This post has been updated for recipe, photos and content since it’s original publication in 2014. It’s as awesome as ever!
If you’re looking for a rich, creamy homemade Southern pecan caramel sauce like no other, you’ve found it. This decadent dessert sauce is quick and easy to make with only 6 ingredients and about 10 minutes of active cook time. Trust me, your ice cream is naked without a spoonful of bourbon caramel sauce with toasted pecans.
Table of Contents
- 1 Why make homemade caramel sauce?
- 2 Ingredients for Southern Bourbon Pecan Caramel Sauce
- 3 Start with the pecans
- 4 How to make bourbon caramel sauce.
- 5 What makes this homemade caramel sauce ‘Southern’?
- 6 Pro-Tips:
- 7 Substitutions and Swaps
- 8 Troubleshooting caramel sauce:
- 9 Southern Bourbon Pecan Caramel Sauce
- 10 Pin “Ultimate Bourbon Pecan Caramel Sauce” for later!
Why make homemade caramel sauce?
My mother used to make homemade caramel sauce for us when I was a kid. I never thought anything of it — until I was at a friend’s house for dinner.
For dessert, her mother brought out a tub of vanilla ice cream and a jar of store-bought caramel.
“Cool!” I thought. We never got the store-bought stuff.
I liberally topped my dish of ice cream and took my first bite with all the anticipation of a kid who’s getting away with something… oh – wow! The taste was so… artificial. Fake. Processed. AWFUL.
How could they call it caramel sauce?
It was nothing like the deep, rich, REAL flavor of my Mom’s homemade. Lesson learned. For the few minutes it takes to make a real Southern caramel sauce, there’s no reason not to make it from scratch.
This bourbon pecan caramel sauce is even a step beyond Mom’s. Embellished with sea salt, spattered with toasted, chopped pecans and finished with a hefty dose of Kentucky bourbon, this is the caramel sauce of your dreams. Pinky swear.
Ingredients for Southern Bourbon Pecan Caramel Sauce
- Pecans
- Sugar
- Light Corn Syrup
- Heavy Cream
- Fine Sea Salt
- Bourbon
This caramel sauce comes together quickly, so before you begin making it, it’s important to have all of your ingredients prepped, measured and ready to go.
That’s because the transmogrification (transitioning from a solid {sugar} to a liquid {caramel}) occurs rapidly and you need to pay attention so it doesn’t burn.
Watch the video to see for yourself… you don’t want to be toasting nuts while that’s happening.
Start with the pecans
To bring out the full flavor of the pecans and give them a satisfying crunch, you need to toast them.
- Spread the pecans on a rimmed baking sheet and transfer to a preheated 325° oven for 8-12 minutes or until the nuts are fragrant and browned.
- Roughly chop the nuts and keep them at the ready. They’re the last thing you add to the bourbon caramel sauce, but the first thing to prep.
The process of making caramel sauce from scratch only takes about 10 minutes total, which makes it an easy dessert topping, but definitely one that stands out from the crowd.
How to make bourbon caramel sauce.
- Heat a heavy, medium sized skillet over medium high heat.
- Add the sugar and corn syrup. Don’t stir.
- Let the sugar begin to melt on its own without touching it. The sugar crystals that are in contact with the pan will start to dissolve and caramelize. Let it cook for a minute or two before stirring.
- Continue to cook until all of the sugar has dissolved and the color of the caramel is deep, tawny and burnished. (Add the heavy cream to the center of the pan. It will bubble furiously. Stir with a wooden spoon until the caramel sauce is evenly combined and smooth.
- Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the bourbon, sea salt and chopped pecans to the caramel sauce.
- I know it’s tempting to take a taste right now, but don’t. It’s HOT. Like “lava-hot”.
- Transfer to a storage container (I like to use a glass jar with a screw on lid) and let cool to room temperature. Once cooled, you can store the bourbon caramel in the refrigerator.
What makes this homemade caramel sauce ‘Southern’?
It’s definitely the Kentucky bourbon and the pecans.
Kentucky Bourbon
95% of bourbon is distilled in the Bluegrass state, so they know a thing or two about this exceptional liquor. This article by Today describes what makes real Kentucky bourbon special.
While good bourbon is a delight in a cocktail, it can elevate desserts to a whole new (sophisticated) level.
Pecans
The state of Georgia produces nearly 1/3 of the world’s pecans annually,
Though they are grown in a multitude of Midwestern and Southern states from Florida to Missouri and New Mexico to North Carolina, this maple-scented nut is grown in 13 states and the U.S. is responsible for 80% of the world’s pecan supply.
I’m not saying that pecan caramel sauce is a health food, but pecans are a nutritional powerhouse. They’re heart healthy, boost immunity and have anti-inflammatory benefits.
Difference between sea salt, kosher and iodized
I call for fine sea salt in this recipe because it’s softer and less harsh than other salts.
Sea salt is less processed because it literally comes from dehydrated sea water. The flakes are uneven, and the color isn’t pristine white.
In fact, it can be gray, or sandy colored, depending on where it’s harvested. I used sea salt for this recipe and it gives a pert saltiness with no aftertaste. This recipe doesn’t use a lot of sea salt, but the impact is noticeable.
If you don’t have sea salt, you can substitute kosher salt (preferably Diamond brand). Morton and Diamond brands have equal saltiness by weight, however if you’re using traditional measuring spoons, Morton will measure out more salt than Diamond. If using Morton, use half the amount of salt.
Avoid using iodized table salt in this bourbon caramel recipe.
Pro-Tips:
- Caramelized sugar is like molten lava — hotter than hell. Do not touch it with your fingers, hands and definitely NOT YOUR MOUTH.) No matter how much you want to taste, let it cool first.
- Make sure your little kids are NOT IN THE KITCHEN when you’re making this sauce — you don’t want anything distracting you — and you definitely don’t want them getting hurt.
- Caramel sauce will harden as it chills. To make it soft and spoonable, microwave the sauce for 20-30 seconds before serving.
- Cleaning the pot can be a bit of a pain, because the sugar has melted and fused to it. To make it easier, fill the pot with warm water and place it on the stove over high heat. As the water heats, the stuck on caramel lifts away.
Substitutions and Swaps
- You can use other types of liquor in place of the bourbon. Try it with rum, whiskey or cognac.
- Use different types of nuts like slivered toasted almonds, pistachios, walnuts or macadamia nuts.
Brainstorming flavor combos
Once you feel comfortable making the caramel sauce, there’s no reason you can’t come up with some other fun and tasty combos. How about rum and macadamia nut? Frangelico and hazelnuts? Amaretto and almonds?
Troubleshooting caramel sauce:
A reader has been struggling with making homemade caramel sauce (not just my recipe, but many, many others. In case you’re in the same boat, ask yourself these questions.
- What type of stovetop do you have (gas, electric, induction)? Does it run hot or behave inconsistently in any way? Mine is a gas cooktop and it runs very hot, so I have to watch it very closely. Electric stoves may take a bit longer to melt the caramel and induction cooktops tend to heat more quickly. Know your equipment and anticipate its tendencies.
- What type of pan are you using? I recommend a really sturdy, heavy-duty saucepan. (I use All Clad), but Calphalon or other heavy bottomed skillets work well too. A heavy pan will hold the heat in at a more even temperature, so the sugar will dissolve more evenly and is less likely to develop hot spots that can start the sugar burning.
- When you add the sugar to the pan, the key is to NOT TOUCH IT for a few minutes. Let the sugar sit in the pan for several minutes, so that it begins to melt and caramelize. When you finally stir it, half of the sugar will already be caramelized.
- It’s ok if the caramelized sugar gets a little dark (that’s not necessarily burnt — and in fact, makes it really intense and delicious sauce).
- If the sugar is truly burning, remove the pan from the heat for 30 seconds to a minute (so that you don’t continue to cook it over the heat) and give the pan a few assertive shakes back and forth. This will cool the caramel a bit from the ambient air and keep the sauce moving so no one spot will burn.
- My reader said she had “wrecked” her pan with the burnt sugar… I know it might seem that way, but if you add 1-2 cups of water to the pan and bring it to a boil, the burnt on sugar will dissolve into the water and make it easy to clean.
What to serve with bourbon pecan caramel sauce:
- Vanilla, Maple, Butter Pecan or Peach Ice Cream
- Plain cheesecake
- Baked apples
- Baked pears
- Apple turnovers
More dessert sauces you might like on your ice cream:
- Balsamic Caramel Dessert Sauce – delicious with strawberries and ice cream.
- White Chocolate Peppermint Magic Shell – with real bits of peppermint stick.
- Dark Chocolate Mint Sauce – rich and fudgy with a bright mint finish.
- Espresso Fudge Sauce – my grandmother’s recipe. So thick it’s almost like pudding.
- Spiced Cider Rum Sauce – this one is great for fall made with an apple cider reduction.
- Luscious Stout Caramel Sauce – if you have a can of Guinness in the fridge, make this one.
Southern Bourbon Pecan Caramel Sauce
INGREDIENTS:
- ½ cup pecans
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 tablespoon light corn syrup
- ¾ cup heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt or kosher salt
- 3 tablespoons bourbon
DIRECTIONS:
- Preheat oven to 325º. Place pecans on a baking sheet and toast for 10-12 minutes until browned and fragrant. Transfer pecans to a cutting board and roughly chop. Set aside.
- Have all your ingredients and utensils close to the stove and pre-measured before you start.
- Place a medium saucepan over medium to medium high heat on the stove (if your stove runs hot, use medium, if it's true to temperature heat to medium high). Add sugar and corn syrup. No need to stir immediately.
- Bring mixture to a rolling boil and watching the sugar mixture deepen in color. It will go from a light corn-syrup color, to light brown to amber. The change between light brown and amber is quick. Be ready for it.
- When it achieves a deep brown (not burnt) color, pour the cream into the center of the pan. It will steam and bubble vigorously — that's ok. Stir until the sauce is smooth and well blended.
- Remove the pan from the heat. Stir in the bourbon, sea salt and chopped pecans. Let it cool for about 10 minutes. Transfer to a storage container with a tight fitting lid and refrigerate.
- Sauce will thicken as it chills. To serve, microwave the sauce for about 20-30 seconds, then spoon over ice cream, cheesecake, or apple pie.
- Makes about 1 1/2 cups of pecan caramel sauce.
What could I substitute (non-alcoholic) for the bourbon? This sauce sounds amazing!
Can you put this on top of a cheesecake?
Yes! Would be delicious!
Hi! I was wondering, I’ve made caramel before and it has butter, why does this recipe doesn’t have butter? Is it for shelf life? Thank you!
Hi there!
I’ve read through all the comments to try to find an answer but couldn’t find a 100% answer.
I want to make this caramel recipe, but would I be able to sub the bourbon for a dark 60 proof rum?
Hoping to hear from you soon!
Absolutely, you can!
I can’t wait to try this. Picking up pecans this week. For those asking about canning – you should never home can/process recipes with dairy. The fat in the dairy encapsulate bacteria, including bacteria that cause botulism, and protect them from the high temps that normally kill those bacteria. Stay safe!
Thank you so much! I just started canning and this is a great tip.
Oh my goodness this is goooooood!!!!! I just made this sauce as a filling for a cake, but my husband and I are definitely eating this by the spoonful! I have had mixed results with caramel in the past, and probably have more caramel fails than successes, but this recipe worked wonderfully! I will definitely be making this again!!!
Ok! I did it with heavy cream and it was delicious, the only thing is that the first time I did it it formed a big ball of caramel and it didn’t dissolve when I added the cream. The second one was better but still a small ball of hard caramel formed, I got a good batch but with that solid ball on my whisk. What did I do wrong? Thanks!!!
I don’t think you did anything wrong. If all of the caramel doesn’t dissolve, you can return the caramel to the heat and whisk constantly until it does. Sometimes caramel can be persnickety, but I’ve found the more you make it, the more intuitive the process becomes. If there is a lump of hard caramel, you could also strain it out.
I’ve added a troubleshooting section in the post to help with that.
Hi! Can I use evaporated milk instead of heavy cream?
No, that won’t work. Save the recipe until you can get the cream.
Can this be canned? If so how long would it last?
I’ve never canned it because we eat it so quickly. If you’re using traditional canning methods, I would think it would keep for a year.
Hi!
I love this recipe, color looks perfect, i need to do a « Poutine « cake soon, for wife’s birthday, i will not put the pecan this Time, Will do it again.
How can this be stored? I am wanting to make it for Christmas gifts, so how do you store it and for how long will it keep?
Store it in the refrigerator with a tight fitting lid. (If you’re a canner – you could can it and store it in the pantry). Refrigerated it will hold up for 2-3 weeks. So if you’re gifting it, (not canned), let your recipients know to keep it refrigerated and use it soon. Best when warmed up before spooning over ice cream or pie, even baked apples or pears.
Made this for our Fathers day get together to pour over our dessert and boy you weren’t kidding when you say the color changes fast! In the 10 seconds it took for me to reach for the cream and pour it in – it went from perfect to burnt! Thought I could maybe salvage it but the burnt flavor was too strong. Thankfully I had just enough cream left to try another batch and this time I got it right! It’s the perfect consistancy, color and the taste….the only reason I held off tasting it was the fact I like a non-burned mouth lol. When it cooled down enough I dipped a spoon in it and licked it clean….walked away and a few minutes later grabbed another spoon and dipped that in. I had to force myself to stop so I would have enough left to bring lol. And for those that don’t like the idea of corn syrup – what you buy in the grocery store is not the same as the corn syrup used in processing plants, and that small amount is almost crucial to keep the caramel from crystalizing. It’s sugar in a liquid form and it will keep the sugar crystals from developing and ruining the caramel.