No candy thermometer or corn syrup needed for this homemade butterscotch sauce recipe! One saucepan and about 10 minutes is what you’ll need for this rich, decadent butterscotch sauce that’s perfect on lattes, ice cream, and more!
Real big fan of butterscotch for a couple of reasons…
Ever wondered what the difference was between butterscotch sauce and caramel sauce?
1. Butterscotch is made with brown sugar and caramel usually starts with white sugar.
2. Caramel is usually made by melting the sugar until it browns and then adding butter. Butterscotch starts with the butter and brown sugar together, which makes it a little more forgiving.
3. Butterscotch is a little sweeter and richer than caramel.
Both sauces are sweet and sticky and perfect for drizzling, dipping, and dunking, but I usually go for butterscotch over caramel myself. I like how sweet and buttery it is and how easy it is to prepare! I use it just like I would caramel sauce – on ice cream, in a butterscotch latter, or as a dip for apples!
3 Reasons You’ll Love This Recipe
It’s pantry-friendly. No corn syrup, no candy thermometer, no specialty ingredients. You probably have everything in your kitchen right now.
It’s deep and buttery. Dark brown sugar gives this sauce a rich, almost toffee-like flavor that you just don’t get from the bottled stuff.
It makes a reasonably sized batch. You get one jar, not a whole vat of the stuff that you’re stressing about using up. It’s easy to use up before it goes bad, and it doesn’t take over your fridge.
Ingredients, Swaps, & Tips:
- Light brown sugar works too. Your sauce will be a little lighter in color and milder in flavor, but still delicious.
- Salted or unsalted butter both work. Just add an extra pinch of salt if you use unsalted butter.
- Stick with heavy cream. Half-and-half or milk will give you a thinner sauce that’s more likely to separate.
- Be careful during the boil. Hot sugar is seriously hot, and the mixture foams up when you whisk after boiling. Use a saucepan with tall sides and keep little hands away from the stove for this part.
- Want a thinner sauce? It thickens quite a bit in the fridge. Microwave it for 5-10 seconds to make it pourable again, or stir in a splash of cream.
- Add the vanilla off heat. Adding the vanilla in at the very end gives it the best flavor!
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Step by Step Instructions:
Helpful Tip!
Storage
- Refrigerator: Store in a covered mason jar for up to 2 weeks. It will be very thick when cold.
- Reheating: Microwave for 5-10 seconds at a time, stirring in between, until pourable. You can also set the jar in a bowl of warm water.
- Make ahead: This is a great make-ahead sauce. Make it on the weekend and you’re set for coffee and ice cream all week.
Recipe FAQs:
Caramel is made by cooking white sugar until it melts and turns golden. Butterscotch skips that step and uses brown sugar and butter instead, which gives it a deeper, more molasses-y flavor. It’s also a lot more forgiving to make.
Nope! Despite the name, there’s no alcohol in traditional butterscotch sauce. Just brown sugar, butter, and cream (plus a pinch of salt and vanilla).
Sounds like the sugar didn’t fully dissolve before the mixture came to a boil. Whisk constantly in the first step until everything is smooth before you let it boil.
Serving Ideas:
- Drizzled over vanilla ice cream, or warmed and spooned over no-churn pumpkin ice cream for a fall sundae
- On top of Belgian waffles, pancakes, or French toast casserole in place of maple syrup
- Spooned over warm desserts like pumpkin crisp or Grandma’s fresh apple cake
- As a dip for apple slices or pretzels on a snack board
- Stirred into hot coffee, cold brew, or a mug of hot chocolate
Butterscotch Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 cup dark brown sugar
- ¾ cup heavy cream
- ¼ cup butter
- Pinch of salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
Instructions
- Add the brown sugar, cream, butter, and salt to a small sauce pan over medium-low heat and whisk constantly to melt the butter and bring the ingredients together into a smooth sauce.
- Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-low heat. Stop stirring and boil for 1 minute.
- Remove from the heat and whisk carefully until the foam dies down. Whisk in the vanilla and let cool in the pan for an hour.
- Transfer the mixture to a mason jar, cover with a lid, and store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
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