This silky smooth Vegan Caramel Sauce is easy to make with just two ingredients! Rich, sweet, and decadent, it’s the perfect sauce to drizzle over vegan ice cream or apple pie. Or try dipping apple slices in it! The possibilities are endless.
Searching for more sweet vegan sauces? Check out my Vegan Hot Fudge, Vegan Lemon Curd, Strawberry Sauce, and Vegan Chocolate Ganache recipes as well.
Hello, dreamy, creamy Vegan Caramel. This incredibly sweet and easy sauce takes 10 minutes to stir together using just 2 ingredients: coconut cream and brown sugar! It comes together like magic before your eyes.
Once it’s looking luscious and silky smooth, you can drizzle this perfect vegan caramel sauce over a bowl of Vegan Ice Cream, homemade Vegan Apple Crisp, my Caramel Skillet Cookie, and any other vegan dessert recipes that could use a caramel twist.
Don’t forget to try my salty and sweet Vegan Salted Caramel recipe, too. It’s made in a more traditional way on the stovetop and is a bit more difficult, but is still fairly simple. You can’t go wrong with either in my opinion, but if you don’t love coconut, you may want to use that recipe instead (leave out the salt if you don’t want salted caramel).
Why this is the best vegan caramel sauce
- Only two ingredients! Coconut cream and brown sugar are all you need for homemade vegan caramel. Or, customize the flavor with a pinch of salt, cinnamon, and other add-ins.
- A 10-minute recipe – Heat the two ingredients in a pot on the stove and in 10 minutes, you have a perfectly thick and creamy caramel sauce.
- Delicious caramel – I really used to love caramel and while I have nothing against the “healthy” versions made with dates or maple syrup, this sweet and luscious recipe instantly curbs my cravings.
How to make vegan caramel
Find the complete recipe with measurements in the recipe card below.
Add the coconut cream and brown sugar to a small pot and heat over medium-high heat on the stove, stirring constantly. When the mixture begins to bubble and foam, lower the heat to a simmer and stir frequently for about 5-10 minutes.
Customize the flavor by stirring in a pinch of salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, or vanilla bean paste while the caramel is simmering.
Take the pot off the heat. Use the caramel right away or transfer it to a glass container and let it cool. Enjoy!
Pro tip: The caramel thickens considerably as it cools. To loosen the consistency, place it on the kitchen counter or zap it in the microwave for 30 seconds. Give it a good stir, then enjoy.
Serving suggestions
There are so many ways to use vegan caramel, such as:
- It’s one of the best vegan ice cream toppings ever!
- Drizzle it over apple pie, apple crisp, apple cake, apple crumble, or apple muffins. You can even use it in my Apple Upside Down Cake.
- Or, keep it simple by using it as a sweet dip for apple slices.
- Use it as a cake or cupcake filling.
- Drizzle it over my Vegan Salted Caramel Skillet Cookie.
- It gives my Vegan Caramel Monkey Bread a glistening and sweet touch.
- Eat it by the spoonful right out of the pot. I won’t judge!
Frequently asked questions
Butter and/or heavy cream are sometimes added to caramel for a glossy look and rich mouthfeel, so usually, no, caramel is not vegan. The good news is that dairy isn’t what makes caramel caramel, and you can make a delicious dairy free version.
This vegan caramel recipe uses brown sugar as the main ingredient, while some coconut cream gives it a nice richness.
Yes, you can use canned full-fat coconut milk if you can’t find canned coconut cream. Simply scoop out the thick white part at the top and leave the liquid in the can (save it for a vegan curry or potato soup).
This recipe makes about 1 1/4 cups of caramel.
The leftover caramel will keep for up to 1 week when stored in an airtight glass container in the refrigerator. Give it a good stir before serving or reheat it in 30-second intervals in the microwave until it’s smooth again.
Yes! The caramel freezes well for about 1 month. Let the leftovers thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating them in the microwave and serving.
Vegan Caramel
Ingredients
- 1 cup coconut cream
- 3/4 cup brown sugar
- optional: pinch of salt
Instructions
- In a small pan or pot, add the coconut cream and brown sugar. Heat over medium-high heat, stirring constantly while the coconut cream melts. The mixture will get bubbly and almost foamy. Lower the heat to a simmer and stir frequently for about 5-10 minutes. If you want salted caramel, add a pinch of salt, or more to taste.
- Remove from heat. The caramel can be used immediately, or let it cool and it will thicken considerably. Each time you go to use it, give it a good stir. Store leftover caramel in a covered glass container in the refrigerator for about a week.
Video
Notes
- I like to buy canned coconut cream for this recipe, but if you can’t find it you can use full fat coconut milk. Simply scoop out the thick white part, and leave the liquid in the can. You might need a few cans of full fat coconut milk to get enough cream.
- May sub coconut sugar for brown sugar if desired, but I prefer brown sugar.
- It will be quite thick after refrigerating. Simply microwave or heat in a pan and stir until it thins a bit, as desired.
This was absolutely delicious and just as easy as it sounded! I cooked mine for longer so it would harden more because I used it as a filling in the center of cookies, and everybody loved the caramel and didn’t guess it was dairy free! Also I used coconut sugar 🙂
I’m so glad you loved the caramel sauce! Thank you for sharing your review and comments!
It’s good. It does taste like coconut caramel to me, but I don’t mind that. I do tend to taste things more than other people, though.
Thank for sharing your review! I’m glad you liked the sauce!
Easy, excellent, and not too coconutty.
Thank you!
I’m glad you loved it! Thanks for sharing your review!
Is there enough in the can of coconut cream (1 cup) or does it require more cans to get the 1 cup?
There should be enough in one can, there always is for me. Thanks!
I’m wondering how strong the coconut taste is? I’m new to vegan baking and cooking.
I don’t feel like it really tastes like coconut at all, but maybe just slightly. Hope you enjoy it!
Can you substitute tapioca flour for the cornstarch?
I think that might make it have a strange texture actually, like weirdly stretchy for caramel.
Cannot wait to try , so simple.
Thanks Susan. Let me know how it goes for you! Happy cooking!
How long do you think this would be good/last refrigerated?
I think maybe 5 days in the refrigerator, perhaps a little longer.
Delicious, i added extra cornstarch because i need a thicker sauce for cake decorating. i ran it through a sieve to ensure a smooth caramel.
Hi Kyla. I’m so glad you like it. Thank you!
I just made the sauce, and it’s outstanding! I’m wondering if anyone has used the sauce to make turtles. I was thinking toast pecans, let sauce and pecans cool, then drop sauce on clusters of pecans, refrigerate, then coat in dark chocolate. Would that work? Thanks for the great recipe and any feedback!
I haven’t tried it, but I do think it would work!
What brown sugar is best… Soft brown sugar or Demerara?
Soft brown sugar.
What would be your recommendation for a cornstarch substitute? My daughter is allergic to corn. Arrowroot?
Yeah, I think arrowroot will work, though I haven’t tried it myself.
Would potato starch work equally well?
I haven’t tried it, so I’m not sure what it would do to the texture.
Delicious! I made a couple of mistakes but it turned out great.
I picked up coconut milk, but still used it in same quantity. It was thin, but instead of simmer I boiled it. This reduced the mix to about half. As it became thicker I tested it ice water until it made a soft-firm ball stage.
Will it have a strong coconut flavor?
No, it does not have a strong coconut flavor.
I never made caramel sauce before, this came out beautifully. Very easy to make.
Thank you!
I ate this with the salted caramel skillet cookie and it was amazing! Thank you ?
Hey there I’m going to try this tomorrow. Was wondering if the coconut cream is unsweetened?
Yes, it is unsweetened from a can.
This is so easy and SO delicious! Thank you!
Yummy! Do you think it would freeze well?
I think it would, though you’d just have to warm it and stir to make it smooth again. Thank you!
As a person who LOVES caramel I have been unfortunate to find any vegan caramel. However, I was able to find it once and did not buy it and I regret it, so ever since then I have been on the hunt for vegan caramel to no avail. I looked up recipes and I came across this fun and simple one. I gave it a try and it was super easy to make and the outcome was very delish!!!! Thank You for this amazing recipe and reviving my caramel dreams. Would definitely recommend!!
You’re so welcome! So glad it was good!
Has anybody used this in their iced coffee? Just wondering if it worked good. Tia
I have the same question, did you try it?
I tried it today, and the caramel immediately hardened when I tried to drizzle it into my iced coffee. However, you can just blend it into your coffee mixture instead, for a smooth and delicious result.
Can coconut oil be subbed!
I’ve never tried it so I don’t know, but I don’t really think it will work the same.
OMG!!! So I just tried this with some Granny Smith apples and it is AMAZING! We topped it off with pecans. It’s nice, rich, and sweet but not overly sweet. This is my new sub for ice cream and all things fruit!
Very easy an unbelievably good!
Omg delicious!!!!
Do you think this would work for caramel apples?
It might, but I’m not sure! I’ll have to try it sometime. I’m pretty sure it would, and it should harden quite a bit in the refrigerator.