Move over caramel. Butterscotch Sauce is in the hiz-ouse!
(Am I cool enough to say that?)
And it’s damn good.
And you can make it in 5 minutes. Say what now?!
I know, right?! Why have I been buying that stuff from the store that contains neither brown sugar nor butter???
Because let’s get one thing straight….
Traditional butterscotch flavor comes from two things: brown sugar and butter.
The two combine to give you a rich, caramelized sauce with molasses undertones from the brown sugar.
It’s like caramel’s fancier, more exotic cousin.
And it is so good you will want to pour it on everything. I do mean everything!
If you would use caramel, you can substitute this butterscotch sauce.
This recipe is based on one from American Woman’s Cookbook (1939 Edition), but the first time I made it as written in AWC it crystallized. And nobody wants a sandy butterscotch sauce.
So I added a little corn syrup to the sugar while it cooked and finished it off with some heavy cream to keep the smooth, saucy texture even after it cools.
I also added salt because salt enhances flavor and that is why you’re here right? Cool. Me too.
You can omit the corn syrup and it will still work but it’s like cheap insurance against crystallization. Trust me when I tell you that you can have a culinary degree and assiduously dissolve the sugar crystals on the sides of the pot, and still crystallize this sauce. But don’t worry, I’ve fixed that for you, so you can have creamy, smooth butterscotch sauce without a care in the world. 🙂
The sauce will slightly separate in the fridge over time, but it will emulsify again when heated.
Oh butterscotch sauce, where have you been all my life?
The real question and today’s cliffhanger is, “ what delicious creation did I put this sauce on?” Because you know I put it on something (other than my finger). 😉
This Butterscotch Sauce is more delicious and easier than caramel. You can make it just in 5 minutes! Rich and creamy with a hint of molasses! Pour it on anything!
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups light brown sugar
- ¼ cup cold water
- 1 tablespoon corn syrup
- ¼ cup butter, cut in small cubes and room temperature
- ¼ cup heavy cream, room temperature
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt (fine)
Instructions
- Stir together sugar, water and corn syrup and cook until 234°F (soft ball stage) in a large sauce pan.
- Add the butter; stir to incorporate.
- Add the heavy cream and salt; stirring until incorporated and salt has dissolved.
- Continue to cook until thickened, 1-2 minutes more, if desired.
Notes:
Adapted from the American Woman's Cook Book (1939 edition).
More Caramel Favorites!
Maple Caramel Sauce (made from maple syrup)
Salted Caramel Chocolate Chip Blondies
Caramel Snickers Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookies
Double Salted Caramel Cupcakes
23 Comments
Lelia
November 4, 2015 at 11:58 amSounds wonderful! Have put necessary items on the grocery shopping list!
Lindsey
November 5, 2015 at 10:15 amHooray!!! Maybe Dad will eat it on plain vanilla ice cream instead of chocolate sauce…ha. just kidding. he would never. 🙂
Jess @ Sweetest Menu
November 4, 2015 at 4:14 pmYour post made me giggle! I like the sound of this more exotic cousin to my old favourite friend, caramel. I can’t wait to try this! And to see what you used yours on! Xx
Lindsey
November 5, 2015 at 10:14 amHaha thanks, Jess! You should absolutely try this instead of the usual caramel!
Kayle (The Cooking Actress)
November 4, 2015 at 7:22 pmYessss! I don’t like most “butterscotch” things but REAL delicious butterscotch sauce like this is totally up my alley!
Lindsey
November 5, 2015 at 10:14 amIsn’t fake butterscotch the worst!?! How did they decide that was what it should taste like? Bleh!
David @ Spiced
November 5, 2015 at 8:20 amYou are indeed cool enough to say hiz-ouse, however I hate to inform you that it went out of style in the early 90’s. But that’s what I’m here for…to keep it real for ya, Lindsey. I’m also here to eat all of your butterscotch sauce and then pretend I don’t know what you’re talking about, yo.
Lindsey
November 5, 2015 at 10:13 amLOL! You never fail to crack me up, David! What can I say, a dollar short and several decades late 😉
Shashi at RunninSrilankan
November 5, 2015 at 12:29 pmSeriously – you left us on the cliff wandering what in tarnation is she gonna put that decadent butterscotch sauce on?!?!?! GAH!!!
But (also seriously) thanks for perfecting this sauce so it doesn’t crystallize…cannot wait to see what’s next…
Kelly
November 5, 2015 at 2:34 pmHaha holla for butterscotch! I can honestly say I am a sucker for both caramel and it’s more exotic cousin! It looks perfect and yes, I want to eat it by the spoonful! I also can’t wait to see what you use it on 🙂
cupcake recipes
November 5, 2015 at 5:00 pma sweet butterscotch sauce like this one that you make is belicious, I want to try it the next week-end
Consuelo | Honey & Figs
November 10, 2015 at 3:32 pmOh my oh my oh my oh my!!!!!!!!!!!!1 How good does this look????? I could so drink it!!!!! x
Lindsey
November 14, 2015 at 11:00 amThanks, Consuelo! I
maytotally drank it!Rachel @ Bakerita
November 17, 2015 at 4:26 pmLove this!!! I made butterscotch sauce last night, and my recipe is pretty similar to use. It’s so heavenly!
Lindsey
November 29, 2015 at 12:02 pmThanks, Rachel!! Isn’t butterscotch sauce the best!?
Laura @ Laura's Culinary Adventures
November 18, 2015 at 9:11 amSo quick! It’s dangerous to have such a delicious sauce be so quick to make 🙂
Homemade Butterscotch Sauce
January 30, 2016 at 2:18 am[…] A rich, butter butterscotch sauce can be made as easily as a simple caramel and it is great on just about everything. By Lindsey Farr […]
Linda Palmer
August 19, 2017 at 12:45 pmWhat degree of heat do u use…..I boiled mine and for the first while after I took it of the heat it was smooth and delicious…..but then it turned all sugary….awful….I had to throw it out
Lindsey
September 20, 2017 at 7:03 pmOh no! Just heat it back up and it will be smooth again. Did you cook it to soft ball stage? Brown sugar doesn’t have the same physical properties as granulated so it will be granular when it cools.
Amy O
July 25, 2018 at 4:38 pmHi there! If I’m understanding this correctly, butterscotch (or any other brown sugar-based sauce) is really only usable when it’s heated up. Do I have that right? I’m working on finding the best sauce to top a Bundt cake to enter in a competition, and since I won’t have the luxury of heating any ingredients before the judging, I don’t want to enter a cake with a topping that’s always going to be grainy at room temperature. Do I just abandon the butterscotch idea and go with something like caramel, that’s white sugar-based?
Lindsey
July 26, 2018 at 4:52 pmThat is correct. You could always make a butterscotch cream cheese frosting. The cream cheese will be smooth at room temperature and still have a nice flavor. Happy baking!
Kathryn Mader
April 22, 2016 at 5:33 pmHey, what level heat do you use? Do you bring it to a boil or just stick around on lower heat until it gets hot enough? I’m trying to make it right now! Thanks!
Lindsey
April 23, 2016 at 12:05 amHi! Sorry, I just got off work. I boil it on medium-high like caramel!