You only need 5 ingredients to make the best caramel sauce ever.
The secret to the best caramel sauce? A candy thermometer.
We all know how decadent caramel is and just because you’re vegan (or dairy free) doesn’t mean you can’t have the absolute best vegan caramel drizzle across all your favorite treats.
I’ve made this probably close to 100 times now, maybe more, and the secret to making sure it’s perfect every time is to use a candy thermometer. No guessing, no hoping, just perfection every time.
Why You Want This Caramel Sauce
- Perfect Texture – Whether you want to drizzle or pour this over your favorite desserts, this caramel will do just that
- Amazing Taste – This tastes just like dairy-based caramel. You’ll be so surprised that you can’t even notice a difference
- Prep Ahead – This can last for up to 2 weeks in the fridge, making it the perfect prep ahead dessert option for so many things
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Ingredients to make Vegan Caramel Sauce:
Cane Sugar
Cane sugar, a less refined sugar, still has some molasses left over. Because of this, a more rich, more complex caramel is able to form.
Substitute: you can use granulated vegan white sugar as well as turbinado.
Coconut Milk
Typical caramel uses heavy cream and we can mimic that with full-fat coconut milk. It’s thick and creamy and works the same way.
Substitute: While we really don’t suggest using another milk, if you must because of an allergy, we suggest soy milk or the extra creamy oat milk.
Plant Based Butter
When picking a plant-based butter, we suggest using one that has oil listed as the first ingredient and not water.
Salt and Vanilla
Salt and vanilla are flavor add-ins that just level this up a little more.
Desserts to Pair with Caramel
There will be no judging if you just make this recipe and literally just eat it off the spoon. However, you may want to know some recipes that pair well with dairy free caramel sauce. While the possibilities are endless, here’s some of our favorites:
- Vegan Apple Crisp Bars
- Vegan Carrot Cake Cupcakes
- Vegan Caramel Cake
- The Best Vegan Cinnamon Rolls
- Vegan Caramel Popcorn
- Vegan Funnel Cake
- 2 Ingredient Vegan Apple Pie Egg Rolls
- Vegan Salted Caramel Cookies
- Vegan Chocolate Brownies
- Vegan Brown Butter Pecan Cinnamon Rolls
- Vegan Caramel Banana Bread
- Vegan Banana Bundt Cake
🥳 Get the Full Recipe
Dairy Free Caramel Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 cup cane sugar + 2 tablespoons (225g)
- 5 tablespoons plant-based butter, room temperature
- ⅓ cup full-fat canned coconut milk (80mL)
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon salt (up to 1 teaspoon for salted caramel)
Instructions
- Prep : Clip a candy thermometer to a heavy-bottomed saucepan. Make sure the tip doesn’t touch the very bottom of the pan. Have all your ingredients measured and set out before starting as the sugar will move quickly once it melts.
- Caramelization: Add 1 cup + 2 tablespoon sugar to the pan in an even layer. Heat over medium, stirring constantly with a heatproof spatula, whisk, or wooden spoon. The sugar will clump, then melt into a golden liquid. Keep stirring to prevent burning.
- Bring to Temperature: Once sugar fully melts, stop stirring and let the sugar cook until the thermometer reads 338–340 °F (170 °C). The color should be a deep amber. (Don’t go past 350 °F or it will burn.)
- Remove from heat: Remove the pan from heat. Immediately whisk in 5 tablespoon butter. Careful, it will bubble vigorously. Stir until fully melted and smooth. Slowly, add ⅓ cup coconut milk while whisking constantly. Then add in 1 tablespoon vanilla, and ¼ teaspoon salt (more to taste for salted caramel) and stir until glossy and smooth.
- Allow to Thicken: Let the caramel cool in the saucepan for 15–20 minutes. It will go from runny to a thick, drizzly texture.
- Once cooled: Use immediately after cooling or pour into a heat proof jar with a lid and store in the refrigerator for at least 2 weeks or freezer up to 3 months. Microwave or warm water bath for a few seconds at a time until pourable when ready to use again.
Notes
Nutrition
Dairy Free Caramel Frequently Asked Questions
Making caramel without milk is actually so much easier than you would expect. With traditional caramel sauce you need heavy cream and butter. However, with some simple steps you can make a delicious dairy free caramel sauce without dairy.
Only in a pinch and with careful precision, you can replace the coconut milk with either soy milk (if you can have that) OR extra creamy oat milk. Also, you’ll want to make sure that the plant based butter that you use does not contain any allergens you have.
When you first remove the caramel from the heat to add in the other ingredients, it will be very liquidy. As it cools, it will thicken, and become the chewy, thickened drizzle that you love.
You will want to store anything you don’t use in the fridge in a sealed container once cooled. It will thicken in the fridge and you will need to heat back up to bring it back to a pourable consistency.
Yes! Once cooled, you can store in a freezer safe jar or container for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and then warm before using.
This post was originally published on 11/2/2018 and recipe completely updated and changed on 6/16/2020. Updated again on 11/26/2025.
What is the shelf life for this. Usually it is about 2 weeks for diary based cream. But having used coconut cream it should last longer right?
Probably stored 2-3 weeks. You can also freeze for up to 3 months.
Hi! Do you have a video or more details for this recipe? I’m confused as to when to pull it off the heat. I waited until the sugar was all melted, but adding the butter caused it to immediately sieze.
Yes, in this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WdwIIMQNEuw&t=421s
I made this recipe twice hoping the consistency would turn out like she said. It’s just water. Sugary water. I have it in the fridge and it seemed to be hardening, but it’s taking too long. It’s been in there for thirty minutes and it’s still liquid sugar. I made it for a recipe to be made by the evening and waiting on it to harden and thicken and not knowing if it will is not what the directions say. 🤷🏽♀️
Hi. We’ve never had the issue of it being liquid sugar as our original recipe would harden too much. However, we wanted to let you know the recipe has been update and we’d love you to try the new version
Could this be used as a drizzle between cake layers? I worry with your comment on it hardening
Yes
Do you think it would still turn out if I used coconut sugar in place of cane sugar to make it paleo compatible?
That shouldn’t be a problem
Do I need to heat the whole thing up for coffee or is there a easier way to get a spoonful out
If you are using it for something like that, we’d highly suggest grabbing an empty ice cube tray and then putting a spoonful in it and that way it’s easy to grab if that makes sense
That looks yummy! I can use this caramel sauce for many things. Thanks for sharing!
Yes! You can! Enjoy 🙂
Hi, would it still work if i use coconut milk instead of coconut cream?
You guys are doing job, recipes look awesome.
Thanks
It needs the fatty part of the canned coconut milk.
outstanding 👍💯☮️
Thanks ever so much for mentioning my peanut butter avocado brownies! This sauce looks so delicious!
You’re so welcome! I know it would be delicious together!