10-Minute Microwave Caramels

Make soft and chewy caramels in the microwave in just 10 minutes. This recipe skips all the labor and endless stirring that goes into traditional stove-top caramels, and delivers perfect, fool-proof results every time.

While these sweet and buttery caramels are nice enough to gift, they’re easy enough to make just because.

You don’t even have to own any special equipment. As long as you have access to a microwave and a bowl, you can make these caramels.

How to Make Caramels in the Microwave

Ingredients:

• 1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks) + more to grease pan
• 1/2 cup light corn syrup
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 3/4 tsp vanilla extract

Tips for Making Microwave Caramels

• Use a large microwave-safe bowl. The caramel will bubble and expand as it cooks, so you need a large bowl to prevent overflow.
• Microwaves come in different wattages, and cook at different rates, so just like a traditional stove-top caramel recipe, these instructions measure doneness by temperature, not time.
• A candy thermometer is handy, but not required. I’ve included instructions for how to check the temperature of your caramel, without a thermometer.
• Always exercise extreme caution, when dealing with hot sugar. Do not try to sample the caramel, while it’s hot, or involve young kids in this project.

What You Do:

Grease the inside of an 8″ x 8″ or 9″ x 9″ cake pan with butter, or line it with parchment paper. I like to line my pan with a silicone baking mat. It’s quick, and it’s reusable.

Place the butter in a large microwave-safe bowl. Microwave, until melted.

Add the corn syrup, granulated sugar, brown sugar, sweetened condensed milk and salt. Stir to combine.

Microwave on high for 5 minutes; carefully remove bowl with pot holders.

Stir; then, return to the microwave for another 30 seconds.

Continue microwaving and stirring, until the temperature reaches 234-240 degrees (soft ball stage). This takes 10 minutes in my 1000-watt microwave. It’ll be even faster, if you have a higher-wattage microwave.

Stir in the vanilla extract; then, immediately pour the hot caramel into your prepared pan.

Allow the caramel to cool and harden for 1-2 hours. Then, turn your homemade caramel out on a work surface dusted with powdered sugar (this will prevent sticking).

Cut the caramels to your preferred shape and size.

Then, wrap them in wax paper or parchment. They’ll keep for 2-3 weeks at room temperature.

How to Test for Soft Ball Stage Without a Thermometer

If you don’t have a candy thermometer to check the temperature of your caramel, you can still make this recipe.

When your caramel starts bubbling vigourously, like you see here, drop a bit of hot caramel in a glass of ice water. Allow it cool for a few seconds. Then, pick it up with your fingers. If the caramel feels soft and sticky, and you’re able to roll it into a ball with your fingers, it’s reached soft ball stage. If it hasn’t reached this point yet, just continue microwaving in 30 second intervals, until it does.

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More Recipes to Try:

Microwave Butterscotch Sauce

How to Make Dulce de Leche