Old-School Creamy Caramels

Name: Old-School Creamy Caramels
Prep time: 35 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 5 h 20 min
Yield: 80 servings
Ingredients: 2 cups granulated sugar; 1 cup packed light brown sugar; 1/2 cup unsalted butter; 2/3 cup light corn syrup; 1/4 tsp salt; 1 cup whole milk slowly added; Optional twist: replace milk with 1 cup canned coconut cream

By Emma

Certified Culinary Professional

Published on 24 January 2026 • Recipe tested & approved

Sugars, butter, and heavy syrup band together for a rich, creamy caramel. Milk added ever so slowly while boiling, stirring constantly to keep that luscious texture. Hit 238°F on the candy thermometer; that critical soft-ball stage. Pour out, let cool for hours, then slice. Wrapped in wax paper makes neat bites. Can swap milk with coconut cream for a hint of tropical twist. Watch for overheating or milk lumps—slow additions key. Sounds crackling, aromas warming the kitchen, the glossy pull of finished caramel. Makes around 80 small squares. Classic texture, not too firm, melts in your mouth. Experience and timing beats strict measures. Best when sliced with a cold, wet knife, no sticky mess.

Prep: 35 min

Cook: 45 min

Total: 5h 20min

Servings: 80 servings

#candy making #caramels #traditional recipes #American candy #slow cooking

When caramel’s right, it’s an ambrosia experience. Too fast adding milk? Grainy disaster. Miss your thermometer temp? Either gooey mess or hard slab. Years cooking these taught more feel than clocks. Sugars melting, butter blending into molten velvet on the stove, the hum of boiling syrup just right. Milk comes in slow like a whisper, stirring like a mantra until things thicken. That 238-degree moment is golden — literally and figuratively. Pouring thick goo into the pan, then waiting hours for the magic. Finally, slicing with a blade chilled by cold water makes for squares that don’t stick and tear. Tried coconut cream as a switch; interesting twist adds richness and a whisper of tropics. Keeps old-school texture but deeper flavor. You get about eighty bite-sized caramels worth patience and fuss. This ain’t a quick candy fix; it’s a craft, a lesson, an event.

Ingredients

2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup unsalted butter
2/3 cup light corn syrup
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup whole milk slowly added
Optional twist: replace milk with 1 cup canned coconut cream

About the ingredients

Sugars are your base: combine brown and white for depth and chewiness balance. Butter must be unsalted so you control salt levels yourself; salted butter yields uneven saltiness. Corn syrup keeps sugar crystals from forming that gritty crunch you don’t want—if you lack corn syrup, substitute with glucose syrup or a thick honey, noting slight flavor shifts. Milk’s crucial—whole milk adds fat and creaminess; adding too fast loses heat, invites lumps and grain. For a different angle, swap milk with canned coconut cream. More fat, tropical notes, tougher to boil without scorching, so slow and careful on heat. Salt evenly distributes, don’t skimp. Line your pan with parchment or heavy foil for easy removal; buttering alone is slippery and causes tearing. Clean pan edges means straight, clean-cut caramels. Keep knife wet to prevent sticky mess while slicing. Air-tight storing is a must; moisture softens or hardens caramels over time. Avoid plastic wraps that cling in sticky lumps.

Method

Line a 9×13-inch pan with parchment paper pressing firmly to get corners clean.
Combine sugars, butter, corn syrup, salt in heavy-bottomed saucepan. Start over medium heat. Stir frequently. Butter melting first telltale sound and shine. When it boils, bubble noise steady, move fast here.
Now the tricky part—add milk drop by drop, whisking nonstop. Boil must keep rolling, no slowing or else grainy caramel soon. Expect this slow dance to take about 21 minutes; you’ll see a thickening, almost velvety viscosity.
Turn heat down to medium-low. Clip candy thermometer spoon-side. Stir every 30 seconds to avoid scorching. When temp hits 238°F (soft-ball stage), pull from heat immediately. That temperature gives chewy but soft bite.
Pour immediately into prepared pan—thick liquid glossy, swirls of caramel color. Let sit at room temp for 4 to 5 hours undisturbed. Patience here is non-negotiable.
Use a sharp knife dipped in cold water to slice. Cut 10 rows across, 8 lengthwise or your desired chunk size. Cold water keeps knife fettling neat edges instead of messy drag.
Wrap each square with wax paper or candy wrappers. Store in airtight container room temp, lasts multiple days but rarely last that long.

Cooking tips

Don’t rush caramel’s boil; heavy-bottomed pan essential to avoid hot spots and burning. Early melt stage makes a lot of noise and foam, don’t stray or sugar will scorch. Adding milk is the make-or-break: dribble slow, whisk fast — boil must keep a steady roar. Milk too fast cools syrup; grainy sugar crash guaranteed. Watch visual cues: mellow whip-like texture, thickening that coats spoon. 238°F on candy thermometer is gold standard for soft-ball stage but trust senses too — glossy thick syrup that stretches but won’t break too firm. Pour out immediately, bubbles forming, caramel deep amber, swirling shiny surface. Cooling patiently at room temp allows caramel matrix to set slowly—no fridge or warm spots, else cracks or sticky mess. Knife coated with cold water slides smoothly. Slicing evenly makes storage easier and wrapping neater. Wax paper squares prevent sticking and keep freshness. Avoid overheating; beyond 238°F get hard brittle candy, miss it softer, gooey nightmare. Stirring constant but gentle—no scraping pan bottom aggressively to avoid crystal interference. The sounds, smells, and textures tell your progress better than clocks.

Chef's notes

💡 Start with sugars and butter melting low-medium flame; watch closely. Butter melting sound signals phase change. When bubbling steadies, increase speed but no splashes. Stir often; early foam is normal but don’t stray or burning happens fast. Corn syrup prevents crystals—massive help. Skip if you can’t, but expect gritty texture or try glucose syrup or honey.
💡 Milk addition is critical: dribble tiny drops, whisk nonstop. Boil must roar, not fade. Fast milk kills heat; lumps form instantly. Be patient, 20+ minutes stirring. Texture changes: from thin syrup to thick veil coating spoon. If you lose this, start over—grain alert. Thermometer helps but feel and look matter more. Watch for mellow whipping texture before temp hits.
💡 Candy thermometer placement key: clip spoon-side, avoid pan bottom contact to prevent false temps. Keep stirring every 30 seconds gently, no scraping pan bottom hard or crystals form. When thermometer reads 238°F, yank pan immediately; too far, candy snaps hard. Pull early, stays too soft and gooey. This stage gets chewy but not brittle bite—balance is fragile here.
💡 Pour thick caramel glossy liquid into parchment-lined pan right away; bubbles still visible swirling amber hues. No delays; caramel sets from temperature drop and cooling affects texture. Leave undisturbed room temp 4–5 hours minimum. Fridge or heat ruins structure—crack or sticky mess ensues. Patience rewards. Knife dipped cold water cuts cleaner; keeps edges sharp, no dragging or tearing candy surfaces.
💡 Substitutions viable but tricky. Coconut cream fattier, adds tropical note, but burns easier; reduce heat slightly, stir more often. Glucose syrup or honey replace corn syrup, affects sweetness and chew slightly. Butter must be unsalted for control; salted versions produce uneven saltiness spikes. Salt evenly dispersed before starting. Don’t skip parchment lining; slipping and tearing from butter alone leads to uneven squares and frustration.

Common questions

Why add milk so slowly?

Heat balance, milk cools sugar mixture instantly. Fast addition causes lumps, breaking caramel structure. Whisk always, keep boil rolling. No boil means grittiness sets. Milk's fat content also matters. Whole milk adds smoothness; lower fat risks grainy, watery caramel.

Can I skip corn syrup?

Technically yes but expect grainy results. Corn syrup prevents sugar crystallizing. Alternatives glucose syrup or thick honey work but flavor shifts. Without syrup, careful stir—no scraping pan. Adds chew and keeps glossy finish too. Experiment but expect texture changes.

What if thermometer misses 238°F?

Overheat past 238 means brittle candy, snap hard. Under 238 results in too soft, gooey squares that don’t hold shape. Visual cues help—thick syrup coats spoon, pulls shiny ribbons, slight stretch but doesn't break easy. Timing tricks, tactile feel key with experience.

How to store leftovers?

Airtight container keeps freshness, warmth or fridge messes texture. Avoid plastic cling wrap; moisture causes sticky lumps. Wax paper wrapped squares best bet—prevents sticking. Room temp stable for days but expect softening or toughening over time. Freezing not recommended; condensation melts surface.