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Hi Bold Bakers!
WHAT YOU GET: Ooey-gooey, creamy, and rich Salted Caramel Sauce. My Microwave Salted Caramel Sauce recipe is hands down the best topping you can drizzle over your frozen treats or any dessert that can use a touch of sweet and salty goodness. The best part is that you can make this recipe in the microwave in under 7 minutes using just 5 ingredients and 3 tools.
A Salted Caramel Sauce recipe that I don’t have to stand over and anxiously wait for to turn the right color? Yes, please! Making homemade caramel may seem like a daunting task, but it can’t get simpler than this. My Microwave Salted Caramel Sauce is an all-in-one kind of deal, meaning all of your ingredients go in 1 jug, you give it a quick mix, microwave, and done.
Bigger Bolder Baking is about giving you the confidence to bake anytime, anywhere. You don’t just need an oven to bake. Recipes don’t have to be complicated to give you amazing results, just like my delicious Microwave Salted Caramel Sauce. I’m all about making my microwave work for me, and you can too!

How Many Watts Should My Microwave Be?
All microwaves can make this recipe! My microwave is 1200 watts, but if your microwave has a lower wattage than mine, you may need more time to thicken your sauce up. You can also try this recipe on the stovetop in a saucepan if you don’t have access to a microwave.
Speaking of microwaves, check out more quick and easy microwave recipes here!
Can I Substitute The Cream In This Recipe?
It depends! Based on which kind of dairy you use for this recipe, you will yield different results.
Heavy cream (fresh cream or double cream) will yield the best results for this sauce because of the high 49.4% fat content. The higher the fat content, the richer and creamier your Salted Caramel Sauce will be. Generally, anything above 35% fat content will work in this recipe.
You can also try all-purpose cream. The main difference between using heavy cream and all-purpose cream is the percentage of fat content. All-purpose cream contains 30% fat which makes it lighter and more difficult to whip than heavy cream.
If you choose to use any milk alternative such as reduced-fat milk, whole milk, low-fat milk, or full-fat milk, your sauce will not turn out as rich. The water content of the milk will affect the viscosity and may thin your sauce down.
If you’re looking to play around with different creams in your kitchen, try making my Sour Cream, Whipped Cream, and Cream Cheese!
Tools You Need To Make Microwave Salted Caramel Sauce:

Should I Use Unsalted Or Salted Butter?
Since this is a Salted Caramel Sauce, I recommend using salted butter to enhance that sweet and salty flavor. However, you can use unsalted butter or adjust the salt measurement to reduce the salt content if you prefer. I suggest adding ¼ teaspoon of salt if you’re using salted butter.
If you’re feeling extra bold, try making your own Homemade Salted Butter!
What Kind Of Sugar Should I Use For This Recipe?
The recipe calls for dark brown sugar since it has more of a caramel flavor, but you can really use any kind of sugar. If you don’t have dark brown sugar on hand, you can use brown sugar or white sugar. Depending on which sugar you use, it will change the flavor of your Salted Caramel Sauce.
You can also try out my Vegan Caramel Sauce if you’re looking for a recipe that specifically uses ‘sugar-free’ sugars.
Gemma’s Pro Chef Tips For Making The Best Microwave Salted Caramel Sauce:
- If you’re Salted Caramel Sauce is runny after cooking for around 2 minutes, let it cool instead of cooking it for longer. Otherwise, the sauce will overcook and crystallize. Trust the process, and let the sauce thicken as it cools.
- No one likes hard Salted Caramel Sauce. To prevent crystallization, make sure the sugar is fully dissolved before raising the temperature to caramelize. It’s really important to start gently dissolving all of the sugar for any successful caramel.
- To make your Salted Caramel Sauce less sweet, reduce the sugar by a quarter or a third of the amount in the recipe. Your cooking time may be less, so keep a close watch on it, and observe the changes that should happen in every step.
- Store your Salted Caramel Sauce in the refrigerator for a couple of weeks. To reheat, pop it in the microwave for about 30 seconds at a time, and stir after every cycle. Keep that going until your sauce is back to its nice and fluid consistency.

Want To Try Other Sauces? Check Out:
Want To Go Deeper?
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