Make Sugar‐Free Caramel

It's not hard to see why caramel is such a popular flavor. Unfortunately, many rich and flavorful caramels contain a lot of granulated sugar. You can make sugar-free versions of your favorite caramel. Just decide if you'd like to use erythritol (Swerve sweetener), fiber syrup (Sukrin), or xylitol. You can easily heat up a batch of sugar-free caramel on the stove or in the microwave. Store any leftover caramel in the fridge for up to a week and enjoy!

Ingredients

Using Erythritol

• 1/4 cup (56 g) butter
• 6 tablespoons erythritol (like Swerve Sweetener)
• 2 tablespoons coconut sugar OR 1 tablespoon blackstrap molasses
• 1/2 cup (120 ml) heavy cream
• 1/4 teaspoon xanthan gum
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher or sea salt
• 2 tablespoons water
• 1/2 teaspoon additional kosher salt or sea salt, optional

Using Fiber Syrup

• 4 tablespoons (56 g) butter
• 6 ounces (170 g) Sukrin Fiber Gold Syrup
• 1/3 cup (80 ml) heavy cream
• 1/2 teaspoon coarse sea salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Using Xylitol

• 1/2 cup (107 g) xylitol
• 1 teaspoon agave nectar

Steps

Making Sugar Free Caramel Using Erythritol

1. Stir together the butter, erythritol, and coconut sugar. Put 1/4 cup (56 g) of butter, 6 tablespoons of erythritol (like Swerve Sweetener), and 2 tablespoons of coconut sugar OR 1 tablespoon of blackstrap molasses into a small saucepan. Stir the mixture to combine the erythritol and coconut sugar.
2. Bring the mixture to a boil and cook it for 3 to 5 minutes. Turn the heat on to medium. Stir the caramel mixture as the butter melts and the erythritol dissolves. Continue stirring the caramel as it boils for 3 to 5 minutes.
   • Turn down the heat a little if the caramel looks like it's becoming too dark or will burn.
3. Stir in the heavy cream. Turn off the heat. Pour in 1/2 cup (120 ml) of heavy cream and whisk the caramel well. Don't worry if the caramel bubbles or foams up when you add the cream.
4. Whisk in the xanthan gum and salt. Sprinkle 1/4 teaspoon of xanthan gum over the caramel and whisk it in really well. Sprinkle 1/4 teaspoon of kosher or sea salt over the caramel and whisk it in.
5. Boil the caramel for one minute. Put the saucepan of caramel back on the stove and turn the heat to medium. Stir and cook the caramel until it begins to boil again. Boil the caramel for 1 minute.
6. Cool the caramel and stir in the water. Turn off the heat and set the pan aside so the caramel can cool a little. The caramel will look really thick at this point, so you'll need to stir in 2 tablespoons of water. You can use the sauce once it's cooled a little.
   • If you'd like salted caramel, stir in 1/2 teaspoon of extra kosher salt or sea salt.
   • Store leftover caramel in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week. Warm it gently in the microwave until it becomes thin enough to use.

Making Sugar Free Caramel Using Fiber Syrup

1. Place the butter, fiber syrup, and heavy cream in a mason jar. Get out a mason jar that's at least 16-ounces (480 ml) in volume. Measure 4 tablespoons (56 g) of butter, 6 ounces (170 g) of Sukrin Fiber Gold Syrup, and 1/3 cup (80 ml) of heavy cream into the jar.
   • You won't need to stir together the ingredients at this point.
2. Microwave and stir the caramel. Put the jar in the microwave and heat it for 1 minute. Remove the jar and stir the caramel with a long-handled spoon. Put the jar back in the microwave and heat it for one more minute. Remove it and stir the caramel again.
   • Do not put the lid or band on the mason jar when you put it in the microwave to cook.
   • You'll want to use oven mitts or a hot pad to handle the jar once the caramel heats up.
3. Microwave the caramel and let it sit for 2 minutes. Heat the caramel in the microwave for one more minute. Leave it to sit in the microwave for 2 minutes. This will help the caramel set up and thicken.
   • If the caramel doesn't look very thick after it's rested, you may need to microwave it for one more minute.
4. Stir in coarse sea salt and vanilla. Carefully remove the caramel from the microwave and stir in 1/2 teaspoon of coarse sea salt and 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract.
5. Cool the caramel. Let the caramel cool completely at room temperature. Use it in your favorite recipes or as a topping for desserts. To store the caramel, just put a lid and band on the mason jar. Store it in the fridge for up to a week.

Making Sugar Free Caramel Using Xylitol

1. Combine the xylitol with agave nectar. Measure 1/2 cup (107 g) of xylitol into a small saucepan. Add 1 teaspoon of agave nectar and stir the mixture well.
   • If you're looking for another natural sweetener, you could use honey or maple syrup instead of the agave nectar.
2. Stir and cook the caramel for 5 minutes. Turn the heat on to medium and stir the mixture constantly. Cook the xylitol caramel until it turns golden. This should take about 5 minutes. Let the caramel cool before you use it.
   • Avoid letting the caramel get very dark since the xylitol can burn easily.
3. Consider thickening the caramel in the freezer. Since the xylitol caramel will be very thin, you may want to thicken it up if you'll be dipping something into it or you just want a thicker sauce. To thicken the caramel, put it in the freezer for several minutes.
   • Store leftover caramel sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Things You'll Need

• Measuring cups and spoons
• Digital scale
• Small saucepan
• Spoon
• Whisk
• Microwave
• Oven mitts or hot pad
• Long-handled spoon
• Mason jar that's at least 16 ounces (480 ml) in volume

Sources and Citations

See also

• Make Caramel Fruit Dip
• Make Caramel from Sweetened Condensed Milk
• Make Caramel
• Make Caramel Apples