Healthier Salted Caramel Sauce
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
Healthier Salted Caramel Sauce that’s made with coconut cream and maple syrup, can easily be made vegan and is ready in just 20 minutes. It tastes just like your favorite caramel sauce recipe, but it’s a little bit better for you!
I’ve made this healthy caramel sauce no less than two dozen times. It’s one of my fall staples to keep around the house, so when a dessert needs a little something extra, I simply drizzle it with this caramel and that usually does the trick. Feel free to browse all of my dessert recipes for some inspiration.
Recipe features
- A healthy caramel sauce that’s primarily made with coconut cream and maple syrup
- Option to keep this dairy free + vegan
Ingredient notes
Coconut cream – Only the coconut cream part. You can use full fat coconut milk instead.
Maple syrup – Normally you can use honey in place of syrup, but for this recipe, I do NOT recommend it. You definitely need to use maple syrup.
Coconut sugar – Can sub cane sugar
Butter – Regular or dairy free
Salt – This is a salted caramel recipe, so you definitely have to add salt. I recommend starting with 1/2 tsp, but personally, I like adding more than that. So, do a taste test and add more as needed.
Vanilla extract – No substitutions
Coconut oil – No substitutions, though you can omit it if you don’t have it
Step-by-step instructions
Step 1: Add ingredients to saucepan. Place the coconut cream, syrup, sugar, butter, and salt in a saucepan and bring mixture to a boil. Boil for about 1 minute, being careful not to let it spill over.
Step 2: Simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 15 minutes.
Step 3: Stir. Once the 15 minutes are up, reduce heat to low and stir continuously for 3 minutes. Remove caramel from the heat, then stir in the vanilla and caramel sauce. Then pour caramel into a glass jar and top with extra caramel sauce.
FAQs and tips
- The longer the caramel sits, the more it’ll thicken. So, I highly recommend making this a day or two in advance. Just follow the instructions as written, then let it sit at room temperature, giving it a few stirs throughout the day. Sounds silly, but it works!
- If you don’t do the above step, the sauce will still taste the same, but the texture just won’t be as thick and caramel-y.
How should I store this?
Store caramel sauce in a glass jar/container at room temperature. If you choose to refrigerate it, it’ll solidify, so you’ll have to heat it back up in a saucepan before using it.
Recipes that pair well with caramel sauce
- Vegan Pumpkin Cake
- Gingerbread Cake with Caramelized Pears
- Pumpkin Hummus
- Vegan Chocolate Caramel Thumbprints
If you made this recipe, be sure to leave a comment and star rating below. Thanks!
Healthier Salted Caramel Sauce
Video
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup maple syrup
- 1/3 cup coconut cream, cream only
- 2 tbsp coconut sugar
- 2 tbsp butter, regular or dairy free
- 1/2 tsp salt, or more
- 1 tbsp coconut oil
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Add the syrup, coconut cream, butter, sugar, and salt to a saucepan. Bring mixture to a low boil and boil for 1 minute.
- Then, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 15 minutes.
- Once the 15 minutes are up, reduce heat to low, then stir continuously for 3 minutes. Remove saucepan from the heat, then stir in the vanilla and coconut oil.
- Pour caramel in a jar or container and allow it to cool; Add more salt as needed.
- Note: I recommend making this sauce a day or two in advance; the longer it sits, the more it'll thicken. I also recommend giving it a few stirs throughout the day (again, will help it thicken). If it ends up being TOO thick, simply microwave it for 30 seconds.
Notes
Nutrition
UPDATE NOTE: This post was originally published in October 2015. It was updated with new text and photos in September 2020.
In no way should this be considered healthy. It is very close to the same amount of sugar and adds a negligible amount of nutrients.
When making a *caramel sauce* is anyone trying to be healthy? I think the goal is using healthier ingredients which is exactly what is done here. Cheers 🙂
scrumptious :-*
This was absolutely delicious. I’m not sure it’s all that healthy but we can deceive ourselves that this puddle of gorgeousness is healthy
This was so yummy, reminded me of the base in the coconut frosting on a German chocolate cake.
Love this! I make a coconut caramel sauce as well but I need to try this one for sure, because you can never have too much caramel!!
So true! Let me know if you try it.
Hi, i messed it up 🙁 maybe my simmer was too hot because it separated oil from other stuff early on, and by the end of 30 minutes it was burnt. maybe next time i will get it right
Tried this recipe today – delicious! I used it in a banoffee recipe by Trish Deseine and it complemented the salty crackers and the dark chocolate extremely well. Thanks!
I’m so glad you tried it and liked it! Thanks for the feedback 🙂
I actually have the opposite problem with my dog because everyone always wants to pet her and she doesn’t like everyone (especially strangers) and while she’s never really hurt anyone, she’s a shepherd so she’s bred to jump after sheep’s faces and lower legs and not everyone likes that apparently so I never really allow random people to touch her yet whenever a restaurant or park says no dogs I get really offended even if she’s not with me which is not a lot but I’ll still not go because if they don’t want her they don’t want me. And last but not least that caramel sauce is everything that has been missing in my life
Hi..does this have to be stored one the fridge ? And how long does it keep ? Thank you
Hi! Yes, it should be stored in the fridge and reheated when you’re ready to use it and it should keep for up to 5 days.
Can you freeze it? Your caramel sauce may be the most scrumptious I’ve ever had, and to think that it’s healthier than the original! But it’s too much for me.
p.s. I didn’t rate the recipe because it wouldn’t let me give more than one star and this recipe deserves all of them!
Hi Dawn, I’m glad you like it! I’ve never tried freezing it, but I do know it can be refrigerated in a covered container for a couple of weeks at least, and reheated over the stovetop or in the microwave at your convenience.
T freezes just fine
Oh my gosh I have totally ran into that kind of situation with my dog! People always say he is beautiful but apparently just want to look at him from afar!
Yes! So rude.
First of all, these pictures totally did this caramel sauce justice. It looks amazing and I love that it’s made from wholesome ingredients!
Second, people are so freaking weird sometimes. He should have just walked inside and waited for you guys to leave if he wanted to avoid her. What a jerk. He’s not special enough to pet Layla anyways, pssh!
I was out walking Coco the other day and this old guy asked me if she was pregnant! She’s 13 years old! lol. She has a saggy belly from when she had her uterus removed as a puppy but she’s definitely not pregnant. Don’t people know better than to ask a lady that?! 😉
Exactly! Only nice people get to pet her 😀 And that’s so weird–people are so weird!! I don’t understand.