Easiest Caramels Recipe Microwave Version

The Easiest Caramel Recipe Ever!

Oh the things you can make in the microwave! Honestly though, I don’t know if it gets much better than this one, caramel made in the microwave. I got this recipe from my mother-in-law and it is one of my favorite recipes ever! This is caramel made easy and they taste completely perfect. She’s used this recipe for about 30 years and she said everyone she gives the recipe to absolutely loves it and I can see why. She also said it’s so easy that her kids always used to make it when they were younger (adult supervision required here though people, this bowl gets HOT!). And now my kids love to help me make it, and we’ve been using the recipe for 4 years. I’ve added a few minor changes to the recipe, like adding some vanilla and adding Maldon sea salt, add them if you’ve got them otherwise feel free to leave them out. Try a batch this weekend, you’ll be amazed! Post originally shared Apr. 2014.

Ingredients for Caramel

Unsalted butter Light corn syrup Granulated sugar and brown sugar Sweetened condensed milk Salt Vanilla

How to Make Caramels

Butter an 8 by 8-inch baking dish. Place butter in a large microwave safe bowl (not anything plastic, something micro safe glass or ceramic), heat in microwave until melted. Add corn syrup, granulated sugar, brown sugar, sweetened condensed milk and salt and whisk mixture very well. R Return to microwave and cook mixture on HIGH power for 6 to 7 minutes (some have even mentioned 5.5 worked for them). Using hot pads, carefully remove bowl from microwave. Mix in vanilla. Pour mixture into prepared baking dish and sprinkle with flaky sea salt if desired. Let set in refrigerator then cut into pieces and wrap.

Tips for This Recipe

Use unsalted butter, salted butter will splatter. Test caramel at 6 minutes instead of going to the full 7 minutes. To do so test with a candy thermometer (should be 238 – 242d) or you can drop a small spoonful in ice water and after just a bit is should be pliable and chewy.

My first batch was too hard because I went the full 7 minutes, the time will vary based on your microwave wattage and the how large the bowl is you’re using. Can you believe it though, caramels made in 7 minutes in the microwave!? Trust me, I’m hanging onto this recipe forever, and I’m thinking you will too!