Homemade Honey Caramel Recipe

I have been craving a  homemade version of the conventional store bought caramels that would be less expensive, easy to make and still have that great caramel-y taste. Caramels are my second favorite treat as my favorite is dark chocolate! You could cut these up in squares and dip them in melted dark chocolate for a double delight. Cream was used to make the creamiest texture and flavor which created similar results to the popular Caramels candy but without all the sugar. And instead of sugar, honey is the only sweetener I used to sweeten these! Caramel made from sweet, natural honey isn’t only delicious but a lot healthier than traditional candy!

Chewy, rich and decadent, you’ll find these make wonderful gifts for friends or tasty travel snacks. I think they are yummy enough to replace any candy item in your holiday candy platters or any party favor bag! Enjoy!

Honey Caramels

1 cup Organic Raw Honey
3/4 cup Organic Heavy Cream
1 1/2 teaspoons Pure Vanilla Extract
2 Tablespoons Organic Butter

Combine honey and cream in a sauce pan and bring to a boil on high heat. Turn heat down to medium. Stir occasionally while it cooks. Continue cooking until the mixture reaches soft ball stage.
Don't make the mistake of walking away from your pan...it cooks fairly fast - about 15 minutes or less.

The easiest way to do this is with a candy thermometer but since I didn't have one I just used the method of testing it in cold water until it formed a soft ball, similar to making homemade cocoa fudge.

Remove pan from the heat and immediately stir in vanilla and butter. Stir until butter is completely melted and combined.

Pour into a generously buttered 8 X 8 inch dish or smaller if you want thick large caramels. Having your dish properly buttered is important for easy removal of the caramels once set. Place in the freezer to harden for 30 minutes. Cut into squares or scoop out with a spoon and enjoy!

Keep leftovers in the fridge or freezer in an airtight container. If you are going to take these caramels with you traveling, be sure to keep them cool! They will melt in high humidity and hot temperatures and will be hard to eat.


Laurel ♥

~ Can you tell I've had a sweet tooth lately?