Easy Brown Sugar Caramel Glaze

brown sugar caramel glaze on a cake
GM Visuals/Getty Images
Prep: 5 mins
Cook: 10 mins
Cool: 15 mins
Total: 30 mins
Servings: 8 servings

Sticky, savory, and oh so delicious, this brown sugar caramel glaze is an easy preparation. With just four ingredients, the recipe allows you to take a boring dessert to the next level and upgrade your guilty pleasure into a finger-licking delight. It is wonderful on many sweet treats, including a Bundt cake or autumn-flavored cobbler, and it's a yummy topping for something as simple as bread pudding.

Caramel is, essentially, sugar heated up to a certain temperature until it liquefies; sometimes, a liquid is added to make this easier and create different forms of caramel (depending on the desired end product). It can be a tricky thing to make from scratch. Unlike making caramel candies or other caramel-flavored items, there's no need for a candy thermometer to carefully monitor the temperature and ensure it doesn't burn. Some caramel glazes use corn syrup, but this recipe skips that ingredient.

This caramel glaze recipe is far simpler and a great choice for beginners. It is buttery and perfectly sweetened with brown sugar. A pinch of salt boosts the flavor, while heavy cream adds to its luscious texture. The brown sugar is dissolved into and caramelized in melted butter. You'll then add salt and cream, boil it for a few minutes, and remove it from the heat. Letting it cool for about 15 minutes will thicken the sauce so it will pour in beautiful drips over the sides of your cake or other goodies.

The caramel glaze recipe makes enough sauce for one cake or an equivalent amount of other goodies. When choosing the baked goods for this glaze, think about those with a darker profile. Cakes that use an abundance of brown sugar (try it over a brown sugar Bundt cake, for instance) or anything with chocolate are good choices. It also goes wonderfully with spiced desserts, including gingerbread or anything with warming spice blends.

Ingredients

  • 2 ounces (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter

  • 1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed

  • 1 pinch salt

  • 1/2 cup heavy cream

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

  2. Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat.

  3. Add the brown sugar to the butter and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute.

  4. Add the salt and cream; bring to a boil over medium heat. Continue cooking, stirring, for 2 minutes.

  5. Cool for about 15 to 20 minutes and then drizzle over a cake or use as a sauce for gingerbread or bread pudding.

 

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
145 Calories
11g Fat
12g Carbs
0g Protein
×
Nutrition Facts
Servings: 8
Amount per serving
Calories 145
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 11g 14%
Saturated Fat 7g 35%
Cholesterol 32mg 11%
Sodium 25mg 1%
Total Carbohydrate 12g 4%
Dietary Fiber 0g 0%
Total Sugars 12g
Protein 0g
Vitamin C 0mg 0%
Calcium 21mg 2%
Iron 0mg 1%
Potassium 31mg 1%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Recipe Tags: