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Butterscotch Sauce is an easy way to elevate any dessert! It’s made with 5 simple ingredients and comes together in about 10 minutes. Spoon it warm over ice cream sundaes, or let it cool and use it as a filling or topping for cakes, cheesecakes, cookies, and frosting!
Why you’ll love this Easy Homemade Butterscotch Sauce:
- Easy Recipe – This recipe is incredibly easy (10 minutes and 5 ingredients easy!) and elevates any dessert – store bought or homemade. Bonus – you don’t even need a candy thermometer!
- Delicious Dessert – Homemade butterscotch is a silky, luscious dessert sauce that tastes heavenly!
- Homemade Gift – Jars of homemade butterscotch sauce make an easy yet lovely holiday gift! Jar it up and pop on a ribbon before gifting to teachers, friends, neighbors, and more!
Ingredient Overview:
As always, the full recipe with measurements & directions can be found in the recipe card at the bottom of this post. Use the table of contents (back at the top, below the first image, to navigate).
- Butter – I always use salted buter because in my experience, it lends the best flavor, but feel free to use unsalted butter if that’s what you prefer.
- Dark Brown Sugar – Use dark brown sugar for the best flavor! It also has more moisture than light brown sugar (thanks to the addition of molasses) which helps prevent crystallization or a grainy sauce.
- Heavy Cream – This is also called heavy whipping cream.
- Cream of Tartar – This helps prevent the sauce from becoming grainy.
- Salt – A pinch of salt balances the sweetness and enhances the flavor!
- Vanilla – Use real vanilla extract for best results.
Recipe Substitutions & Variations:
- Gluten-free – This recipe is gluten-free as written!
- Dairy-free – Use your favorite, trusted, dairy-free butter & heavy cream.
How to Make Easy Butterscotch Sauce:
Step 1: Begin the Sauce. Melt butter in a medium saucepan. Stir in a little cream of tartar dissolved in water. This prevents the sauce from becoming grainy while the sugar dissolves! Then, stir in the dark brown sugar.
Step 2: Add Cream. Stir in the heavy cream next, until it’s fully combined.
Step 3: Boil. Bring the mixture to a boil, and let it boil for 5 minutes. Do not touch or stir it during this time.
Step 4: Finish. Stir in a pinch of sea salt & a splash of vanilla.
Serving + Storing:
Let the sauce cool to room temperature before using in another recipe, like as a cake filling in my Butterscotch Cake or Chocolate Cupcakes. You can also drizzle it warm over ice cream! Store leftovers in an airtight container (I like a jar with a lid) in the fridge for 1-2 weeks.
Expert Baking Tips:
- Kitchen Scale – A food scale is the best way to make sure your flour is at the proper weight, since amounts will vary SO widely based on how you measure it, as well as the measuring cup you use, as they are not standardized.
FAQs:
If you follow the recipe, it shouldn’t turn grainy! This is likely caused by stirring the mixture while it’s boiling, or skipping the cream of tartar.
Cream of tartar is acidic, and anything acidic will help stop the sugar from crystallizing, which makes a grainy butterscotch sauce. Some people also use corn syrup to prevent crystallization.
They are similar but have a few key differences. Butterscotch is made with brown sugar, while Salted Caramel Sauce is made with white sugar. The cooking methods are different for each, and they have different flavors.
Recipes to use Butterscotch Sauce with:
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10-Minute Salted Butterscotch Sauce
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup salted butter, 113 grams
- 1/8 tsp cream of tartar
- 1/2 tsp water
- 1 cup dark brown sugar, packed, 220 grams
- 1 cup heavy cream, 240 grams
- pinch of salt
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Make the Butterscotch Sauce: Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. In a small bowl, stir the cream of tartar into the water to dissolve. Stir this into the melted butter, then stir in the brown sugar. Then, stir in the heavy cream until fully combined. Let the mixture come to a boil and let it boil for 5 minutes. Do not stir it at all while it's reaching a boil or while it's boiling for 5 minutes. When the time is up, remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla and a generous pinch of flaky sea salt (to taste).1/2 cup salted butter, 1/8 tsp cream of tartar, 1/2 tsp water, 1 cup dark brown sugar, packed, 1 cup heavy cream, pinch of salt, 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- Serve & Store: Transfer to a jar or bowl to cool completely before storing. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for 2 weeks or so. Gently microwave to reheat as desired, or use from cold as a cake filling.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
So good and easy. I use it for a dip for fruit!
So glad to hear you enjoyed this recipe, Maddie!