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    Home » Recipes » Christmas

    Whiskey Caramel Sauce

    March 16, 2025 by Amee Leave a Comment

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    This homemade Whiskey Caramel Sauce is easy to make and sure to impress! With just a few minutes and a few simple ingredients, you'll have a treat that's *almost* as fun to gift as it is to eat!

    A spoon drizzling Whiskey Caramel Sauce into a small clear jar.

    This post may contain affiliate links, and as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. I’ll never link to anything I don’t use and love! Click here for full disclosure and privacy policy.

    This Whiskey Caramel Sauce is rich, buttery, and infused with whiskey for a boozy, comforting treat! Add it to baked goods, stir it into coffee, use it to top ice cream, and more! A lovely addition to a St. Patrick's Day treat, and it makes a fantastic gift!

    If you enjoy this recipe, check out the posts for my Apple Upside Down Cake, Apple Shortcake, and Irish Apple Cake!

    Jump to:
    • Ingredients
    • Instructions
    • Ways to Use Whiskey Caramel Sauce
    • Equipment
    • Storage
    • Other Recipes You May Like
    • Whiskey Caramel Sauce
    • 💬 Comments

    Ingredients

    In just a few minutes and with just six ingredients, you'll have a delicious caramel sauce! Measurements for each ingredient are listed in the recipe card, below.

    Top view of Whiskey Caramel Sauce ingredients on a white background.
    • Granulated Sugar - For sweetness, and the main flavor once it caramelizes.
    • Unsalted Butter - For flavor, richness, and to help make the caramel pourable. Unsalted so that you know how much salt you're adding to the recipe.
    • Heavy (Whipping) Cream - For moisture and richness. Helps to make the caramel pourable.
    • Salt - To balance and enhance the flavor of the caramel. If you want it to be a salted caramel, increase the amount of salt to 1.5 teaspoons of a flaky sea salt.
    • Whiskey - For flavor. You can use whatever whiskey you prefer, but there's really no need to use the good stuff. I used an Irish whiskey. For a milder whiskey flavor, you can reduce the amount of whiskey to one tablespoon.
    • Vanilla Bean Paste - For flavor. I love the little black flecks of vanilla bean throughout the caramel. If you prefer, you can substitute with an equal measure of vanilla extract.
     

    Instructions

    Here I'll show you how to make this delicious caramel sauce, step by step! More detailed instructions are included in the recipe card, below.

    Steps to making Whiskey Caramel Sauce.
    1. Pour sugar into saucepan over medium-high heat, whisking as sugar begins to melt.
    2. Continue to whisk as sugar clumps and melts.
    3. Once sugar is melted, stop whisking and let sugar cook to a deep amber color.
    4. Add butter, cream, vanilla bean paste, whiskey, and salt. Mix to combine. **Full instructions in the recipe card, below.**
    Caramel being drizzled from a spoon onto a slice of Irish Apple Cake on a white plate.

    Ways to Use Whiskey Caramel Sauce

    So now you know how to make this boozy caramel sauce, but how do you use it? Here are some ideas for you:

    • Drizzle it over baked goods - This caramel sauce is fantastic drizzled over cookies, cupcakes--you name it! I especially enjoy serving it with my Irish Apple Cake.
    • Pour it over ice cream - So warm and comforting paired with ice cream!
    • Add it to beverages - Add a spoonful of this caramel sauce to your hot coffee, tea, or apple cider!
    • Makes a great gift - In just a few minutes you can have jars of caramel sauce for gifting to family and friends!

    Equipment

    There's really no special equipment necessary to make this recipe. That said, some pretty glass jars make this caramel perfect for gifting!

    Tip: If you'd like to label your jars like I did mine, here is the Canva link to my Whiskey Caramel Sauce labels to get you started!

    A small mason jar of Whiskey Caramel Sauce with a bottle of whiskey and white flowers in the background.

    Storage

    The caramel sauce is best refrigerated since it contains dairy. Storing the caramel in a heatproof container (such as a small glass jar or bowl) will make it easier to reheat as needed.

    Sealed well, the caramel sauce will keep for up to three weeks in the refrigerator, or up to three months in the freezer.

    Other Recipes You May Like

    Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:

    • Apple Shortcake drizzled with salted caramel sauce on a white plate.
      Apple Shortcake
    • Partially eaten slice of Caramel Apple Angel Food Cake on a white plate.
      Caramel Apple Angel Food Cake
    • An apple marshmallow being dipped into a white bowl of salted caramel, with caramel dripping from the marshmallow.
      Caramel Apple Marshmallows
    • Caramel being drizzled from a spoon onto a slice of Irish Apple Cake on a white plate.
      Irish Apple Cake
    A spoon drizzling Whiskey Caramel Sauce into a small clear jar.

    Whiskey Caramel Sauce

    Amee
    This Whiskey Caramel Sauce is rich, buttery, and infused with whiskey for a boozy, comforting treat! Add it to baked goods, stir it into coffee, use it to top ice cream, and more! A lovely addition to a St. Patrick's Day treat, and it makes a fantastic gift!
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 5 minutes mins
    Cook Time 10 minutes mins
    Total Time 15 minutes mins
    Course Dessert
    Cuisine caramel, Food Gifts
    Servings 32 Tablespoons (2 cups)
    Calories 58 kcal

    Equipment

    • pint jars
    Prevent your screen from going dark while you bake!

    Ingredients
     
     

    • 1 cup sugar
    • 6 Tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces, at room temperature
    • ½ cup heavy (whipping) cream
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste (see note)
    • 2 Tablespoons whiskey (see note)
    • pinch salt (see note)

    Instructions
     

    • Pour sugar into a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Whisk, and keep whisking, as sugar melts. It will clump and you'll think you're doing it all wrong. You're not. 🙂
      1 cup sugar
    • Once sugar is melted, stop whisking and let sugar cook until it is deep amber in color. *Carefully* add butter (mixture will bubble!) and whisk to incorporate.
      6 Tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces, at room temperature
    • Remove mixture from the heat. Add cream (carefully!) and whisk until smooth. Add vanilla bean paste (see note), whiskey (see note), and salt (see note) and stir to incorporate. Sauce will thicken as it cools.
      ½ cup heavy (whipping) cream, 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste, 2 Tablespoons whiskey, pinch salt
    • The caramel sauce is best refrigerated since it contains dairy. Storing the caramel in a heatproof container (such as a small glass jar or bowl) will make it easier to reheat as needed.
      Sealed well, the caramel sauce will keep for up to three weeks in the refrigerator, or up to three months in the freezer.
      Enjoy!

    Notes

    Note on vanilla bean paste - I love the little black flecks of vanilla bean throughout the caramel. If you prefer, you can substitute with an equal measure of vanilla extract.
    Note on whiskey - You can use whatever whiskey you prefer, but there's really no need to use the good stuff. I used an Irish whiskey. For a milder whiskey flavor, you can reduce the amount of whiskey to one tablespoon.
    Note on salt - The pinch of salt is to balance and enhance the flavor of the caramel. If you want it to be a salted caramel, increase the amount of salt to 1.5 teaspoons of a flaky sea salt.

    Nutrition Estimate

    Serving: 1 tablespoon caramel sauceCalories: 58kcalCarbohydrates: 6gProtein: 0.1gFat: 3gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.1gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 10mgSodium: 1mgPotassium: 4mgSugar: 6gVitamin A: 120IUVitamin C: 0.02mgCalcium: 3mgIron: 0.01mg

    Nutrition information is provided as a courtesy and is only an estimate.

    Tried this recipe?I'd love to hear all about it! Leave a review below, then snap a pic and tag me on Instagram!
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