Salted Maple Bourbon Caramels Recipe (2024)

Published: · Modified: by Megan Porta · This post may contain affiliate links.

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Add adventure to homemade caramels! Salted maple bourbon caramels are great for holiday parties or a simple candy jar that sits atop your counter.

Salted Maple Bourbon Caramels Recipe (1)

My cute hubby and I are basking in the glow of our recent kidless time away. We savored our time together in Chicago and giddily sipped coffees and enjoyed a handful of DELICIOUS meals together.

Part of me wants to be back in Chicago with Dan but I’m mostly glad to be back with “the pack.” Two boys, a dog and a cat are happy to have us back, and the feelings are very mutual.

I made these TOTALLY delicious caramels before we went on vacation. I froze most of them because I knew I’d want them for later. The salt and the maple and the bourbon…you guys! These are so delicious. They’re great for holiday parties or gatherings of any kind.

Salted Maple Bourbon Caramels Recipe (2)

HOW TO MAKE SALTED MAPLE BOURBON CARAMELS

STEP 1

Line a 9×13 dish with parchment paper and set aside. Combine the butter, sugars, corn syrup, evaporated milk, heavy whipping cream and maple syrup in a large saucepan.

Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until candy thermometer reads 243 degrees F.

STEP 2

Immediately remove pan from heat and stir in the bourbon and 1 tablespoon of sea salt (WARNING: mixture will bubble vigorously, so be prepared!).

Pour the caramel into the prepared baking dish and allow mixture to cool completely.

Salted Maple Bourbon Caramels Recipe (3)

Sprinkle with additional sea salt and cut into small squares. Wrap individually in wax paper.

Salted Maple Bourbon Caramels Recipe (4)

RECIPE NOTES: SALTED MAPLE BOURBON CARAMELS

  • A high-quality candy thermometer is a necessity for this recipe. AThermapenworks AMAZING! <—-affiliate link
  • WARNING: mixture will bubble vigorously when the bourbon is added, so be prepared.
  • Prep the parchment in the baking dish before you start cooking the caramels and spray lightly with cooking spray.
  • Just before the caramels reach their optimal temp, heat the bourbon for 30 seconds in the micro.
  • Use wax paper for wrapping caramels.
Salted Maple Bourbon Caramels Recipe (5)

BEST HOLIDAY BAKING GOODIES

Add these delicious treats to your holiday baking list, too!

  • These Homemade Caramels are chewy and gooey and sooo delicious. You won’t want to eat just one! Perfect treat for holiday parties and holiday gifts!
  • These deliciousChewy Gingersnapsare the perfect chewy treat. Plus they are super easy to make. Flavored with molasses and spices and the finishing touch – topped with simple icing!
  • These are the BESTSugar Cookies. They are super easy to make (using only seven ingredients) and they are perfect for decorating. You will never need another sugar cookie recipe again!
  • TheseChocolate Kiss Cream Cheese Cookiesare a great dessert for gatherings any time of the year. They are light, creamy and sugary, with just the perfect kiss of milk chocolate!
  • Hot Cocoa Cookiesare like enjoying a cup of hot chocolate, except in cookie form. Chocolate oozes from the centers of these marshmallow-topped treats.
  • Oreo Ballsare an easy no-bake dessert requiring only three ingredients! This easy dessert is great for the holidays or any time of year.
  • These are the BESTGingerbread Cookiesyou’ll find! Super easy to make and loved by everyone. Great for the holidays!
Salted Maple Bourbon Caramels Recipe (6)

Salted Maple Bourbon Caramels Recipe (7)

Salted Maple Bourbon Caramels Recipe

Add adventure to homemade caramels! Salted maple bourbon caramels are great for holiday parties or a simple candy jar that sits atop your counter.

4 from 1 vote

Print Pin Rate

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour hour

Servings: 75

Calories: 100kcal

Author: Megan Porta

Ingredients

  • 1 cup butter (2 sticks)
  • 2 cups granulated sugar
  • 1 cup light brown sugar
  • 1 cup light corn syrup
  • 5 oz evaporated milk
  • 1 pint heavy whipping cream
  • 1/2 cup real maple syrup
  • 1/2 cup bourbon
  • 1 tbsp coarse sea salt plus some for sprinkling

Instructions

  • Line a 9×13 dish with parchment paper and set aside. Combine the butter, sugars, corn syrup, evaporated milk, heavy whipping cream and maple syrup in a large saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until candy thermometer reads 243 degrees F.

  • Immediately remove pan from heat and stir in the bourbon and 1 tablespoon of sea salt (WARNING: mixture will bubble vigorously, so be prepared!).

  • Pour the caramel into the prepared baking dish and allow mixture to cool completely. Sprinkle with additional sea salt and cut into small squares. Wrap individually in wax paper.

Notes

  • A high-quality candy thermometer is a necessity for this recipe. AThermapenworks AMAZING! <—-affiliate link
  • Prep the parchment in the baking dish before you start cooking the caramels and spray lightly with cooking spray.
  • Just before the caramels reach their optimal temp, heat the bourbon for 30 seconds in the micro.
  • Use wax paper for wrapping caramels.

Nutrition

Calories: 100kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 16mg | Sodium: 123mg | Potassium: 20mg | Sugar: 13g | Vitamin A: 173IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 15mg | Iron: 1mg

Did you make this recipe?If you loved this recipe, please rate the recipe and leave a comment below!

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Salted Maple Bourbon Caramels Recipe (8)Sylvia

    Salted Maple Bourbon Caramels Recipe (9)
    Made half a batch and the caramel texture is amazing! I followed recipe but we don’t really get Maple or Bourbon flavor. Lightly used flakey salt for topping and tried a piece. I felt it was overly salty, so be careful. I was able to remove enough salt to save.

    Reply

    • Salted Maple Bourbon Caramels Recipe (10)Megan Porta

      Thank you Sylvia! I think the bourbon is a light flavor that if you compare side to side you notice but isn’t overpowering at all. I’m glad you liked the texture and enjoyed them!

      Reply

  2. Salted Maple Bourbon Caramels Recipe (11)Emily

    I just made these and they are delectable. I also covered half with bittersweet chocolate and sprinkled them with salt. I am not sure which one I love more! Thanks for this recipe.

    Reply

    • Salted Maple Bourbon Caramels Recipe (12)Megan Porta

      Emily – those sound amazing! Thank you for sharing!

      Reply

  3. Salted Maple Bourbon Caramels Recipe (13)Mama V

    These look so creamy and dreamy! We LOVE caramels at our house, and this combo looks fabulous!

    Reply

    • Salted Maple Bourbon Caramels Recipe (14)Megan Porta

      Hey Mama V! Yep, these are totally irresistibly yummy!
      Megan

      Reply

Leave a Reply

Salted Maple Bourbon Caramels Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Why didn't my homemade caramels harden? ›

If caramels are too soft, that means the temperature didn't get high enough.

How do you fix too salty caramel? ›

Stir in sugar

Just look at the delightful marriage of flavors in salted caramel sauce or sea salt brownies. It's this flavor synergy that makes adding sugar to an over-salted sauce a common and effective remedy.

How do you get caramel to harden? ›

Refrigerate until cooled and hardened. (Best if you refrigerate them overnight, or for several hours. They will be easier to cut and wrap). The caramel will seem hard in the fridge after they're set, but they should be soft at room temperature.

What makes homemade caramel hard? ›

Temperature is key when making candy. The difference between a soft caramel and one that's hard and overcooked is all in the temperature. Candy thermometers—like this instant-read thermometer—let you know exactly what stage the caramel is in (thread, soft-ball, firm-ball, hard-ball, soft crack or hard crack).

How do you fix caramel that didn't set? ›

you simply haven't cooked it enough-- possibly your microwave is less powerful (the original recipe doesn't specify a wattage for cooking the caramel) or the butter you used has a higher water content. You could try cooking the mixture for a little longer, and seeing if it sets up firmer.

How do you thicken salted caramel? ›

For each cup (240 mL) of caramel sauce that you need to thicken, run 1 tbsp (14.7 mL) of cold water into a measuring cup, and slowly stir in 1 tbsp of cornstarch. Pour the cornstarch mixture into your pot caramel sauce, and stir constantly. Keep the sauce on low heat until it begins to thicken.

How do you make salted caramel thicker? ›

To thicken a caramel sauce, use one tablespoon of cornstarch or tapioca starch (sometimes known as tapioca flour) and one tablespoon of water per cup of caramel. Then simmer the caramel, stirring it constantly with a wooden spoon until it becomes thick.

Why is my homemade caramel so runny? ›

Add more sugar to the sauce.

Most caramel sauces are made by caramelizing sugar and adding milk and a little salt. If you increase the amount of sugar in the recipe you'll end up with a thicker caramel. Try increasing the sugar by about 1/3.

Why is my homemade hard candy not hardening? ›

In hard candy making, it is important to cook all the water out of the sugar/corn syrup/water mixture. If the sugar mixture is not cooked to the proper temperature (the hard-crack stage 300-310° F {149-154° C.} or if you are working in a kitchen with high humidity, chances are your candy is retaining too much moisture.

How long does it take for caramel to get hard? ›

How long does it take caramel to set? Give your caramel at least two hours to set, or overnight if possible. You can also pop caramel into the fridge to help it set up faster. The caramel will sweat a little when brought out of the fridge, but will still taste fine.

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