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This is a Caramel Pumpkin Sauce recipe that takes a delicious caramel sauce recipe, but adds pumpkin. This recipe is perfect for the fall and is the best topping for any ice cream or pie recipe!
Caramel Pumpkin Sauce for fall
In the fall, I feel that pumpkin should be put in everything. This sauce is no exception. Pumpkin caramel is soft, gooey, and great anytime you need to put a sweet sauce on anything. The incredible pumpkin flavor is accomplished simply with pumpkin puree!
Making caramel can be daunting because it is a tedious process, but I promise with following all the instructions; this recipe will go smoothly!
Ingredients Needed
- Granulated Sugar: This is the base of the caramel – no substitutions
- Unsalted Butter: Sliced into tablespoons so it melts easier
- Heavy Whipping Cream: No substitutions!
- Pumpkin puree: Not pumpkin pie mix!
- Pumpkin pie spice: To give those warm flavors for fall
- Salt: Put a little extra salt aside if you want to have “salted” pumpkin caramel.
How to make Pumpkin Sauce
- Place sugar in a sauce pan over medium low heat.
- As the sugar warms it will clump. Do not walk away from the stove!
- The clumped sugar will continue to heat, melting into a liquid that is amber in color.
- Continue melting until all the sugar has melted into liquid, stirring occasionally but being careful not to splash sugar up the sides of the pan.
- Once the sugar is all amber in color, add the butter and cream and stir until smooth.
- Remove from heat and stir in spices, pumpkin, vanilla, and salt.
- Pour the caramel carefully into a jar and let cool to room temperature.
Expert Tips
- Make sure you are free of distraction before starting this recipe. Caramel can burn easily so to avoid that–pumpkin sauce needs to be watched and stirred consistently.
- Once it turns a medium-amber color it is done. If you want your caramel darker you can let it go a little longer, but be careful because it can burn quickly.
- Storing Caramel: Cover and store in the refrigerator.
- Reheating Caramel: When ready to use, remove the lid and heat in 30 second increments until the caramel is melted and smooth and the desired consistency (about 60-90 seconds for the just-made texture). Will keep for 2 weeks in the refrigerator.
FAQs
How do you store homemade pumpkin sauce?
In an airtight container, such as a jar.
Why did my sauce thicken in the refrigerator?
Sauces thicken when they’re not consistently on heat. To fix this, put the sauce in the microwave for 30 seconds before serving.
Why do I have clumps in my caramel?
Sugar is most likely the culprit. When you put the sugar in, don’t spread the sugar all over the sides of the pan. If things start to clump, keep stirring then and you’ll notice the clumps start to melt and everything starts to turn an amber color.
Pumpkin Caramel Sauce
This homemade pumpkin caramel sauce is one of the best caramels ever! Simply adding canned pumpkin puree and pumpkin pie spice to homemade caramel adds an unparalleled depth of flavor that will be perfect for ice cream or on top of pie this fall!
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Ingredients
- 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
- 4 tablespoons (57g) unsalted butter sliced into tablespoons
- ⅔ cup (158ml) heavy whipping cream
- ⅓ cup (81g) pumpkin puree not pumpkin pie mix
- ½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon salt (or up to 1 teaspoon if you want a “salted” pumpkin caramel)
Instructions
- Note: making caramel is something that needs your undivided attention. Make sure you have all your ingredients gathered before starting and that you are not distracted. Leaving the caramel alone at any point can cause it to burn. Read the entire recipe before continuing.
- Place sugar in a heavy-bottomed medium sauce pot. Make sure the sides of the pot come up a little bit (that it’s not a shallow pan) because it will boil up when you add the cream later.
- Place the pan over medium-low heat. Cook stirring often, but being careful not to spread the sugar up the sides of the pan too much. The sugar will become a little bit liquidy, form clumps, then finally melt into a light amber liquid. Keep stirring until the liquid is amber in color. This will take about 7-12 minutes, depending on your pot and the heat of your stove. DO NOT LEAVE THE SUGAR ALONE, it will burn fast.
- Once the liquid turns amber and all the sugar crystals have melted, add the butter and stir until it’s melted. Add half of the heavy whipping cream, stir, then add the rest. It will bubble up as you add it to the mixture. Turn off the heat and then stir in the pumpkin, spice, vanilla, and salt, if using. Stir until smooth. You may need to whisk it to get out all the clumps.
- Pour the caramel carefully into a jar and let cool to room temperature. Cover and store in the refrigerator. When ready to use, remove the lid and heat in 30 second increments until the caramel is melted and smooth and the desired consistency (about 60-90 seconds for the just-made texture). Will keep for 2 weeks in the refrigerator.
Recipe Video
Recipe Notes
- Store in the refrigerator; heat to thin.
- Be careful not to let the sugar hit the sides of the pan too much during cooking. If it gets too high on the side of the pan, use a wet pastry to wipe the sides down. Any crystalized sugar on the sides of the pan can cause crystalized caramel.
Recipe Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 110kcal | Carbohydrates: 13g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 21mg | Sodium: 5mg | Potassium: 18mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 13g | Vitamin A: 1028IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 9mg | Iron: 1mg
Nutritional information not guaranteed to be accurate
I love that we both did this because seriously (and I rarely google stuff) I wasn’t finding it anywhere. I try to avoid TJ’s because it’s a money pit and well the one by me is just crazy all the time. I spend enough at Whole Foods on a weekly basis! Put pumpkin in all the things because in caramel sauce, it’s just that good!
Yes! I googled and I was like, HOW has no one made this before??? 🙂 Thanks Susan!
Pumpkin caramel sauce is the best idea ever! This would be incredible over brownies or ice cream! So good.
Man Dorothy, this is spectacular! I love homemade caramel sauce. It’ so rich and delicious. Your pumpkin version sound pretty amazing.
This looks super yummy! Is it weird I’m craving it on apple pie? #dontjudge
Trader Joe’s has so many pumpkin products this year! Your recipe is so tempting – awesos (awesome sauce). Now you have to make a bread pudding worthy of this sauce. Or I’ll just have to use it on apple pie! Thanks for your always-great tutorials.
YES! And YES! I have a recipe next Sunday that uses the sauce. 🙂
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