This is the easiest and best homemade sugar-free low carb caramel sauce. It only requires a few ingredients and is ready in about 20 minutes.
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This sugar-free low carb caramel sauce is my new favorite thing! Honest. My new fave. I would have never dreamed I could have something like this on a ketogenic diet, but I can.
Have I said yet that I love this caramel sauce? Because I really do. I could just pour it all over myself or take a bath in it. Okay, maybe not. But it is really good.
I have tried other low carb caramel sauces made with erythritol and although they tasted good, they always crystallize, harden, or became crunchy in the refrigerator. To my extreme delight, this sugar free caramel recipe did not.
It did firm up like a regular caramel sauce in the refrigerator, so I stuck it in the mic for a few seconds then stirred to get it pour-able again. (Please don't leave a comment about the evils of microwaves.)
You guys know that I like using new products and I have been playing around with Sukrin products of late. The kind folks at Sukrin USA sent me their whole product line. I'm not one to waste ingredients so I've been using them to see what they can do.
I particularly like the Sukrin Gold, Sukrin Melis and the Fiber Syrups, which I think are unique enough in their properties to warrant more playing with.
In case you are worried, I will not be using Sukrin products exclusively on the blog, but there are some recipes in which they work phenomenally well -- like in this great sugar-free low carb and sugar-free caramel sauce.
And this is a real caramel sauce!!! You know, it's thick and sticky and gooey and rich and so easy to make you won't believe it. I gave some to my kids with apples and my daughter said, "Mom, this is so fancy. I feel so special." Like my kids don't have desserts and treats coming out of their ears!
I'm not going to offer subs in this recipe as I feel it just won't be the same. I always try to offer the best recipes in taste and texture that I can and sometimes that means more ingredients or no subs. I am sorry. But don't be sad, there are a ton of recipes for low carb caramel sauce on the internet that use erythritol, Toroni Syrups, honey or coconut sugar.
What's special about this recipe is that it can be easily scaled and it's pretty flexible. One could increase the amount of Sukrin Fiber Syrup just a bit to get a more sugary feel or perhaps use "just a touch" of 1:1 powdered sugar alternative for a little more sweetness. I usually like my desserts less sweet, but found that with-out the extra sweetness of the powdered sweetener, I could not taste the caramel on my ice cream. It needed the extra sweetness.
This caramel sauce would be so good on pancakes, ice cream, pumpkin pie or banana cream pie!
Recipes incorporating this heavenly sauce: Pecan Turtle Cheesecake Bars, Caramel Pecan Pie Squares
[NOTE] Each tablespoon of Sukrin Fiber Syrup Gold contains 30 calories, 15 grams of carbs and 14 grams of fiber resulting in 1 net carb per tablespoon.
Homemade Low Carb Caramel Sauce has 1 net carb per serving
Homemade Low Carb Caramel Sauce
Ingredients
- ¾ cup heavy cream 180 ml
- ¼ cup Sukrin Fiber Syrup Gold 80 g
- 2 ounces salted butter 56.6 g
- ⅛ teaspoon salt ¼ if using unsalted butter
- ¼ cup low carb powdered sugar 30 g
Optional Ingredients*
- ½ teaspoon vanilla
- 1 tablespoon Brandy or Spice Rum
Instructions
- Measure the first three ingredients together in a small pot or saucepan and whisk over medium heat until combined. Bring it to a boil.
- Watch the heat carefully and turn it down just as the caramel mixture begins to crawl up the sides of the pot. You want the mixture boiling enough that it will get thick, but not so much that it will boil over and make a mess of the stove. Just watch it for a minute and adjust the heat up and down until you find the sweet spot. Remember, it needs to be simmering pretty quickly, but not moving up the sides of the pot.
- Let the mixture cook for 20 minutes.
- Take the caramel off of the heat and whisk in the powdered sweetener or stevia glycerite until dissolved. *If using the vanilla and brandy, add them now and mix thoroughly.
- Let cool a bit before using. Keep in a air tight container for up to two weeks. It will harden in the fridge. Warm gently in the microwave for just a few seconds.
Notes
Nutrition
Low Carb Pecan Pie Bars (low carb, sugar-free)
Linda Tupp
Hi Kim,
Just found this recipe of yours,
I am planning to make this...
I just want to commend you, and being an extremely patient person,
after reading all the comments below.
No need to reply, Thank you for this easy recipe.
Elaine
Bom dia!Qual a finalidade do xarope na receita?Posso fazer sem?Aqui no Brasil não temos esse produto.
O eritritol não vai cristalizar na geladeira ?
Posso trocar pelo xilotol?
Grata pela receita.
Kim Hardesty
Bom Dia. Você precisa da calda para esta receita. Estou trabalhando em uma receita diferente de molho de caramelo que usa alulose em vez do xarope e não cristaliza como o eritritol. Sim, você pode tentar xilitol ou Bocha Sweet. Tenha um bom dia. -Kim
Shirley
This was easy to make once I got the heat at the right temp to boil gently.... used it as a topping for a turtle cheesecake from #lowcarbinspiration. Perfect! Saving the other half of the caramel for ice cream topping!
Patti
Hi Kim it's me again,
Well I made the Carmel and followed your instructions to the letter. I have to say this is the best Carmel sauce I have ever had and that includes the store bought kind with real sugar. I hav to remove it about 4 min. earlier because I could see it was sticking and looking very dark on the bottom of the pan. Amazing.!!!!.
You never disappoint. I did use a little extra Syrkun fiber maybe a 1/4 cup.
Thank you so much. Now I can't wait to make the Turtles.
Kim
I'm so glad it turned out and that you liked it. I am happy to hear that you watched the mixture and caught it before it burned. Nicely done! Thanks so much for letting me know you like the recipe. Happy Holidays. -Kim
Patti
HI Kim,
I realized I just didn't read properly. I only need to add the Swerve which I do have and the Surkin Fiber which I have also. So now the question is is does 2oz of butter equal 1/2 stick.?.
Sorry next time I need to read more careful.
Kim
Sorry I missed this Patti. I was getting ready to travel to visit my parents. Yes, 2 oz is 1/2 a stick. -Kim
Patti
HI Kim,
I ordered more supplies but they will not arrive till the 31st of Dec. I only have powdered Swerve or xiletol. I do have the Surkin Fiber Gold. Do you think it will work with either one of these products. The xiletol or powdered Swerve. I'm making it now.
Thanks so much.
Kim
Yes, Patti. I think you can use either! -Kim
Nicole Jewett
I love the taste of the recipe but when the caramel cooled it separated. The butter separated out and hardened on the top of the caramel. Do you have suggestion on how to keep this from happening when I make the recipe again?
Kim
I've never had that happen to me Nicole, how frustrating. Stir it with a whisk a few times as it cools to room temperature on the counter, then put it in the fridge. -Kim
Cathy
Kim,
Thank you for answering my question. I understand about wanting to sleep in, not that my fur-babies let me. I’m lucky if I get to sleep until 7am after going to bed around 2am. I can’t wait to try making this caramel. Unfortunately, it’s going to have to wait until tomorrow night. I need sleep tonight. I hope you have a great night. I will let you know how the caramel turns out. ~ Cathy
Kim
I hope you get some much needed rest. I thin our fur babies are cousins, because mine start bright and early in the morning, too! "Feed-me, feed-me!" Lol. Enjoy your day. -Kim
Cathy
I may be repeating this question. But, I cannot see if it posted already. I see at the bottom of your ingredients list where you state that vanilla and brandy can be added to enhance the flavor. But I don’t see where/when to add these ingredients. Do I add prior to cooking, with the cream, Sukrin and butter? Or are they added at the end with the Swerve? I’m definitely going to use the vanilla but I think I will add Captain Morgan Private Stock Spiced Rum. Firstly because I have it on hand, but also because this rum already has a “caramely” flavor. I look forward to your response.
Kim
Hi Cathy. I slept in today so I'm sorry I didn't get to this earlier. Add the vanilla and brandy at the end after taking off the stove. Be careful adding the booze. Make sure to step away. Stir it in really well and you can smell the alcohol dissipate a little. Then let it cool. I'll make sure the recipe has the information in it -Kim
Cathy
I have been looking for a sugar-free caramel to add to my sugar-free salted caramel chocolate cup fat bombs.. They’re made like peanut butter cups only with soft salted caramel. So, here’s my question, will the consistency of this caramel sauce work for this application? I’m looking for a caramel that will have a semi-solid state. Because these fat bombs are made in layers. I start by pouring chocolate into lined mini cupcake pans, making sure to get the chocolate up the sides of the cups, refrigerate for 10 minutes, then add the salted caramel, again refrigerate for 10 minutes, then top with more chocolate to complete the cups and top with a pinch of pink Himalayan sea salt.
Kim
Hi Cathy. I think this recipe would be great for what you need. They sound really good! -Kim
Cathy
Thank you. I will let you know how they turn out.
Holly
This would be amazing poured in the bottom of a bundt pan with fathead monkey bread! Any chance you'd test drive a keto monkey bread recipe?
Kim
Oh, my! I am drooling on the keyboard. I may give it a try. What I really miss is my Grammy's sticky buns. Thanks for the wonderful idea, Holly! Enjoy your evening. -Kim
Debbie McGlynn
Hi, thank you for all your inspirations! I have been using sukrin products for awhile now and I was wondering if you have or had seen a soft chewy caramel recipe using Tagatesse/fiber syrup/sukrin gold ( I know the Tagatesse is not made by sukrin...I just purchased it from them! I tried to use Erithyitol, sukrin gold, fiber syrup,half and half and butter in a recipe today and it was a disaster....I later researched and learned Erithytol does not caramelize. My result looked like caramel until you tried to break it apart (Crystalized mess} I really appreciate your time on this and look forward in hearing back from you! Thank you so much!
Kim
Hi Debbie. I have a "caramel candy" type recipe on the blog using the Sukrin Gold and Fiber Syrup, but it doesn't have that super chewy texture that a real caramel candy has. Type "turtle" into the search bar and it will come up for you. You'll have to watch it from time to time to make sure that it cooks properly. Someone walked away from it and it burned. It's so hard to write proper instructions for people who don't have experience cooking candies. If you are experienced then you know it always takes trial and error before you get it right when making a candy - you have to develop a feeling for it, then you are good to go for any candy recipe.
I haven't used the Tagatesse in any caramel recipes yet. Let me know if I can provide more info. -Kim
Ginger Wroot
Hi Kim, and I'm looking forward to trying this caramel sauce. I'm hoping to develop an upside down low carb cake, using a caramel sauce and berry (cranberry or blueberry?) mixture baked in the bottom, that will ultimately be flipped to the top after baking. Do you think this sauce would work in such a cake recipe? Any thoughts would be appreciated. I've been pinning some of your wonderful recipes for years--loooove your blog! Thanks! --G
Kim
That's a great question, Ginger. My guess is that it would work. I might pour the amount of caramel that you want into the bottom of the prepared pan and then refrigerate a few minutes (until it hardens) before continuing, in hopes that the caramel isn't all absorbed by the cake. It sounds like an interesting recipe. Have a nice week. -Kim
Britania
Hi! I just started keto and am considering experimenting with desserts. Like you, I am a self taught chef with decades of experience using top notch methods, ingredients, and recipes. Im wondering, is there a strong bitterness or off taste in these sugar substitutes (i.e. stevia glycerite, swerve, and sukrin products) to someone with a well practiced palate for sugar and fine pastry? I’m afraid of spending a bunch of time and money on a dessert and not being able to enjoy it because of detected off flavors!
I’ve used liquid stevia and didnt notice the flavor when it was highly diluted and combined with other sweeteners (dates, banana, coco sugar before keto) but i definitely notice and don’t care for the flavor when it’s only slightly diluted and the sole sweetener.
I’m really hoping I can handle the sugar subs because your recipes look delicious and very well tested. I’m so missing gooey chocolatey heaven!
Kim
Hi Britania. It does take a period of adjustment to become accustomed to the stevia based sweeteners. And stevia combined with chocolate brings out the bitter compounds in both! I have found the stevia glycerite to be much less bitter than other stevias. Read my articles on low carb sweeteners located in the menu bar under "articles". They may provide some insight. If you have any questions, please ask. I am always happy to answer questions or provide information. You are sure to find many recipes on low carb/keto sites that you will like. -Kim
Kim
Sukrin products don’t seem to be available in Canada. What can I substitute?
Kim
Try Swerve granulated and Vitafiber syrup. I got some from Amazon and it seems very similar to the Sukrin except that it is not brown. You may need to add a drop or two of maple flavoring at the end. -Kim
Angie
Amazon
Michelle Pike
Hi! Gonna try this but had a question...What is considered a serving? Did I miss it?
Kim
No, you didn't Michelle. It's not there. The serving size is approximately 2 tbsp. -Kim
Michelle
Thanks! One more question for you. Could I use Surkin brown sugar instead of the fiber syrup since that's what I have? Or would that not work? This one looks really good. I didn't want to place another Amazon order for the syrup at the moment.
Kim
Michelle, I haven't made it with Sukrin Gold, only. The syrup is an important part of the recipe. You can look for another caramel recipe on line and use the Sukrin Gold in place of the erythritol for a more caramelized flavor. You can also order direct from SukrinUSA if you want to at a later date. The importer is very nice. Have a great evening. -Kim
Live
This is my go-to caramel sauce recipe. It's so easy and tastes just like actual caramel sauce. Best of all: the texture doesn't go weird in the fridge! I like making low carb frappuccinos, so I always keep a jar of this in the fridge so I can add a tablespoon or two to the blender. However, I have a question: what would you do to make this pourable straight from the fridge? Like I said, the texture is fine when I blend it, but I've come to really enjoy having an extra drizzle of caramel in my glass as I drink it, and this firms up too much for that. Maybe decrease the butter...?
Kim
I'm glad you like the recipe, Live. Part of the problem is the amount of erythritol and the other is the fat content. Personally, I don't mind warming it up in the microwave but You could try reducing the butter and maybe adding some water if you want. I even have to microwave the caramel sauce from the store (the gourmet kind) because it is solidifies when refrigerated. I did see a caramel sauce from All Day I Dream About Food that said it was pourable from the fridge. I hope you achieve the consistency you're looking for. Enjoy your week. -Kim
Live
I made a version with half the butter today; it was quite liquid at room temp, so I think it might stay pourable even when fridge-cold. The full-butter version is definitely superior flavor-wise, though, so I'll still use that for taste and just use the half-butter one for that extra drizzle. :>
Kim
Thanks for experimenting, Live. I hope it works for your drizzle. If not, you could try to leave the erythritol sweetener out of the recipe and sweeten with some stevia glycerite to taste. That may be the best bet. You could add 1/16 maple flavoring to help bump that warm flavor up a bit. Thanks for taking the time to report back. Enjoy that caramel! -Kim
Lynne
Can't wait to make this. Sounds yummy.
carole
Where can you purchase the Sukrin products, please
Kim
Hi Carole. The Sukrin products can be purchased on Sukrinusa.com They get their products out in a timely manner. -Kim
KalynsKitchen
I need this in my life! (And no microwave lectures from me.)
Kim
Lol. Thanks, Kalyn! -Kim
Carrie
Hi, Kim -
Do you think this would work well for low carb turtles? Back in my high carb days, I used to melt a Brach's caramel on top of almonds and then put chocolate on top. I would LOVE to replicate that in a low carb version! Would this be too runny to use for that type of purpose?
Kim
Hi Carrie, great question. My answer is yes and no. The erythritol in the recipe always re-crystallizes - it's just the nature of the beast. The caramel will "set" without being super gooey (although it will not be rock hard). For it to become gooey again, it needs to be warmed gently. So, I guess I would let the caramel cool just a little and get thicker before trying to make the turtles. That's what my gut is saying, but I haven't tried and sometimes my instinct is wrong. If you try it will you let me know how it worked out? Have a great week and enjoy the recipe. -Kim
Cheryl
Hi- I made the Caramel sauce today. I added ginger juiced about 1 teaspoon and it really is good. When I poured it into the jar for storage it became hard. It feels a little crystallized. I was wondering if this is normal or did I cook too long or not long enough, I was watching the clock and it went for 20 minutes. Thanks for your help.
Kim
Cheryl (that's my daughter's name), is it hard as a rock or just hard? Even caramel bought from the store will harden some in the fridge. This caramel has a lot of fat, so I think that is what happened. How is it when you warm it in the microwave? I LOVE the ginger idea - wow! Let me know and I will trouble shoot some more. -Kim
Whitney Bray
Hiya! I was wondering- when it says cook for 20 minutes, am I suppose to leave it alone without stirring it? I ask because if I remember correctly caramel is not suppose to be stirred until after it's more or less done cooking. I would just be so scared of it burning if I didn't stir it!!! (Also could one brown the butter first for the darker flavour and richer taste and still get a thick caramel instead of breaking down the fiber syrup??) Thank you for your time!
Kim
Great question, Whitney. Yes, let it go without stirring. It just takes a minute to get the right temperature where it's still simmering/boiling but not crawling up the sides of the pot. The milk solids in the butter will brown as the caramel sauce cooks. I wouldn't try to brown before hand or the milk solids may burn and that would ruin the sauce. I used regular erythritol originally, so adding the powdered Sukrin Gold gives it a really nice rich flavor. Try it as written the first time and then see if you need to tinker with it. ;) Thanks for your great questions and comment. Have a wonderful day. -Kim
Jayme
Oh my Gosh!!!
I ordered the Surkin Fiber Gold because I wanted to follow you recipe exactly. I just made this to put as a topping on a LC Pumpkin Spice Cake. I stuck my finger in the sauce and took a big lick - OUT OF THIS WORLD!!! I love you website and your newsletter and following you on Pinterest. I have made many, many of your recipes and have never been disappointed.
Jayme
Kim
Jayme, it's comments like this that keep me going. Thank you for your kind words. I love this recipe for caramel sauce and am thrilled that you like it, too. I love the idea of putting it on a pumpkin spice cake. Now that you have the ingredients, you can make the Caramel Pecan Pie Squares, too. My husband loves that recipe. Thanks again for your comment and kind words. Have a wonderful weekend. -Kim
Kelly
Hi, love your recipes!, I signed up to get your newsletter/blog by email, but haven't received it yet.
Kim
Thanks Kelly. I just sent you an email about the newsletter. Thanks for signing up! -Kim
Alli
This caramel sauce is amazing! I have a teenage son with high functioning autism, ADHD, and some behavioral issues. I try my best to keep him low carb, gluten free, grain free, and sugar free, but he LOVES sweets. I have made a few of your recipes, and he has no idea that they are low carb and sugar free until I tell him! He had this caramel sauce with some apple slices for dessert tonight, and he was amazed that it was completely sugar free! Thank you for the amazing recipes!
Kim
Alli, I'm so glad that you and your son like the caramel sauce and the other recipes you have tried. It sounds like your son and my daughter have a lot in common (same diagnosis and co-morbidities). I originally started the site to be gluten and casein free to help others like her - since then, it has turned into something else. I'm so glad to hear that it is helpful in regards to the original intention, too. Thank you so much for taking the time for commenting and sharing. I hope you and your family have a wonderful week. - Kim
Lori meislin foster
The best carmel sauce ever! This will be drizzled over a low carb cheesecake with chopped pecans for Easter dessert!
Kim
It's great caramel sauce, thanks Lori. Your Easter dessert sounds divine! Have a Happy Easter. -Kim
KELLY
Great recipes!.
Kim
Thanks, Kelly! :) -Kim
Sandy
You hit it out of the park. I tried both versions, second has more Carmel flavor, but both were outstanding . Thanks for introducing me to Surkin products.
Kim
Sandy, I am so glad you liked both versions! I think this was a game changer for dessert toppings. I love the Sukrin Gold, Melis, and Fiber Syrups! Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment! Happy Holidays! -Kim
Morgan
I've made this Caramel sauce now three times, each with great success and happy tummies! We've used it on low carb ice cream, low carb brownies, low carb layer bars, and low carb cheese cake. The fiber syrup is spot on, a little pricey but I feel worth it due to taste, texture, and consistency. I had a low carb dinner party, no one believed it was low carb, so I call that a success!
Kim
Morgan, thank you for taking the time to leave such a nice comment! I'm glad you have been making the caramel sauce to great success and that your guests were as happy as you were with the results. Have a great week! -Kim
I just want to add to anyone on the fence that 1 bottle will get you 5 recipes of caramel sauce at about $2 of product per batch. I've seen store bought sugar-free caramel sauce with all kinds of weird ingredients going for two - 4 dollars. So the price for making your own is not much more than one would pay for it in the store.
Libby at ditchthecarbs.com
Hi Kim, this caramel sauce looks absolutely incredible, I just want to dive on in. I'm already thinking of all the desserts I can pour this over. I have included it in my recipe roundup - Top 20 Low Carb Thanksgiving recipes from my favourite low carb websites. Amazing. Libby
Kim
Libby. Thank you so much for including it. I can't wait to see your round up! -Kim
Mel
Kudos mom! Best caramel sauce on the web...and I think I've tried them all! Fabulous flavor, spot-on instructions. I decided to powder my Sukrin Gold granular in my Vitamix and use that instead of the Swerve. And a tad more salt to suit my tastebuds. Couldn't be happier and am so glad you are bravely experimenting with these new products. Well done! Hope you keep going :)
Kim
Mel! Thank you so much for your comment! I was really nervous because I hadn't had any feedback on this recipe yet. I like your idea of powdering the Sukrin Gold granular instead of using the Sukrin Melis or Swerve as that would add even MORE brown sugar / caramel flavor. Thanks for making my night. Have a nice weekend. -Kim
Theresa
what can I use instead of the Sukrin Fiber Syrup Gold??
I just don't have the money to buy extra ingredients.....thanks
Kim
Hi, Theresa. Thank you for your question. I try to be mindful of many factors while choosing ingredients for the recipes I develop; taste, texture, cost, inherent characteristics...
Honestly, there is no substitute for the Sukrin Fiber Syrup - there isn't anything like it. Fortunately, there are lots of recipes for low carb caramel sauce on the internet and on Pinterest. You may want to try Carolyn Ketchum's recipe on her site AllDayIDreamAboutFood. I'm sorry I couldn't help you with this one as I try my best to provide subs where I can.
Have a nice day and thanks for commenting. -Kim
Mel
This looks fab! I've been a long time fan of Sukrin Gold and I'm so glad to see if appearing in recipes. Can you tell me what you mean by "1:1 powdered sugar alternative"?
Kim
Hi Mel. Thanks! It looks like I was obviously trying to be confusing with that wording, sorry! I meant the Sukrin Melis or Swerve Confectioners. I'll change that now. Have a nice week! -Kim