn!! I hope you both love it! 🙂
I love this recipe! I’ve already used it for caramel corn and today I just used it as a topping(mixed with unsweetened coconut) with chocolatecoveredkatie’s Coconut Crack Bars recipe.It was delicious!
Awesome Christine! I’m so happy to hear that! Great ideas for how to use it too!
I’m trying this caramel!
I hope you love it Amy!!
This sounds so yummy!!! do you have any suggestions on what a good replacement for vanilla extract might be as I am highly allergic to vanilla?
Hey Tammy! I’d just leave out the vanilla.
One of our Christmas eve traditions is caramel and apples. I have 2 highly allergic boys to everything it seems and then my husband and oldest son who are not. I always buy the yuck for them and try to make something for the other two. This year i am using this recipe for all of us! making it right now!
I love hearing that Heidi! I hope everyone loves it!!
This caramel sauce is absolutely delicious!
So happy to hear that Vicki!!
I made this caramel sauce and followed the directions to he tee and it came out very runny and not thick at all. Used same ingredients except my full fat coconut milk was trader joes brand. Cooked it about 45 minutes and still not thick and rich like your picture. Any suggestions? Mi
So sorry to hear that Michele! I’ve never use trader joes brand, so that may be part of it. As long as you have it simmering on a low heat, I’d go ahead and add 10-15 minutes to that time and it should thicken up.
I had the same issue with the sauce not thickening. My guess is that I use coconut milk with no guar gum, it’s Native Forest Simple. I think it requires that thickener to get creamy.
You might be right Sara, I hadn’t thought of that. I wonder if there is a substitute you could add?
Could you use honey instead of the syrup ?
Hi Marilyn! I’ve never tried it, but I think honey should work.
Mm delicious, this turned out just right. Thanks for sharing.
Simon
Does this actually taste like caramel or does it taste like maple syrup?
Hi Cheryl! It doesn’t taste like maple syrup, but it does have more of a coconut flavor than regular caramel. If you like the taste of coconut, then you’ll love it. 🙂
Does it get hard like caramel? I’d like to make caramel apples this fall .
Hey Nicole! This recipe won’t get hard for caramel apples, but it is great for drizzling over apples for apple nachos (http://blog.feelgreatin8.com/caramel-pecan-apple-nachos/), or dipping apples into. 🙂
Hi, I will definitely try this recipe!!! Just wondering if I use only the thickened part of the coconut milk or do I mix with liquid part first… Thanks again for this recipe
I use it all mixed together in this recipe. 🙂
Would this store will in the freezer? I really like making stuff like this in bulk freezing for later use. Thinking maybe not, but figured I’d ask …
I’ve never tried freezing it, but if you try it please report back. I’d love to know if it works! 🙂
Can I do it with regular whole milk?
I don’t know Alivia, I’m not sure if whole milk has a high enough fat content to help it thicken. If you try it definitely come back and let us know how it goes!
Does this caramel set up firm at room temperature? I’d love to try this for homemade copycat twix bars I’m making for easter! This looks awesome!
Hey Angie! If you spread it and then put it in the fridge it would probably setup enough for those bars. If you try it definitely report back, that sounds delicious!
Hi. I just made this caramel, but unfortunately it did not come out thick.
Jus wonder, it should be thick already after the 40 min, and before you add the coconut oil?
Thanks for your reply
So sorry it didn’t thicken for you Sarisa. Someone mentioned earlier that it might depend on the type of coconut milk you use. It should be thick already after the 40-45 minutes.
Mine came out very runny. It is already cooled. Would it be okay to put it back on the stove and simmer for a while longer??
Hey Jennifer! Sorry it didn’t thicken enough! I’ve never put it back on the heat, but I think if you warm it slowly it should be fine. Let me know how it goes!
Hi, I just made this recipe and it tastes great! Only, the caramel is separated from the oil, is that normal? Like, my caramel is sitting in a bunch of I guess coconut oil, even before I added coconut oil.. Is it all supposed to mix together or maybe it was just the coconut milk that I used?
Huh, I’ve never had that happen before. Sorry I don’t have a better answer, but I’m glad it still tasted great! 🙂
Totally adding this link to my upcoming blog post for caramel rolls!! Thank you!!!!! 🙂