Homemade Vegan Caramel Sauce

Rich brown sugar, creamy coconut milk, and sweet vanilla are stirred together on the stovetop until thick and golden. Whether drizzled over your favorite dessert or swirled into a hot cup of tea, this decadent caramel sauce is a homemade luxury!

If you've never experienced the heavenly flavors of a homemade caramel sauce, now is the time to start because it's one of the most delicious things on the planet! It's sweet, smooth, and has the perfect combination of saltiness and richness. 

This tasty treat is perfect for satisfying your sweet tooth, and there are endless ways to enjoy it. It’s ideal for topping off desserts like vegan ice cream or cake, adding sweetness to coffee or tea, or even replacing maple syrup on pancakes or waffles! Plus, it's really easy to make--all you need is a few simple ingredients that you probably have in your kitchen already.

I like to make a big batch of this stuff and then store it in the fridge or freezer, knowing that I always have some on hand. You never know when you'll need to top off a dessert for company or be working on a recipe that calls for caramel syrup as an ingredient!  

Vegan Caramel Sauce Ingredients

• Organic brown sugar - I used classic brown sugar for this caramel sauce as I think it gives the best caramel flavor. Light brown sugar will provide a lighter caramel flavor while dark brown sugar will produce an extra rich caramel sauce. Also, coconut sugar is a great substitute. It has a caramel-like flavor and can be used as a 1:1 replacement for brown sugar. Whichever sugar you use, try to buy an organic option as some non-organic options are processed using animal products. 
• Full-fat coconut milk - Using full-fat coconut milk is important here as its high concentration of coconut oil is what gives your vegan caramel sauce the right amount of creaminess. When working with full-fat coconut milk, make sure to empty the entire contents of the can or carton into a bowl first, then whisk to make sure the coconut cream (the thick portion that tends to collect near the top) is re-integrated into the liquid milk. Once it is cohesive, then measure out the quantity of coconut milk you need. 
• Salt - A pinch of salt adds a nice balance of flavor and also works to accentuate the sweet and nutty flavor notes of the sauce. 
• Vegan butter - Use any type of vegan butter you like, although I find that nut-based vegan butters don’t work as well in this caramel sauce so I’d suggest avoiding them here. 
• Vanilla extract - It’s a little known fact that vanilla is an important component for creating the flavor we think of as “caramel”. It adds a floral sweetness and great aroma. 

How to Make Vegan Caramel Sauce

1. Combine. In a saucepan over medium-high heat, combine organic brown sugar, full-fat coconut milk, salt, and vegan butter. 
2. Cook. Bring the mixture to boil and cook, stirring constantly, for about 5-7 minutes. Adjust the heat as needed to prevent scorching, but you do want the caramel sauce to bubble and brown. When finished, the sauce should be thick, shiny, and cohesive with a deep golden-brown coloring. 
3. Add vanilla. Remove your sauce from the heat and stir in vanilla extract.
4. Serve! Let your sauce cool slightly, then immediately serve it as a dipping sauce or drizzled over vegan ice cream, vegan yogurt, granola, or however you like! 
   

Watch Me Make This Vegan Caramel Sauce

Chef Tips 

As with most sugar work (syrups, candy, etc), making caramel sauce can be a bit of a trick. Actually, the first time I ever made homemade caramel candies (with the intention of giving them away as gifts, of all things!), I overcooked the entire batch. While they looked great, they sadly tasted burnt. I’ve learned a lot since that first attempt, so here are a few of my best tips and fixes for a perfect caramel sauce. 

• Avoiding Burning: Pull your sauce off the heat just before it seems done. The residual heat in the sauce itself can easily take an almost done caramel to perfectly done, and a perfectly done caramel sauce to overcooked. 
• If Your Caramel is Too Thin: First things first, let it cool down a bit, as it may be deceptively runny when it is very hot on the stovetop. If that doesn’t work, continue cooking the sauce for a couple more minutes, stirring constantly and keeping a close eye out for burning. 
• If Your Caramel is Too Thick: Again, take the temperature of your sauce into consideration here as a caramel that is cold or at room temperature will likely thin out to a good consistency once warmed slightly. If not the case, you can incorporate more coconut milk, gently and carefully whisking it into the warm caramel until the texture seems better. 
• If Your Sauce Seems Grainy: If your caramel sauce is grainy, it probably wasn't cooked long enough. Be sure to cook the sauce until it thickens and coats the back of a spoon. You can also try straining the sauce through a fine-mesh sieve to remove any graininess.

How to Store 

Refrigerating. Cool the caramel sauce before storing it. Pour it into a jar or a container that has a lid, seal it tightly, and store it in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks.

Freezing. This caramel sauce freezes well, just make sure to select a freezer-safe storage container. For the best quality, I recommend using it up within 6 months.

Thawing. When you're ready to use the caramel sauce, transfer it from the freezer to the refrigerator and let it thaw overnight. Thawing in the refrigerator helps maintain the sauce's texture and flavor. 

Reheating. The best way to reheat your caramel sauce is in a saucepan on the stove over low heat, stirring often until it becomes warm and runny. You can also microwave the sauce for 30 seconds, then stir and continue heating it in 10 second intervals until warm. 

📋 Recipe