Microwave Caramels (2024)

There are some things that almost seem too good to be true. When one of my patients gave me this incredibly simple recipe for microwave caramels, I couldn’t believe that they would actually work, but I was so wrong! They are wonderful and so, so easy. (Seems to me I said pretty much the same thing about that Microwave Peanut Brittle recipe…).

These caramels are soft and delicious and perfect. They are everything I could ever want in a caramel. I can’t make myself stop eating them. And since they are so easy to make, I could just keep on making them and eating them until my hips wouldn’t fit through the doorway.

I keep saying how easy these are to make, and I really mean it. I almost felt like I was somehow cheating when I made them because I didn’t have to stand overa pot and stir and time and stir and test and stir and watch the thermometer. Then to havemy very first batch of microwave caramels turn out so well was just plain ole eery. Who does that?

I wish that I could thank that patient who gave me this recipe. I wish that I could sit and chew on caramels and talk to her about things not related to orthopedic surgery. That would be fun.

Note: Do not double this recipe. Doubling affects the cooking times and it is difficult to adjust the times correctly.

A note about sugary or grainy caramels: If you find that your caramels are sugary or grainy, it is because sugar crystals were reintroduced to the caramel candy after it was cooked. The uncooked sugar causes sugar crystal regrowth in the finished product. To prevent this from happening, during the stirring processes, be careful to scrape the sides of the bowl well so that all of the sugar crystals are cooked with caramel. An alternate process for controlling sugar crystal regrowth can be found on the recipe Caramel Butter Sauce. It involves brushing the sides of the bowl with a wet brush during the stirring process.

Print Recipe

Microwave Caramels {For 1100-watt microwave}

Ridiculously easy, these classic caramels can be made in minutes in your microwave.

Prep Time10 mins

Cook Time7 mins

Resting Time1 hr

Total Time1 hr 17 mins

Author: Terri @ that's some good cookin'

Ingredients

1/2 cup butter, real butter, not margarine
1/2 cup light corn syrup, I have achieved best results using Karo brand corn syrup(donot use dark corn syrup)
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk, NOT evaporated milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup chopped nuts, optional

Instructions

Line either an 8 x 8 baking dish or a 9 x 5 loaf pan with foil. Butter the foil. Note: An 8 x 8-inch pan will give a thinner candy; a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan will give a thicker candy.
Melt butter in large microwave-safe bowl. (I used a large Pyrex bowl.)
Stir in Karo syrup, both sugars, and sweetened condensed milk. Mix until most of the sugar is dissolved.
Microwave on high for 3 minutes for softer caramels, or 3 1/2 minutes for firmer caramels. Using hotpads, carefully remove bowl from microwave. Be careful, it is very hot!
Stir down and scrape sides of bowl.
Microwave on high 3 minutes (for softer caramels or 3 1/2 minutes (firmer caramels). (This will be soft ball stage.) Using hot pads, remove from microwave and stir in nuts (if using) andvanilla.
Pour immediately into buttered dish and refrigerate until set, about 1 hour.
Remove from refrigerator and allow to come to room temperature before cutting. The caramels can be left plain or decorated by dipping them in chocolate and then in chopped nuts, sprinkles, etc. Wrap each candy piece in wax paper.

Notes

I have only tested this recipe using an 1100-watt microwave. The recipe will need to be adjusted for other wattage microwave ovens.
Be very, very careful when handling the hot bowl. Always use hotpads to protect your hands. Make sure that your environment is safe from children and pets.
Do not double this recipe. Doubling affects the cooking times and it is difficult to adjust the times correctly.
A note about sugary or grainy caramels: If you find that your caramels are sugary or grainy, it is because sugar crystals were reintroduced into the caramel candy after it was cooked. The uncooked sugar causes sugar crystal regrowth in the finished product. To prevent this from happening, during the stirring processes, be careful to scrape the sides of the bowl well so that all of the sugar crystals are cooked with caramel. An alternate process for controlling sugar crystal regrowth can be found on the recipe Caramel Butter Sauce. It involves brushing the sides of the bowl with a wet brush during the stirring process.

Line either an 8 x 8-inch dish or a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan with foil. Rub butter over the surface of the foil.