Free Printable: Low Carb & Keto Food List
Get It Now- Why You’ll Love This Homemade Keto Caramel Sauce Recipe
- Ingredients & Substitutions
- How To Make Sugar Free Caramel Syrup
- Tips For The Best Sugar Free Caramel Sauce
- Storage Instructions
- What To Serve With Sugar Free Caramel Syrup
- More Sugar Free Toppings
- Recommended Tools
- Sugar Free Caramel Syrup & Sauce (Keto!) Recipe card
- Recipe Reviews
Making your own sugar free caramel syrup (a.k.a. sugar free caramel sauce) is easier than you might think! This rich and decadent caramel flavor is perfect for topping your favorite keto desserts or drizzling over sugar-free whipped cream on hot drinks (like bulletproof coffee). Plus, just like sugar-free chocolate syrup, this keto caramel sauce tastes just like the real deal with only a few basic ingredients.
Sugar free caramel sauce depends on a special ingredient for its thick and buttery consistency: Besti Brown Monk Fruit Allulose Blend. Unlike other sugar-free sweeteners, this one dissolves and caramelizes just like real sugar… so the caramel takes on a smooth and silky consistency, with no added calories, sugar crash, or gritty texture.
This recipe has been so popular that I included it in my Easy Keto Carboholics’ Cookbook!
Why You’ll Love This Homemade Keto Caramel Sauce Recipe
- Perfect sweet and buttery flavor
- Smooth, gooey, and thick texture like traditional caramel
- 4 simple, natural ingredients (no corn syrup, artificial flavors, or preservatives!)
- Made in 10 minutes
- 0g net carbs and naturally gluten-free
- Perfect for dipping, beverages, and desserts
Ingredients & Substitutions
This section explains how to choose the best ingredients for sugar free caramel sauce, what each one does in the recipe, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card below.
- Butter – For the best flavor, use salted butter. However, if you are watching your salt intake, you could use unsalted butter instead.
- Besti Brown Monk Fruit Allulose Blend – I opted to use the brown version of Besti because I love the flavor of brown sugar. If you prefer, you could make it with crystallized or powdered Besti instead — both will dissolve just like sugar does, and they caramelize beautifully. If you want to use a different keto sugar substitute, keep in mind that most other brands (including erythritol, and most brands of monk fruit or stevia, which typically contain erythritol) will not dissolve well and crystallize upon cooling, leading to a gritty texture and you won’t get the same gooey mouthfeel. If you still want to try it, see my sweeteners conversion chart for exact substitute amounts.
- Heavy Cream – A necessary ingredient for caramel. Do not substitute any type of milk (including dairy milk, almond milk, and coconut milk), as these will not thicken properly. It would probably work to substitute coconut cream if you need to.
- Vanilla Extract – Use higher quality vanilla for best flavor.
How To Make Sugar Free Caramel Syrup
This section shows how to make the best sugar free caramel recipe, with step-by-step photos and details about the technique, to help you visualize it. For full instructions, including amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card below.
- Melt. Heat butter and Besti Brown together in a large saucepan over low heat. Cook until golden brown.
TIP: Watch the sauce carefully.
Stir occasionally and watch carefully to avoid burning on the bottom of the pan.
- Thicken. Stir in cream and simmer until darkened in color and sauce coats the back of a spoon.
- Flavor. Turn off the heat and use a whisk in vanilla extract.
- Finish. Transfer homemade keto caramel sauce into a jar.
Tips For The Best Sugar Free Caramel Sauce
Making a sugar free caramel sauce may seem like a daunting task, but with a little patience and the right ingredients, it’s actually quite easy! Here are a few tips and tricks:
- Use a large pan. The larger the surface area of your pan, the faster your sauce will caramelize and thicken. I used a large saucepan, but you could even use a skillet with tall sides to make the process faster.
- Use the right sweetener. I typically recommend Besti in all my recipes, but it’s more crucial for some than others. This sugar free caramel syrup recipe is one where it makes a huge difference. You won’t get the same smooth, gooey texture using another sweetener.
- Be careful not to overheat. If the heat is too high, your sauce will “split”, meaning you’ll have oil separated from the other ingredients. If this happens, sometimes you can bring it back together in a blender.
- Add vanilla last. Adding the vanilla extract last, after removing from heat, ensures that it maintains its potency. If you add it while cooking, some of it will evaporate, reducing its flavor.
Storage Instructions
- Store: Keep low carb caramel sauce in the refrigerator. I’ve made a double batch before and had it last for weeks that way without a problem.
- Reheat: Caramel will solidify in the fridge, so you’ll want to reheat it before serving. The best way to do this is on the stove over low heat, stirring frequently. It’s important that the temperature rises gradually when you reheat the sugar-free caramel sauce. Otherwise, you run the risk of “shocking” it, leading to separation of the oils.
- Freeze: Add sauce to a freezer-safe container and pop it in the freezer. When you’re ready to use it, let it thaw in the fridge or at room temperature. After thawing, reheat gently to get the right consistency.
What To Serve With Sugar Free Caramel Syrup
This low carb caramel sauce is a delicious and versatile topping that can be used on a variety of desserts or added as a sweetener. Here are some ideas!
- Dipping – Sugar free caramel syrup is perfect for dipping keto fruits (or any fruit), keto churros, and even cookies like almond flour shortbread and keto oatmeal cookies.
- Topping – Pour this sauce on classic desserts like keto cheesecake, keto apple pie, or keto lava cake.
- Breakfast – Transform keto cinnamon rolls, coconut yogurt, or low carb French toast into a special treat. Don’t miss how I use it for keto monkey bread in my Easy Keto Carboholics’ Cookbook!
- Ice Cream – Caramel always pairs well with classic keto ice cream, but you can also try coconut milk ice cream, almond milk ice cream, or mason jar ice cream.
- Drinks – Top your favorite hot or cold drinks (like sugar-free hot chocolate, keto iced coffee, or a low carb milkshake) with sugar-free whipped cream, then drizzle the caramel on top. You could also stir it right into hot drinks.
More Sugar Free Toppings
Level up your healthy desserts with these sugar free toppings:
Recommended Tools
- Large Saucepan – This cookware set includes a large saucepan that works great for making this low carb caramel sauce.
- Whisk – You will need a whisk when you add the vanilla extract to the caramel sauce. This one is the perfect choice.
This reader favorite recipe is included in The Wholesome Yum Easy Keto Carboholics’ Cookbook! Inside this beautiful hard cover keto recipe book, you’ll find 100 delectable, EASY keto recipes to replace all your favorite carbs: bread, pasta, rice, potatoes, desserts, and more… each with 10 ingredients or less! Plus, a photo, macros, & tips for every recipe.
Sugar Free Caramel Syrup & Sauce (Keto!)
This easy sugar free caramel syrup needs just 4 ingredients and 10 minutes. Sugar free keto caramel sauce is gooey and sweet, like the real deal!
Instructions
Tap on the times in the instructions below to start a kitchen timer while you cook.
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Melt the butter and Besti Brown together in a large saucepan over low heat. Once melted, cook for about 3 to 4 more minutes, stirring occasionally, until color turns more golden brown. (Watch it carefully to avoid burning.)
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Stir in the cream. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 7 to 10 minutes, continuing to stir occasionally, until the mixture is a dark caramel color and coats the back of a spoon.
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Remove sugar-free caramel syrup from heat. Whisk in the vanilla extract.
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The sauce will thicken more as it cools from hot to warm.
Did You Like It?
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Nutrition facts are provided as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see our nutrition policy.
© Copyright Maya Krampf for Wholesome Yum. Please DO NOT SCREENSHOT OR COPY/PASTE recipes to social media or websites. We’d LOVE for you to share a link with photo instead. 🙂
365 Comments
Khoulod
0You deserve 5 stars evaluation
Christopher Myers
0it seperated i’m cooling it it off hopefully i can get it mixed back together when it cools used the whisk on my stand mixer and turned it into whipped cream icing with a great flavor
Patrice Robert
0I just make it today, Sunday,November 10th 2019 for the first time.
Easy to make and as good as original caramel.
I will be making more as gifts for the Holliday.
Thank you so much.
Zanine
0Thank you so much for this amazing recipe. Always looking for sugar free desserts as there a couple of diabetics in the family. I was wondering if this caramel could be used in a salted caramel and chocolate tart?
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Zanine, I you might be interested in this recipe for Salted Caramel Pie.
Frank
0Mine isn’t doing anything I’ve been simmering now 20 minutes just smells like butter and no thickening
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Frank, The time it takes to thicken will depend on the size of your pan. A larger pan will thicken faster. It can take a while in a smaller pan.
Amy
0I wish I could post a picture; I’m cool that it may not get the color if I didn’t do the first two long enough, but I’m making the low carb salted Carmel pie recipe x2 and using a 2 1/2 qt saucepan. It’s over 3/4 full and bubbling lightly for the last hour but not changing color or getting thick at all. I triple checked my math and everything was done right. I hope I get there eventually!
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Amy, At this stage, you only want your mixture to be able to coat the back of a spoon – so it doesn’t need to be very thick at this point. Remove from the heat, add vanilla, and let it cool. It will thicken more as it cools.
Maria
0‘This sounds delicious! Would I spoon it over the Keto cheesecake after it’s cooled down, or will it be too thick?
Thank you. 🙂
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Maria, That sounds delicious! Enjoy!
PattyNJ
0OMG, this stuff is gold
Cindyhoog
0Thanks for posting this, I made the caramel sauce and it turned out perfectly. I put the leftover in the fridge and , as you said it solidified. I found that over the next few days every time I had the hankering for something sweet , I would scoop out some with a spoon. It is so buttery and yummy! This was certainly a winner!
Carol Hill
0I have to say ‘thank you” so much for your dessert recipes. I have been on keto for a week and have lost eight lbs, but sweets are my weakness and I thought I would not make it another day and then I saw your website. I am now in control because it satisfies my sweet tooth. Thank you, Carol
Renee
0Hello,
I just tried this recipe but how come mine started to separate? Like the cream from the butter.
Thank-you
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Renee, Did this mixture boil? If it gets too hot, it can start to separate.
Carli
0Wow! Tastes just like the real deal.. guilt free. I made some keto coffee ice cream and I will be pouring this over the top tonight. I CANNOT WAIT!!! Thank you for this wonderful recipe!
Cassie
0I am AMAZED! I am a sugar substitute skeptic and have been on Keto for two weeks. I have tried and failed with dessert recipes and pretty much just decided I will have to avoid anything sweet. This caramel is divine! It tasted just like caramel I have made with real sugar! I used swerve brown sugar and unsalted butter, adding about a tsp of salt at the end. YUM! Thank you!!!
Deb
0Could this caramel be used to make caramel rolls? Looks delicious!
Wholesome Yum
0Hi Deb, that might work! It does set, but it’s not as gooey as regular caramel after it sets.
Judie
0It was sooo good! Mine was a little grainy, anything I could have done to cause that?
Wholesome Yum
0Hi Judie, depending on the sweetener you used, it may create a more grainy texture. You should be able to reheat it with no issue. You can also try a powdered sweetener next time so it dissolves more easily.
Jamie Bryant
0Would this set? Like be regular caramel candies or could I make caramel apples ? Yes i know apples aren’t low carb but doing goid and gearing up for fall I make them every year and apples is still a fruit and its going to be a splurge!
Wholesome Yum
0Hi Jamie, Yes, it does set, but it’s not as gooey as regular caramel after it sets.
Brandi M Davis
0Can I use stevia? If so how much?
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Brandi, I’m sorry, stevia won’t work in this recipe.
Tracy
0I am getting ready to start my keto lifestyle and I am looking forward to trying this recipe. Would there be a way to thin this out some for using in coffee?
Wholesome Yum
0Hi Tracy, you could probably thin it out with some almond milk or heavy cream before adding it to your coffee.
Gail
0It’s not thickening….
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Gail, That means you need either more time, a bigger pan, or increase the temperature a bit more. Probably a combination of all 3.
Douggie
0Thank you for this recipe which tastes wonderful. However, I seem to have made a mistake somewhere as the syrup looks like and has the consistency of butter? Can you suggest where it is that I did something wrong as I presume it should have a pouring consistency.
Best regards, Douggie
Wholesome Yum L
0Hi Douggie, after you add the cream, make sure to bring to a gentle boil. Then, reduce heat to a gentle simmer. Simmer for 7-10 minutes, continuing to stir occasionally, until the mixture is a caramel color and thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. (If you have a small saucepan, or if you increase the recipe, this can take a lot longer. For example, tripling the recipe can take over 30 minutes at this step.)
Chris S.
0This recipe is amazing! And keto? Awesome sauce! No, really. I used a generic Splenda from my local grocery store, and it turned out PERFECT! I can’t do that with regular white sugar. Yes, the cooking time took about twice as long as the recipe said. But it’s really, really good. I will be making this caramel a LOT more often now! ***** 5 Stars
Laura Taff
0This is so incredibly delicious and you are a rock star for making all these recipes available. I know I keep up my keto life with this resource. Thank you, Maya!
Samantha camps
0Should this be refrigerated after it cools?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Samantha, Yes, refrigerate it if not using right away.
Karen
0I made this today using erythritol and maple extract instead of sukrin gold…it was AHHH-Mazing!!!
A. Lee
0Hi! I stumbled upon this recipe and plan on trying it for my coffee (iced and hot). Im a huge lover of Dunkin Donuts caramel swirl iced coffee and I’m trying to lighten the load with the amount of carbs I ingest in a day. Would this sauce work as a swirl replacement in my coffee? Does it taste good in coffee? Has anyone tried it? I’d love to know!
Wholesome Yum
0Hi A., I’m not sure it will remain swirled, but it will definitely add sweetness and flavor to your coffee. Let me know if you try it!
Piper
0I have made this recipe so many times since I found it I can make it without even looking it up. It is absolutely delicious and turns out perfect every time.
Leigh-Anne Cox
0Amazing!! And so easy!
Eric
0Thank you so much for sharing this. I have a question about this sauce.
Can I use it to make turtles? Will this become soft and chewy?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Eric, I haven’t tried that but I’m sure you can! It gets a bit less gooey when it’s fully cooled but still has the same flavor.
Richy
0Just tried this and it takes a LOT longer to cook than suggested, but it did come out DELICIOUS. But here’s my question. In the nutrition section, you show a serving has 0 carbs. How can that be when the sweetener you suggest has 8 carbs in one teaspoon according to the nutrition info on the back of the bag. You’re showing 3 tablespoons. There are three teaspoons in a tablespoon so that would be a total of 9 teaspoons of sweetener X 8 carbs = 72 carbs. So, wouldn’t a 1/12th serving has 6 carbs? Thanks.
Wholesome Yum
0Hi Richy, the carbs in this sweetener do not affect blood sugar like other carbohydrates, so we do not include them in the carb count.
Jeanie
0The BEST caramel sauce I have ever tasted. I made it exactly as described and then added 1 tsp caramel flavoring. OMG over the top YUM!!!
Treva Cofer
0Oh my gosh! I don’t know what I did wrong but it turned out so cool in the end.
My version clumped up as I was stirring it the last bit of 7 minutes…. so I poured it into cup to see if I could blend it back together. I got excited when it turned back into a smooth caramel brown sauce. Only to come back a few seconds later to brown settled on the bottom with a golden (butter?) layer on top?
I was about to toss it when I read in the comments that maybe one guy cooked it too high or too little? I went to poor it back into the pan and the butter layer (?) poorer out then the brown bottom plopped into the middle of the pan in a circle (it looked like a weird egg)… that’s when I got brave and tasted it…. and it was also then That I realized the brown WAS caramel!! Ohhhh…
So I pulled it out of all of the (what I’m assuming is accidental ghee?) and put it into a silicone ice cube tray… they were little caramel chews in minutes!!
I still don’t know what I did wrong… but I’m gonna keep trying until I get the sauce right since the flavor is mind-blowing! Hope you can help me figure where I went wrong, if not I’m gonna keep on keepin’, and wanna thank you for this sugar-free delight!!!
Ellen
0Hi all. I just made this and I love it. I use Pyure and my caramel came out very smooth. I tripled the recipe and reduced the Pyure to 7 Tbsp in the butter. At the end, I used about another teaspoon with vanilla. I also used half&half as I was out of heavy cream. I just low-boiled it until it turned a golden color. Tastes great!
AJ
0So yummy! I only used half the amount of sugar and I found it made for a more buttery caramel. Used this sauce in a copycat Starbucks frappe recipe and it came out really well!
Elaine
0Hi Maya, I’m dying to make this tonight – I love all your recipes so easy but super tasty…. a question…. could this sauce be used in a keto version of sticky toffee pudding and how can I make it stickier!! 🙂
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Elaine, I haven’t tried it in a pudding like that. It might work, just not sure. It’s pretty sticky when warm/hot. Let me know how it goes if you try it.
Emily
0What is the conversion if using Swerve instead of the Sukrin? I’m so excited to try this!!!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Emily, It would be the same.
Douggie
0Hi, can granulated stevia be used and if so how much, and will it alter the texture?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Douggie, I recommend either powdered or liquid sweetener for caramel sauce, as granulated can be grainy.
Samantha
0Great carmel sauce! I made half batch, and used over my mug cake, and did some over pecans that are setting up well! I did make the mistake of putting the hot carmel over refrigerated cake so it crystallized a bit but that was my impatience lol
Petra Anthoniussen
0The best caramel sauce receipe ever. Thank you so much.
Tahira
0Can I use Stevia ?
Wholesome Yum L
0Hi Tahira, yes, another granular sweetener should work. Check this chart to figure the correct amount.
Krystal
0I found this recipe by accident. OMG! Amazing. I used monk fruit and it tastes great.
B
0Ok. So I was nervous to try it because my stove is a little wonky. I used monk fruit -gold and it worked pretty well. Like the taste was perfect. Amazing! I couldn’t stop licking the spoons. I didn’t get the rich brown color though it was a light brown/tan. I think I need to cook it a little linger in the beginning. I used it as a layer in some “ candy bars”, but when it set it wasn’t like chewy caramel. It didn’t actually freeze solid. It was kind of like cream cheese icing/ fudge consistency. And while it took a long time to thicken like 20+ minutes. Any suggestions on getting a chewier caramel candy consistency? It did start to separate a little. But I think that’s because within 30 minutes I didn’t let its let cool at room temp before putting in the fridge then taking it out and heating it in a warm water bath.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0If it didn’t freeze solid and was light in color, that means it needed to cook for longer. Separation can happen from sudden temperature changes.
Lisa
0It tasted wonderful but I used Swerve and Coconut milk from a can and it didn’t set?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Lisa, By “didn’t set”, I assume you mean it didn’t thicken? If so, that means it needed to cook for longer. It will vary widely by the size of your pan. The larger your pan, the less time needed to thicken.
New2keto2
0Great flavor! I substituted Swerve granulated sweetener for the Sukrin Gold. The texture was smooth and creamy as long as it was hot. As it cooled it became slightly grainy, but reheating works great. Lovely caramel sauce!
Carole Barnes
0Could you use light cream or fat free half and half instead of the heavy cream?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Carole, I haven’t tried it, but don’t think so – it wouldn’t thicken.
Marci
0A recipe I used for homemade caramel years ago I just browned regular white granulated sugar. So I would use granulated sugar, melt it on low til it browned the added in cream and vanilla and simmered and then added a couple teaspoons of butter at end.
So my question is do you know if can I use granulated Monk Fruit and brown it inplace of regular sugar?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Marci, In general you can replace it as I did in this recipe, but monk fruit likely won’t brown on its own the way sugar does. Hope you’ll try the recipe as written – I do know this one works.
Bryan
0Wasted an hour of my time trying to make this and it turned out grainy and separated.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Bryan, It sounds like you overheated it – this can cause separation. Try lower heat next time.
Kylie
0Is this really carb free? It tastes unbelievable
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Kylie, Yep, the nutrition info above is accurate! 🙂
Marc Crouch
0I’m curious if you think coconut cream (not milk) could replace the heavy cream, for those who may have a lactose issue?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Marc, Yes, that should work!
Wholesome Yum A
0If I substituted coconut cream for the milk, would it be a 1:1 replacement?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Yes, it would be 1:1!
Annette Warren
0Thanks for sharing this recipe. I’m definitely going to try it! Just to clarify what is meant by “heavy cream” in the recipe, is that referring to the 35% whipping cream that comes in a carton, or the Danish cream that comes in a can and is more solid? Can it pour easily?
Looking forward to hearing from you and tasting this!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Annette, It would be whipping cream in a carton that pours easily.
Laila N
0You saved me with this recipe. It has a rich, buttery caramel taste and it thickens up nicely. I had to make some sugar free caramel filled chocolates and this worked perfectly. Thank you!
Brenda Roegner
0OMG! Made this and it is so yummy! Put over cheesecake fluff and my husband even loved it! Thanks so much.