The Best Microwave Caramels with Brown Sugar
These are The Best Microwave Caramels. My world is officially rocked! Caramels in the microwave? Blasphemy! For years, I refused to try these “trendy” microwave caramels I kept seeing on Pinterest. I always make these Merry Widow Caramels Well, it’s time to eat crow, people, because these Microwave Caramels are one of the best things I’ve ever eaten.
The brown sugar flavor is so perfect in these caramels. The list of ingredients are things I almost always have on hand, so I don’t need to worry about having heavy cream on hand like I need for my other favorite caramels.
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The ease of this recipe is almost embarrassing. You hit a few buttons on your microwave, stir occasionally, pour them in a pan, let them cool and, viola, you are a candy making rock star.
Like I mentioned above, I refused trying “microwave caramels” for years. It just seems wrong to be able to make such a delicate candy in the microwave. I could not imagine that they could even be edible.
Then one day my friend, Kim, who is an amazing cook, brought some to a party. I didn’t know they were microwave caramels until the next day when I couldn’t stop thinking about them and asked her for the recipe.
I had to pick my jaw up off the floor when I heard they were microwave caramels. She gave me the link to the recipe she used and told me a few things she would have done differently. I made those changes to the batch I made the next morning and Boom Baby! They are delicious. Definitely The Best Microwave Caramels EVER!
How to Make Microwave Caramels
- Line a 9×9 pan with parchment paper and butter the parchment paper and set aside.
- In a 2-quart or larger glass microwave-safe bowl, melt butter. (Make sure the bowl you use can hold at least 2 quarts or it will boil over.)
- Next, add brown sugar, Karo syrup, and sweet and condensed milk. Stir to mix.
Microwave on high for 5 minutes. Remove and stir. - Return to microwave and microwave on high for 5 more minutes. Remove and stir.
- Return to microwave again and microwave for 4 minutes. Remove and stir.
- Next, return to microwave for 1 more minute. At this point, I like to do the cold water test–[url:2]like I do with these caramels[/url]–to make sure they are the consistency I want them to be. If they aren’t quite there yet, microwave for 1 more minute and test again. If still not quite there, microwave for 1 more minute and test again.
- Stir in vanilla and pour hot caramel mixture into the prepared 9×9 pan. Sprinkle with coarse sea salt–just a little. You don’t want to get more than one grain of sea salt per bite.
- Put caramels in the fridge for at least 2 hours to let the caramels cool completely.
- Cut cooled caramels and wrap them in wax paper.
- Enjoy!
Tips for How to Make The Best Microwave Caramels
- If you do not want to line the 9×9 pan with parchment paper and butter it, you can just butter the 9×9 pan. But if you are planning to refrigerate the caramels to get them to cool, I suggest using parchment paper, or they will be very hard to get out.
- Make sure the bowl you use can hold at least 2 quarts or the mixture will boil over.
- I like to do the cold water test–like I do with these caramels–to make sure they are the consistency I want them to be. If they aren’t quite there yet, microwave for 1 more minute and test again. If still not quite there, microwave for 1 more minute and test again.
- Sprinkle the caramels with just a little coarse sea salt. You don’t want to get more than one grain of sea salt per bite.
Cooks Tools for Microwave Caramels:
If you love microwave caramels, you love these...
- 1 cup butter
- 2½ cups packed brown sugar
- 1 cup light Karo syrup
- 1 (14 ounce) can of sweet and condensed milk
- 1 tsp vanilla
- Coarse sea salt
- Line a 9x9 pan with parchment paper and butter the parchment paper and set aside.
- In a 2-quart or larger glass microwave-safe bowl, melt butter. (Make sure the bowl you use can hold at least 2 quarts or it will boil over.)
- Next, add brown sugar, Karo syrup, and sweet and condensed milk. Stir to mix.
- Microwave on high for 5 minutes. Remove and stir.
- Return to microwave and microwave on high for 5 more minutes. Remove and stir.
- Return to microwave again and microwave for 4 minutes. Remove and stir.
- Next, return to microwave for 1 more minute. At this point, I like to do the cold water test--like I do with these caramels--to make sure they are the consistency I want them to be. If they aren't quite there yet, microwave for 1 more minute and test again. If still not quite there, microwave for 1 more minute and test again.
- Stir in vanilla and pour hot caramel mixture into the prepared 9x9 pan. Sprinkle with coarse sea salt--just a little. You don't want to get more than one grain of sea salt per bite.
- Put caramels in the fridge for at least 2 hours to let the caramels cool completely.
- Cut cooled caramels and wrap them in wax paper.
- Enjoy!
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Look at me all famous!! LOL I couldn’t believe these were so good and SO easy.
Girl, you’ve always been famous in my book! 🙂 I may or may not have made 6 batches of these since you gave me the recipe.
I have always wanted to try making caramels but have always been intimidated because of how much work that seemed to have to go with it. Here in MN today we are getting a wonderful snowstorm and I figured why not. I am so excited and pleased with how well the caramels turned out using the microwave method! Thank you for sharing it!
Yay! I am so glad you tried them, Maddy. Aren’t they awesome. I can’t get over how much easier they are then traditional caramels. I hope you have a happy new year!
Just made a batch, they smell wonderful and taste even better!! Thanks for the recipe!!
Yay Lori! That is great! These are one of my favorite candy recipes!!! So glad you like them!
My caramel is hard , what did I do wrong , any idea
If it is hard, it was cooked to long or at too high of power. 🙁
Made these today. Caramels are my favorite thing in the world and I’m super picky and an absolute caramel snob. lol These are the best I’ve ever tasted, ever! Thank you for this recipe!!!
I love hearing this Deborah! So glad you found the recipe and isn’t it so awesome to be able to do them in the microwave!!!
Could you explain the cold water test, and do you stir after each minute in the microwave or let it go for the full five minutes? Doesn’t it make a mess if it starts to pop?
If you use a large enough glass bowl it will not overflow. Yes stir between and do a cold water test. You drop a small amount into a cold cup of water and once it is in the water and cooled off you see if it will form into a a soft ball. You want it to be the consistency of a caramel. Then you know it is done. I hope that makes sense.
This just might be my new go-to caramel recipe! It was too easy and delicious to go back to making them on a stovetop.
Right! I also love that you don’t have to have fresh Whipping Cream on hand for this one. SOOOOO GOOD!
Look at you! All famous, and shite! I have sweetened condensed milk and brown sugar. I have medicine flower vanilla concentrate and both dark and light Karo syrup.
You make it sound so easy! I can’t wait to try this
Hope you enjoyed the caramels!
Amazing, I’ve spent years stirring caramels in a kettle on the stove, waiting to reach the correct temperature. This recipe uses the exact ingredients and amount that my stove top caramels called for. I love making my caramels now.
Actually, I place four pecans on a buttered cookie sheet and put a dollop of caramel on top, making a “turtle”. Then, I melt chocolate chips and frost the top. Everyone loves my turtles!
Thank you for this great recipe!❤️
Oh my goodness your Turtles sound AMAZING!!!! I am so glad you shared what you do to make them, I’m totally going to give it a try! And I am sooooo glad that you found this recipe and enjoy making the caramels, I LOVE how easy it is in the microwave too!
Just Wondering about making these ahead of time and freezing them. I’d like to put them in my Christmas candy gift boxes. can I freeze them with so they will keep? Also I will be making turtles with them too and freezing them but they work like that
Hi Suzanne, I haven’t ever tried freezing them. I think if you do choose to freeze them, it might be best to leave them in the large block and then cut them and wrap them after. I’m worried the wax paper you wrap them in might stick a little after freezing…hope that made sense.
This Carmel recipe is the best! Easy to make..too easy! Heavenly! Only recipe I will ever use now…😃
Thank you so much Valerie.
What power of microwave do you have. I think most are 1200 watts now? In one of the above comments you say to stir after each minute but the recipe looks like they are stirred every 5 minutes until the final 4. Just want to get the directions right before trying.
Hi, Iris. I have adjusted the steps to make it clear on how long to microwave the caramel mixture. Follow steps 5-8 in the instructions for how long to cook the mixture in the microwave.
When I saw this recipe, I committed to making them because my family LOVES caramels. WOW…I cannot believe how easy, foolproof and delicious they are!! These will make great homemade gifts for the holidays also. Thanks so much for passing this gem on. LOVE IT!
Thanks, Angela! Love hearing this!