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Easy salted caramel sauce made without cream, perfect to use as a dip, a spread or a filling for your favorite treats.
I love using salted caramel. The combination of the super sweet caramel with a hint of salt really surprises my tastebuds.
For years, I’ve been making the salted caramel sauce from Sally’s Baking Addiction. I do love it! I use especially in as a filling for macarons, but also love adding it to my coffee as a treat!

The problem is I don’t always have heavy cream in my fridge. So I thought I had to make a salted caramel sauce that uses milk, because I definitely always have milk in the fridge.
Salted Caramel Sauce without Cream
This salted caramel sauce is smooth, and you can drizzle it over ice cream, or add it to your coffee to make a salted caramel latte!
Recipes you’ll love
If you’re looking for ways to use this salted caramel sauce, here are some of my favorites:
- Salted Caramel Macarons
- Drizzle them over these Vanilla Spice Brown Sugar Cupcakes
- Fold the pecans in the caramel rather than making a quick caramel in the microwave for these Caramel Pecan Cheesecake Brownies
Ingredients & Notes

- Granulated Sugar – Caramel is made with melted white sugar, cooking the sugar helps form complex flavors in the caramel sauce.
- Milk – this recipe was tested with 2% milk only. Any type of milk, should work. Make sure the milk is lukewarm for this recipe.
- Butter – I use unsalted butter in this recipe, so that I can control the saltiness in the final sauce.
- Salt – I prefer using sea salt for the salted caramel sauce, for best flavor.
- Deep Pot – when making this salted caramel, make sure to use a deep sauce pan to protect yourself from any splatter.
How to make Salted Caramel Sauce without Cream?
Melt the sugar, over medium-high heat, in a large deep saucepan until it is light amber in color.


Add in ½ cup of lukewarm milk carefully. The mixture will bubble up vigorously at this point, especially if your milk is too cold.


Stir the caramel, and let it cook for another 5-10 minutes until it is as thick as you need it. Keep in mind the caramel will thicken as it cools down.
Remove from heat, and stir in the butter and salt.


Let it cool before using it for your favorite recipes.
Store the rest in an airtight container or jar in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.

Tips and Serving Suggestions
- Store any remaining salted caramel sauce in an airtight container or jar in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
If you’re looking for ways to use this salted caramel sauce, here are some of my favorites:
- Salted Caramel Macarons
- Drizzle them over these Vanilla Spice Brown Sugar Cupcakes
- Fold the pecans in the caramel rather than making a quick caramel in the microwave for these Caramel Pecan Cheesecake Brownies
Follow me on Instagram @sprinklesandscribbles for more baking inspiration!

Salted Caramel Sauce
Ingredients
- 200 grams granulated sugar 1 cup
- 120 mL milk, lukewarm temperature ½ cup
- 42 grams butter, unsalted 3 tablespoons
- 1 teaspoon salt sea salt, or flakey salt works best
Instructions
- Melt the sugar in a large deep saucepan, over medium-high heat, until it is light amber in color. Turn the heat down to low at this point.
- Add in ½ cup of lukewarm milk carefully. The mixture will bubble up vigorously at this point, especially if your milk is cold.
- Stir the caramel, and let it cook for another 5-10 minutes until it is as thick as you need it. Keep in mind the caramel will thicken as it cools down.
- Remove from heat, and stir in the butter and salt.
- Let it cool before using it for your favorite recipes.
- Store the rest in an airtight container or jar in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
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