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Sugar Free Caramel Syrup That Tastes Like the Real Deal
I could literally eat this sugar free caramel syrup off a spoon. I’ve made it for dozens of uses over the years, from components of other low carb recipes to using it as a topping. And every time, my favorite part is scraping the remnants from the pan. In fact, I love it so much that I even featured it in my Easy Keto Carboholics’ Cookbook. Here’s why this sugar free caramel sauce is so special:
- Ooey, gooey texture with rich, buttery caramel flavor – If you’ve made sugar free caramel with alternative sweeteners before, you might have experienced a gritty texture or dryness. Not this one. My recipe caramelizes just like sugar, giving you that gooey, golden taste and texture that sugary versions have.
- Just 4 (clean) ingredients – No fillers, sucralose, artificial sweeteners, thickeners, or mystery preservatives. Plus, it’s zero net carbs per serving.
- Adjustable consistency – It thickens naturally as it cools, so you can drizzle it thin and warm as syrup into on hot drinks (like bulletproof coffee) or let it set into a thicker sauce for keto desserts.
If you’re ready to level up your sweets without refined sugar, make this sugar free caramel sauce with me! And grab a spoon, because it’s that good.
Reader Review
“It’s been 25 years since I tasted caramel. I just made the second batch, and it’s everything I remember! Mrs. Krampf, thank you for helping me cope with diabetes and eating gluten-free. Thank you for Besti. I bought one of your cookbooks (of course, it’s the one with the sugar free caramel recipe). I’m enjoying not having to gear the recipes to my diet. Again, Mrs. Krampf, thank you for all you do.” –Donna
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Ingredients & Substitutions
Here I explain the best ingredients for my sugar free caramel sauce recipe, what each one does, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card.
- Heavy Cream – Caramel really needs the fat and consistency of heavy cream, so don’t try to sub in milk (dairy or non-dairy) because it just won’t thicken. If you’re dairy-free, full-fat coconut cream does work.
- Besti Brown Monk Fruit Allulose Blend – I went with the brown version because it mimics brown sugar so well and gives a warm, molasses-like taste. I’ve also made this many times with powdered Besti and even granulated once — they both dissolve and caramelize beautifully, just like sugar does.
IMPORTANT: If you want to use another sweetener, beware…
Most other sweeteners (including erythritol, and virtually every brand of “monk fruit” or “stevia” which all use erythritol as a filler) won’t caramelize properly. They also crystallize as they cool, leaving you with a gritty texture instead of that gooey, silky sauce. If you’re curious to experiment anyway, check my sweetener conversion chart so you can swap the amounts correctly.
- Butter – I use this grass-fed salted butter, but you can use unsalted and add a pinch of salt.
- Vanilla Extract – I like this brand.
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How To Make Sugar Free Caramel Sauce
I have step-by-step photos here to help you visualize the recipe. For full instructions with amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card.
- Melt the butter and sweetener. Heat the butter and Besti Brown together in a large saucepan over low heat, stirring occasionally, until the mixture turns golden brown.
- Stir in the cream. Continue cooking until the color deepens and the sauce coats the back of a spoon. (If you use regular powdered Besti instead of brown, you’ll notice it turns ivory first, which is essentially sugar free condensed milk — keep going and it’ll become caramel!)
- Add vanilla. Remove the sugar free caramel syrup from the heat. Whisk in the vanilla extract for that final layer of richness.
Pour the syrup into a jar. (I use these jars, pictured below.) It’ll thicken as it cools, so just wait a bit if you prefer a thicker sugar free caramel sauce.
My Tips For The Best Texture
- 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 above, but I often grab my large skillet to make the process even 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 I’m able to bring it back together in a blender.
- Add vanilla only after removing from heat. If you add it while cooking, some of it will evaporate, reducing its flavor.
- Let it cool a bit before judging thickness. Caramel always looks thinner when it’s hot, but it naturally thickens as it cools. If you judge too soon, you might overcook it, so only cook until it coats the back of a spoon.
- What do I do if my sugar free caramel sauce is too thin or too thick? If it’s too thin, just simmer a little longer. If it’s too thick, stir in a splash of cream.
- Feel free to double or triple the recipe, but it’ll take longer. I’ve done this many times, but in that case I definitely recommend a skillet over a saucepan, to speed things along.
Sugar Free Caramel Syrup & Sauce
By
My 10-minute sugar free caramel syrup and sauce is gooey, sweet, and tastes like the real deal. Perfect for coffee and desserts!
Instructions
[ See step photos See my tips ]Tap on the times in the instructions to start a kitchen timer.
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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 make it? Leave a review or tag me @wholesomeyum on Instagram!
Maya’s Recipe Notes
Serving size: 1 tablespoon
- Tips: Check out my recipe tips above to help you make your sugar free caramel as quickly as possible, with the best texture and flavor.
- Storage: I keep mine in a glass jar like this in the fridge. When I made a double batch, it stayed good for a couple of weeks without any issues.
- Reheat: Sugar free caramel syrup does firm up in the fridge. All you need to do is warm it slowly on the stove over low heat, stirring until it’s gooey again.
- Freeze: You can freeze it in an airtight container. When you’re ready, thaw in the fridge or on the counter, and reheat gently.
📖 Want more recipes like this? Find this one and many more in my Easy Keto Carboholics’ Cookbook here.
I provide nutrition facts as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see my nutrition policy.
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Sugar Free Caramel Syrup
Ways To Use It
I’ve found so many ways to use this sugar free caramel syrup, from quick breakfasts to desserts and even drinks:
- Dipping & Topping – I love sugar free caramel sauce as a dip for keto churros or low carb fruit. I’ve also poured it over keto cheesecake and apple pie more times than I can count. You can even layer it with my sugar-free chocolate syrup!
- Breakfast – When I want to make mornings feel special, I drizzle it over low carb French toast or swirl it onto warm keto cinnamon rolls. It’s also amazing in the keto monkey bread from my Easy Keto Carboholics’ Cookbook.
- Ice Cream – Nothing beats a scoop of classic keto ice cream with a sugar free caramel drizzle. Or try my almond milk ice cream for a lighter option.
- Coffee – Swirl it into your glass before making iced coffee, or over sugar free whipped cream over hot or cold drinks. Feels like a coffee shop treat!
398 Comments
Christina Best
0I’ve made this recipe several times. Very good. when it cools it comes out like a soft caramel candy. Yum! I make mine using swerve brown sugar.
Christy Gill
0I wanted to use swerve brown sugar too. Did you alter the recipe in any way?.
Christina Best
0Hi, I did not alter the recipe in any other way. I did an equal substitution. Worked out well for us. My kids loved the taste of it too.
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Christy, If you would like to use a brown sweetener, then I suggest only replacing a small amount of the sweetener with the brown version. For this recipe, I think using 1 TBS of brown sweetener adds the right amount of caramelized flavors without overpowering the creamy and buttery flavors in the sauce.
Pat
0This is the best keto caramel sauce. Thank you so much. For how many days can I leave it outside the fridge?
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Pat, This caramel sauce really keeps best in the fridge. If you’ve used it on cookies or a recipe that is stored at room temp, then it will be okay for a day or two.
Jacob
0The cream and butter completely separated after a while
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Jacob, Usually when this happens, it’s because the heat was up too high. You may be able to bring the caramel back together with a blender and a small amount of cream.
Shannon
0I just got done making this for the first time and it did not turn out with the Carmel color but got very close I think
Rob
0Hi, I can’t find an allulose/monk fruit blend here, but I can get pure allulose. Would that be suitable? If so, how much pure allulose would this recipe require? Thanks. Cheers! Rob
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Rob, Regular allulose will work here, but you will need to use more of it. Use this sweetener conversion calculator to figure out how much.
Rob
0Awesome. Thanks so much. 🙂 Cheers!
Nick
0I Don’t know what’s going on! It turned into a fudge cream color not light brown and granulated! I need help!!!
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Nick, It sounds like your caramel got too hot. You can try to blend it together into a high power blender, but it may be past the point of rescuing. Next time, turn down the heat and keep the caramel moving so it doesn’t granulate.
Emily J
0What is the serving size?
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Emily, A serving is 1 tablespoon.
Nelda
0By cream do you mean whipping cream, half and half or what?
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Nelda, Please use heavy cream.
Kristie
0What Keto sweetener can I use, if I can’t use one with Allulose in it? Thanks!
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Kristie, You can use powdered erythritol, however, it will harden. Allulose will retain a soft caramel texture.
J chan
0Could I use this caramel recipe to pour over popcorn ? Would it harden?
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi J Chan, This caramel will remain soft and sticky. It is probably not suitable for popcorn.
Rosalyn
0Mine never “thickened”, even after cooling,….. so I drank it lol Still delicious but I will try again.
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Rosalyn, I am glad you enjoyed it. Next time let it simmer longer until it’s thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.
James L Cook Sr
0Instead of the heavy whipping cream,could you use full fat canned coconut milk to make this?
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi James, I have not personally tired this and cannot guarantee the results, but it should work similarly to using heavy cream. Perhaps drain off the coconut water and just use the coconut cream to keep the consistency a little thicker?
Rachel C
0I have tried this 3x now and each time as it was cooling the butter separated out from it. So frustrating! The first time I put it in the fridge and it was rock hard. The second time I left it on the counter. The third time I cooked it longer (almost an hour) to a darker color but it STILL separated. Followed recipe exactly, didn’t double it or anything. Very disappointing as all your other recipes are fantastic.
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Rachel, I’m sorry this has happened to you. It sounds like your caramel shocking from temperature differentials and splitting. Let the cream sit out while you are heating the butter and sweetener so it’s not super cold. If your caramel does separate, you can put it in a blender to emulsify it back into a smooth consistency.
karen
0can I add some molasses along with the vanila?
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Karen, Molasses will change the carb count, but you could add a small amount for flavor.
Ashley
0Hi! I’m looking forward to trying the pecan pie recipe. You mentioned using vanilla and maple extract, but I didn’t see how much maple extract is needed.
Thank you for your time and attention.
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Ashley, To use the maple extract in this caramel sauce you would substitute it for the same amount of vanilla (1 tsp).
Candace Staar
0This is great but the 2/3 cup of HWC has 4.3 grams of carbs in this recipe. When people see 0 carbs (less than1.0) they assume it’s totally carb free. I wish people would have told me this when I started. I just found out that the manufacturer lists carbs per serving and if it’s less than 1 they can put 0 carbs even though at a higher serving it would have carbs. Now I’m fact checking all ingredients.
Tracey Crackel
0SUPER DELICIOUS!! My diabetic hubby always looks longingly at all the Thanksgiving deserts while he has a piece of fruit. This year I decided to make him his own delicious desert. I made this caramel sauce and the chocolate mug cake with whipped cream & walnuts on top (along with the caramel sauce). Tried it out today and it will definitely be the envy of everyone else for a change! I used monk fruit sweetener. I like it because there’s no icky aftertaste. All of it was completely wonderful!
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.