This apple bourbon caramel sauce has become a staple in Chef Cayt's kitchen and is an all-time favorite recipe with her friends and family. It's become so popular that he even makes huge batches to sell, and during the holiday season, orders flood in months in advance. With this recipe, you can make this crowd-pleasing sauce in your own kitchen using just a few basic ingredients and a splash of apple bourbon. You won't believe how many people will love it and it's sure to enhance any dessert that uses caramel!
For more caramel sauce recipes, try ours Sea Salt Caramel Sauce or us Fireball Cinnamon Caramel Sauce.
Why our recipe?
- With the unique flavors of apple and bourbon, this caramel sauce is unlike anything you've tried.
- With clear steps and simple ingredients, our recipe walks you through the caramel-making process so anyone can make this sauce.
Our Apple Bourbon Caramel Sauce is delicious, and only requires a few ingredients, most of which you probably already have in your pantry or fridge. The special ingredient is apple bourbon, which gives it a flavor punch that is to die for!
Material notes
- Salted Butter: You can also use unsalted butter, just make sure you add a pinch of extra salt to the recipe.
- Sweet Condensed Milk: This helps make the caramel creamy and sweet.
- Light Corn Syrup: For this recipe, make sure you get light corn syrup instead of the dark variety.
- Apple Bourbon: That's what makes this caramel sauce taste so unique and exciting, so do what you can to find apple bourbon! Although you can substitute plain bourbon if you can't find any. And if you want an alcohol-free version, you can omit the bourbon altogether and you'll still get a yummy caramel sauce.
Caramel stage
When making caramel, it's helpful to be familiar with the different stages of cooking. The process of turning sugar into caramel occurs in several distinct stages that can be detected by temperature and each has its own consistency.
The process begins with the “thread stage” (230-235°F), where sugar syrup is dropped into cold water to form thin threads. This is followed by the “soft ball” stage (235-240°F), so named because the syrup forms a flexible ball in cold water, but flattens once removed. The “firm ball” stage (245-250°F) is when the syrup has formed a ball but is still pliable. As the heat increases, you reach the “hard ball” stage (250-265°F), which gives you a firm ball that holds its shape. The “soft crack” stage (270-290°F) and the “hard crack” stage (300-310°F) produce a firm, brittle syrup. If these points can be exceeded, the syrup will become a dark, richly flavored caramel at around 320-350 °F, ideal for sauces and desserts.
Knowing these steps is crucial to determining the final consistency of your caramel. For this recipe, aim for a temperature of 200-205°F. This will give you a smooth and velvety sauce without reaching the soft ball stage.
Candy thermometer
Candy thermometers are the most accurate way to get your caramel to the desired consistency, but it's certainly possible to make caramel without one.
When your caramel starts to boil, pay attention to its appearance and texture. For this recipe, we're aiming for a smooth and velvety sauce. The caramel should be thicker and small bubbles should consistently break the surface.
To check the caramel consistency, you can carefully take a small spoonful of caramel and let it cool for a moment. Once it's cool enough so it won't burn you, use your fingers and pinch the sauce between your thumb and forefinger. Separate your fingers, and as you do, the sauce should form a thread that stretches but doesn't immediately break. Once you reach that point, you'll know you've reached the right consistency.
From there, remove the saucepan from the heat and let it cool for a few minutes before stirring in the vanilla extract, apple bourbon, and salt. Then keep stirring until all the ingredients are well mixed. Let the sauce cool, then transfer to jars for storage.
Solving the grainy caramel problem
Granular caramel often results from the crystallization of sugar during the caramelization process. To prevent this, stir the mixture continuously while heating the caramel.
Granulation can also occur due to condensation, which can happen if you cover the caramel while it's still very hot. If this is the case, reheat the mixture until it boils again and this will help remove the grainy texture.
Serving advice
This sauce can be used for anything like caramel sauce. We love to dip apples in it, make apple nachos, drizzle it over ice cream, or use it in any dessert you like! Feel free to get creative and incorporate this amazing sauce if you want.
Storage and reheating instructions
shop Leftover sauce in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 month.
Reheat In a saucepan or microwave-safe bowl over low heat, simmer the sauce in short intervals until it reaches the desired consistency.
