Easy dairy-free paleo vegan salted caramel made with just a few ingredients. This simple recipe is perfect for drizzling on ice cream, bars and brownies, and more!
I’ve been making this easy homemade caramel recipe for years, and for great reasons!
Made with a few basic ingredients, it is both fun and easy to make.
It is light on dairy (or dairy-free), refined sugar-free, contains less sugar than regular caramel, and makes an amazing dip or topping.
I first made the recipe back in 2014 when I was eating a paleo diet. While I no longer eat paleo, I still love the rich, buttery, perfectly sweet flavor of this easy caramel sauce. I also love that folks with dietary restrictions can easily enjoy it!
Whip it up to drizzle over ice cream, as seen in my Dulce de Leche Ice Cream Recipe. Use it for drizzling over cakes, cupcakes, brownies, and more!
How is Caramel Made?
Typically, caramel (or dulce de leche) is made by slow cooking heavy cream or condensed milk with cane sugar until it thickens up.
While delicious, many people have a difficult time processing high (or even small) amounts of dairy and refined sugar.
Ingredients for Dairy-Free Salted Caramel:
This dairy-free salted caramel is made with just a few simple ingredients. Full-fat canned coconut milk, coconut sugar, sea salt, vegan butter spread (or regular butter if you aren’t dairy-free), and a little vanilla extract.
Coconut milk and coconut sugar are what replace heavy cream/milk and refined cane sugar in traditional caramel.
You can easily make vegan caramel by using vegan “butter” spread. I like using regular butter for a dairy-light version to get that classic creamy flavor.
You can also substitute a portion of the coconut sugar for pure maple syrup if you enjoy a nice maple flavor to your caramel.
I like using all coconut sugar for sweetening the caramel because coconut sugar itself has a natural caramel-y flavor. I based this recipe on Faith Gorsky’s Salted Coconut Caramel Sauce, so be sure to check out her version as well.
Without further ado, here is how to make healthy salted caramel.
How to Make Paleo Salted Caramel:
Whisk together the coconut milk and coconut sugar in a large saucepan. I find using a large pan/skillet versus a pot works really well because the surface area allows the moisture to evaporate easier for optimal caramel thickening.
Heat over medium-high heat and bring to a full boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat slightly so that the caramel mixture continue to cook at a full, but managed, boil.
Whisk frequently to avoid the coconut milk from clumping up. While coconut milk doesn’t burn as easily as heavy cream, it does clump and separate if you allow it to boil at too high a temperature without whisking.
Continue cooking and whisking until caramel is deep brown and has thickened quite a bit, about 10 to 15 minutes.
Whisk in the butter, vanilla extract, and salt. Remove caramel from heat and allow it to cool to room temperature. It will become even thicker as it cools.
Transfer caramel to a sealable container or airtight container and refrigerate until ready to use (or use immediately). You can store the caramel in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to three weeks.
Additional Tips:
- Use quality full-fat coconut milk from a reputable brand. My favorite brand of full-fat canned coconut milk is Native Forest.
- Be sure to use sea salt, rather than regular iodized table salt, or the caramel will turn out much saltier. If using iodized salt, start with 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon and add more to taste.
- You can add a small amount of cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom, and cloves to the saucepan at the same time you add the coconut milk and coconut sugar in order to make a chai/pumpkin spice flavored caramel. Also add a small amount of apple cider at the beginning of cooking for a cider-flavored caramel.
- Replace up to half of the coconut sugar with pure maple syrup or agave nectar if desired.
- Omit the butter or replace it with vegan “butter” spread in order to keep this recipe vegan. You can also use unsalted butter and add a small amount more sea salt.
- Use your paleo salted caramel for drizzling on ice cream, crepes, cakes, or other desserts, for caramel macchiatos (or lattes), as a dip for apples, etc.
Get that dairy-free caramel! Drop a comment below letting me know how you use it!
Paleo Salted Caramel
Ingredients
- 1 14-ounce can full-fat coconut milk
- 1/2 cup coconut sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon to 1/2 sea salt to taste
- 1 1/2 tablespoons vegan butter spread or regular butter
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- Add the coconut milk and coconut sugar to a large saucepan and whisk over medium-high heat. Bring mixture to a full boil, then reduce the heat slightly to allow the mixture to continue to cook at a managed boil. Be sure to whisk frequently (or constantly) to avoid the coconut milk from separating or clumping up.
- Cook and whisk until caramel has thickened and is one half to one third of its original volume, about 10 to 15 minutes.
- Remove from heat and whisk in the salt, butter, and pure vanilla extract. Allow caramel to cool to room temperature. Note that the caramel will continue to thicken as it cools off. Transfer to glass jar, seal, and refrigerate until ready to use. Caramel can be stored in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks.
Hi, it looks really yummy! Do you know if it would work without the butter? Substitutes? We have allergy issues. Thanks!