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This decadently rich and creamy homemade caramel sauce is the glory-hallelujah of all caramel lovers everywhere. A generous glugg of Jack Daniels whiskey warms it up and keeps it from being cloyingly basic. The recipe is so easy - and just 5 ingredients.
It's fabulous over a simple pound cake, as a dip for apples, or drizzled over ice cream. Just remember to serve it to the over-21 crowd only!
Tips
- Use a bigger saucepan than you think you'll need. The mixture can bubble up a bit when adding the cream and you don't want it to run over.
- Add about ½ teaspoon of flaked salt for salted caramel sauce.
- Use bourbon, scotch, or rum in place of the whiskey
📖 Recipe
Jack Daniels Caramel Sauce
Print Pin Recipe Save Recipe Rate RecipeIngredients
- 1 ½ cups sugar
- ⅔ cup water
- ½ tablespoon corn syrup
- ½ cup butter, cut into tablespoon size pieces.
- ¼ cup Jack Daniels Whiskey
- ¼ cup heavy cream
Instructions
- Combine sugar and water in a pan.
- Stir over medium heat until sugar dissolves. The sugar will turn into wet lumps before it dissolves.
- Stir in the corn syrup.
- Let come to boil and allow the sugar to turn a dark golden brown. Do not stir during this time.
- Remove from heat and whisk in the butter one tablespoon at a time.
- Allow the mixture to cool slightly, about 5 minutes at most.
- Whisk in the cream and Jack Daniels until smooth.
- Serve warm over puddings, ice cream, etc.
- Will keep in the refrigerator in a tightly covered jar for two weeks.
Notes
- Use a bigger saucepan than you think you'll need. The mixture can bubble up a bit when adding the cream and you don't want it to run over.
- Add about ½ teaspoon of salt for salted caramel sauce.
- Use bourbon, scotch, or rum in place of the whiskey
- Use a wet pastry brush to wash the sugar from the sides of the pan.
- Corn syrup helps keep crystals from forming.
- Don't stir the caramel until you're adding the cream.
Nutrition Facts
Nutrition information is estimated as a courtesy. If using for medical purposes, please verify information using your own nutritional calculator. Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
This recipe has been tested several times. If you choose to use other ingredients, or change the technique in some way, the results may not be the same.
This recipe was part of a combination I created over 10 years ago - banana bread pudding with Jack Daniels caramel sauce. Over the years the banana bread pudding proved to be a flop... but the sauce?
Everyone loved it.
So, I made it easy and removed the poor quality recipe and left the part that everyone loved best. Please enjoy and let me know what you think!
Next time try this Dunkaroo Dip!
Originally published March 13, 2012. Last updated April 1, 2020 to improve reader experience, better images, and delete the older portion of the recipe.
Susan says
I really wanted this for my cheesecake, but it turned into rock hard candy! It took forever for it to get a dark golden color. I’m wondering it would work better by cooking the sugar alone. Then add the water.
Marye says
Homemade caramel takes a lot of patience. Once the butter and cream go in it shouldn't be able to harden because of the fat and extra liquid.
Tracie Gill says
Easy and YuMmy!!!
Matt k says
I didn’t T really want to buy a bottle of Kari syrup, could I use real maple syrup?
Marye says
I've never tried so I can't really say.
Nicole Richardson says
How long before it would turn golden brown. I had it on the heat for at least 15 minutes on medium. I finished making it and tastes great just not golden brown. Thanks!
Marye says
It's always turned golden for me relatively quickly.
Kelly says
Such a bummer. Followed directions & after the 6th T of butter, mixture seized up & turned into crumbly rocks. Any suggestions?
Marye says
I've never had that happen. Sugar based sauces seize up when you let them crystalize on the sides of the pan. It's super important follow the instructions not to stir it until you put the butter in. If it does seize you can often fix it by putting it back over medium-low heat and letting it melt back down - but no stirring!
Kimberly says
Did not see the actual recipe for the bread pudding part just two copies of the caramel sauce. Not sure if that is right or not. Or if the recipe is located elsewhere for the bread pudding part?
Marye Audet says
Oh Kimberly! I think somehow that recipe has been lost from the page - I'll need to re-do it. So sorry!
Josh says
I tried to make this sauce but dont understand if its 2/3 cup water or if its 2 or 3?
Marye Audet says
🙂 typo on my part. 2/3 is correct.
Debra says
Total fail for me. I have induction cooktop. Cooked on medium (5) for 20 minutes and it hadn’t turned brown. Turned up heat to 6 for another 8 minutes. It finally turned brown but burned immediately! I’ll have to use store bought for my pumpkin Cheesecake topping instead. Very disappointing.
Marye says
Sorry it didn't work for you Debra. I'm not familiar with induction cooktops - I have a gas cooktop. It sounds like you just weren't patient enough - sometimes it takes awhile but when it starts to go golden it happens fast.
Joycene says
Yesterday at TGI Friday's I had a piece of one of the best cakes I've ever had. I believe it was called "Tennessee Jack Daniels Whiskey Cake " and it came with a sauce which the Jack Daniels Caramel Sauce sounds like. The cake at TGIF's had pecans in the sauce, however. Does anyone know the recipe that would be best for the cake part? It was a fairly substantial cake to support the sauce, rather than a fine-crumb cake. It was delicious! Help appreciated. Thanks.
Marye Audet says
I imagine it was a pound cake. That's what I would try first. 🙂