I have no idea where these caramels got their name. All I know is they are fabulous, and my mom has been making them for years! I am pretty sure she got the recipe from the next-door neighbor, Elaine, who is a great cook! I also like to make this caramel recipe for things like Caramel Rice Crispies and other goodies that call for caramel.
I make at least 2-3 batches every year to give away and share with my little family. My kids are crazy about them!
On occasion, I will have a batch that I don’t cook quite long enough, and they are a little too soft to wrap. When that happens, I eat the caramel with apples or the softer caramel still makes awesome Caramel Rice Crispies. Also, I love to use it for one of my favorite treats, Oatmeal Caramel Turtle Bars. (I have got to get that recipe up soon…Maybe I will purposely mess up a batch of caramels this year. :))
More Candy Recipes Perfect for the Holidays
- Crazy Good Mint Fudge
- Classic Chocolate Fudge
- Old Fashioned Cherry Mash Chocolates
- Golden Oreo Peanut Butter Truffles–3 ingredients
- Mom’s Best Peanut Brittle Recipe
- Homemade Toffee with Chocolate and Almonds
I never use a candy thermometer. If you like to use one, you will want to cook these caramels to a firm ball stage, which is 245°F-250°F. Follow the step-by-step instructions below and read the tips at the bottom of the post on how to test the mixture without a thermometer.
If you are looking for a go-to caramel recipe, this is it, Folks! Simple ingredients and delicious results!
step-by-step instructions on how to make Merry Widow caramels
- Butter a 9×13 pan and set aside.
- Prepare thermometer or set up a few small cups of cold water and the vanilla near the stove. See picture below.
- Combine sugar, cream, Karo Syrup, and butter in a 4-quart pot or larger. Once the mixture boils up, it will be about 1 1/2 inches from the top of the pan.
- Bring combination to a full boil, stirring constantly. Watch for it to start turning light brown. This is the very beginning of it starting to turn brown. It takes about 8-10 minutes or so from when the mixture starts boiling. See picture below.
- At this point, turn the heat down a few notches, but keep the mixture boiling. Continue to stir constantly.
- As you are stirring, take care to make sure you are always scraping the bottom and sides of the pan. As the mixture continues to boil, it will get darker and thicker.
- The picture below was about four minutes after the above picture. At this point when the mixture starts to turn a light-brown color, check the thermometer, or test the caramel mixture by dropping a spoonful of the mixture into the cup of cold water. It is usually almost at the softball stage at this point.
- Keep stirring and watching it closely. The picture below was about four minutes after the previous one. We are almost there! Notice how thick it looks, and its color is close to that of a light-brown paper bag.
- Test mixture at this point. If it comes together easily and keeps its shape, it is ready. It should be firm enough that it will hold its shape but is still pliable. (Eat the part you tested. It should have the texture and feel you want your caramels to have.)
- If it is ready, move fast to remove it from the heat and quickly stir in the vanilla. Pour it into the 9×13 pan as quickly as possible. You do not want it to move past the firm ball stage. It will be hard and not chewy, if you cook it too long. Do not scrape the sides of the pot into the 9×13 pan.
- If adding pecans to all or part of the caramels, sprinkle pecans on top and press them down into the caramel while it is still warm.
- If adding coarse salt, sprinkle a small amount on top of the caramel immediately after pouring it into the 9×13 pan.
- Let cool for at least 2-3 hours before cutting and wrapping in wax paper.
- Cutting the caramel into 1-inch size pieces will yield about 80 caramels.
Good luck! It really isn’t as hard as it sounds. Once you do it once, you will be a pro!
Tips for making Merry Widow Caramels
- If using a candy thermometer, cook these caramels to firm ball stage, which is 245°F-250°F.
- Firm-ball-stage test without thermometer:
- Keep a cup of cold water next to the stove. Drop a spoonful of the caramel mixture into the water when it starts turning a light-brown color. You should be able to form it into a ball with your fingers. It should be firm enough that it will hold its shape but is still pliable. It will be the color of a light-brown paper bag.
- I usually use about three or four cups of cold water before it is at the firm ball stage. If your stove isn’t close to the sink, keep three or four cups of cold water close by to do the testing.
- Keep a cup of cold water next to the stove. Drop a spoonful of the caramel mixture into the water when it starts turning a light-brown color. You should be able to form it into a ball with your fingers. It should be firm enough that it will hold its shape but is still pliable. It will be the color of a light-brown paper bag.
- If the caramels are too soft or too hard, readers have had success with putting the caramels back in the saucepan with 1 cup of water and cooking it to the firm ball stage. The caramel gets harder at higher temperatures because of the loss of water from the mixture. Replacing the water fixes the problem.
- When pouring the caramel into the 9×13 dish, do not scrape the sides of the pot. I scrape the sides of the pan out onto a little buttered plate and eat it while I wait for the rest to cool. Yum!
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More Yummy Treats
Merry Widow Caramels
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
Best caramels ever! Be prepared to get your arm workout for the day. You need to stir constantly for 20-25 minutes or so to get to the firm ball stage. Sprinkle with a little coarse salt after you pour them into the pan, if you like salted caramel.
Author: Unknown
Recipe type: Dessert
Serves: 75-100 caramels
Ingredients
- 2 cups sugar
- 2 cups heavy whipping cream, room temperature
- 1¾ cups light Karo Syrup
- 1 cup butter, room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla
- coarse sea salt (optional)
- pecans (optional)
Instructions
- Butter a 9x13 pan and set aside.
- Prepare thermometer or set up a few small cups of cold water near your stove to check the caramel when you see it turning light brown. You want it to be firm ball stage. (See above post for more details about firm ball stage)
- Combine sugar, cream, Karo Syrup, and butter in a 4-quart pot or larger. Once the mixture boils up, it will be within about 1½ inches from the top of the pan.
- Bring combination to a full boil, stirring constantly.
- At this point, turn the heat down a few notches but keep the mixture boiling, and continue to stir constantly for 20 minutes or so to get to the firm ball stage. Watch your thermometer or check the mixture in a cup of cold water to make sure it is moving along.
- Once the mixture reaches firm ball stage, quickly stir in the vanilla and dump directly into the buttered 9x13 pan. Do not scrape the sides.
- If adding pecans to all or part of the caramels, sprinkle pecans on top and press them down into the caramel while it is still warm.
- If adding coarse salt, sprinkle a small amount on top of the caramel immediately after pouring it into the 9x13 pan.
- Let cool for at least 2-3 hours before cutting and wrapping in wax paper.
- Cutting the caramel into 1-inch size pieces will yield about 80 caramels.
Awesome Holiday Recipes
We made these at Christmas time. My daughter loved them so much she asked me to make them for her 13th birthday tomorrow. Thanks for a great recipe.
Yeah!! I am so glad. I love them too. I might just have to crash her party? 🙂
YUM. I keep declaring that I’m not a foodie (not the cooking kind, just the eating…) but ya’ll keep draggin’ me in with these seemingly easy ones. 😉 And who doesn’t love caramel?! YUM. I said. Thanks for sharing and so too now will I 🙂
Happy Holidays 🙂
Sandra,
You are too cute! I hope you enjoy them!
Happy Holidays!
Maria
Stumbled across your recipe because I wanted to tackle caramel for the first time (without a candy thermometer!) Wanted to report that the recipe is EXCELLENT! I accidentally poured my batch into a sheet pan, but was able to fold it over into a 9×13 once it was a bit cooler. I won’t make that mistake next time.
Happy holidays!
I am so glad you found it Nick. It is my favorite and I love not having to use a candy thermometer. Happy Holidays!
Thank you for this wonderful recipe. I doubled it and it took about double the amount of time, which I wasn’t expecting, but it was worth every minute! I also doubled the vanilla, which I usually do when I’m baking. I used the caramel in a bar recipe (softened with cream) and I dipped some of them in chocolate. My family loved them all! I will also note that I cut the caramels but did not individually wrap them, which resulted in their melting back together overnight. Whoops! Thanks again!
So glad you liked the caramels. I made some this weekend too. Yummy! I put Pecans in some of mind, I was going to dip them in chocolate, but some how they all disappeared before I could get around to it. 🙂 Thanks for taking time to let me know you tried the recipe and liked it. Have a great day!
Hi! I absolutely love caramel and this recipe seems wonderful, but can you suggest any substitute for the karo syrup? I’d love to try this recipe as soon as possible!
Hi Hajra! You could try honey, but it will change the flavor a little and make it extra sweet.
These are the best! I have now made my fourth batch in one week. My family and I love them. Can you tell? Thank you for this recipe.
LOL, they are Sooo good, I am glad to hear your family likes them as much as we do. 🙂
I think i cooked mine to long… is there a way to soften it back up…..
Oh no, 🙁 unfortunately you can’t go back once you’ve gone to far with caramels.
It can certainly be rescued. Remelt it in a pan with a small amount of water, and work your way up through the temperatures again. It will work fine (I just did this). The caramel, or other similar candies, get harder at higher temperatures because of the loss of water from the sugar solution; replacing the water fixes the problem.
Wow, this is great to hear, I have never been able to “rescue” over cooked caramels. Definitely worth a shot it sounds like.
Can the caramels be used when making pecan clusters? Could you pour a spoon of caramel over 3 pecans and later dip in chocolate?
These caramels need to be cooked to an exact temperature or they will get to hard. I think the best way to use this recipe to make pecan clusters would be to make the caramels the way the directions suggest and pour them in a 9×13 pan and let them cool. Then cut them into squares and press a square over the nuts and then dip the cluster in chocolate.
What do you wrap your delicious caramels in for storing?
I use wax paper or parchment paper to wrap my caramels.
You can successfully save a pan of too soft caramels!
Put the too soft caramels back in the saucepan with 1 cup of water. Heat up until caramels and water are melted together and smooth. Cook until they reach 246 degrees then put the back i. Your greased pan. Cut and wrap.
I have been making these for decades and always use a candy thermometer. 246 degrees is my sweet spot.
Good to know, Thank you Janie!
Foolproof recipe. I used golden corn syrup (same thing as karo syrup? Not 100% sure) and it went so well! I stirred the mixture more occasionally than constantly and it still turned out perfectly. I followed the recipe’s cue and am snacking on a bowl of the side scrapings while the rest cools. I will definitely make this again and again.
Great! So glad you tried the recipe! It is one of my absolute favorites. I just made a batch yesterday too and I’m trying not to eat it all! 🙂
These look like all or my caramel dreams come true!
These caramels are perfection! I had half a carton of whipping cream I needed to use up and halving this recipe worked great!
I am so glad to know that this recipe halves well. I haven’t ever tried it but that would be the perfect especially for adding to my favorite caramel rice crispies! Thank you so much for letting me know.
These turn out perfect every time. Love them!
Yay! Thank you Jackie!
I can’t wait to try these caramels! Just wanted to say I have the exact same pot you are using to make the caramels and I love it!
I can’t tell you how happy it makes me to know you have a twin pot! YAY!!!!