These chocolate covered caramels are the ultimate treat! Thanks to homemade caramel and a little salt on top, they taste incredible. Perfect for gifting!
We dip soft, buttery caramels into creamy chocolate for this recipe and top them with sea salt. They are almost irresistible! I’m using my recipe for homemade caramels, which hundreds of home cooks have used and loved.
These chocolate covered caramels are soft, chewy, and perfectly melt in your mouth. For another caramel recipe, see my homemade caramel sauce. Or, for another giftable treat, these chocolate truffles.
Key Ingredients and Equipment
- Chocolate: I recommend using good quality chocolate for the best results, whether you choose milk, dark, or white. Some brands I personally love are Ghirardelli, Callebaut, and Scharffen Berger.
- Sugar: Plain granulated sugar is the way to go for this recipe.
- Light Corn Syrup: While I don’t often use it in other recipes, it is key to achieving the best, most consistent caramel texture. However, if you’re in a pinch, I have successfully used pure honey or golden syrup as substitutes.
- Butter: I use salted butter to enhance the flavor of these caramels. If you only have unsalted butter, add 1/4 teaspoon of fine salt to the butter and cream mixture.
- Heavy Cream: For soft and chewy caramels, choose higher-fat cream like “heavy cream” or “heavy whipping cream.” If you’re in the UK or Australia, double cream or thickened cream with at least 35% fat content will work beautifully.
- Salt: To create salted chocolate covered caramels, sprinkle a finishing touch of flaked or grey sea salt over them while they’re still warm. Smoked salt is nice, too!
- Equipment: For this recipe, you’ll need a candy thermometer for precise cooking, a small, heavy-bottomed saucepan to prevent scorching, and a standard 9×5-inch loaf pan to cool the caramel. I love using my 2-quart All-Clad saucepan for this smaller batch.
How to Make Chocolate Covered Caramels
Before making caramels at home, read through the recipe a few times, have all the equipment ready, and measure out the ingredients. Candy making can go by quickly, and if you’re not ready, things can go from good to bad fast.
Don’t try this recipe without a candy thermometer. The temperatures matter. Our recipe is a two-part process. First, we cook the sugar syrup (sugar, corn syrup, and water) and then add a mixture of cream and butter. For more details, I recommend watching our video or hopping over to this caramels recipe, where I share extra tips.
You’ll pour the caramel mixture into a lined loaf pan and let it cool for a few hours before cutting it into caramels. Then, you can dip them into melted chocolate.
I melt the chocolate in the microwave, but you can use a double boiler. Then, we dunk each caramel into the chocolate (a messy, but delicious process!).
And finally, to make them really special, we add a sprinkle of sea salt on top.
Salted Chocolate Covered Caramels
- PREP
- COOK
- TOTAL
I love these chocolate-covered caramels, which are soft, chewy, and perfectly melt in your mouth. Before making these, get all the equipment ready and measure the ingredients. I love dark chocolate, but milk or white chocolate is lovely, too.
Watch Us Make the Recipe
You Will Need
Homemade Caramels1/2 cup (113g) butter
1/2 cup (120ml) heavy cream or heavy whipping cream (36 to 40% butterfat content)
3 tablespoons (44ml) water
1/4 cup (60ml) light corn syrup
1 cup (200g) sugar
Chocolate Coating1 pound (450g) high-quality chocolate, milk, dark, or white
2 tablespoons (28g) butter
1/2 teaspoon flaked sea salt, or more as needed
Directions
- Make Caramels
1Start by lightly oiling a 9×5-inch loaf pan. Cut a piece of parchment paper to fit inside the pan with at least an inch overhang on the sides. Lightly oil the parchment paper, place it in the pan, and set aside.
2Cut the butter into 8 pieces, then add to a microwave-safe bowl. Add the heavy cream. Heat in the microwave for 1 to 2 minutes until the butter melts and the mixture is hot. Set this aside for later use.
3In a small saucepan, combine the water and corn syrup. Add the sugar, being careful not to splatter it on the sides of the pan. Gently stir the sugar into the water and corn syrup, just enough to moisten it.
4Heat the mixture over medium heat until the sugar boils. Cover with a lid for 1 minute to create steam, which helps any sugar stuck to the sides melt back into the mixture.
5Remove the lid and attach a candy thermometer to the side of the saucepan. Cook the sugar until it reaches 320°F (160°C) and turns a light amber color around the edges, 5 to 10 minutes.
6Carefully and slowly pour about a sixth of the butter and cream mixture into the sugar, stirring with the base of the thermometer to incorporate it.
7Repeat with the remaining cream and butter, adding it in small batches and stirring between each addition. The mixture will bubble vigorously, so proceed cautiously to prevent it from overflowing.
8The temperature will drop after you add the cream and butter. Continue cooking until the caramel reaches 240°F (115°C), 5 to 10 minutes.
9Once you reach 240°F (115°C), carefully pour the caramel into the prepared loaf pan. Let it cool completely (about 3 ½ hours).
10Unmold the caramel. If it’s too soft to handle, refrigerate it for 30 to 45 minutes to firm up. Use a large, sharp knife to cut the caramel into your desired shape. We cut into 1-inch by 1-inch squares.
- Dip Caramels in Chocolate
1Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2Chop your chocolate into small pieces using a sturdy knife. Reserve about 1/3 cup of these chocolate pieces and set them aside.
3Place the remaining chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl. Add the butter and microwave in 30 to 45 second intervals, stirring after each interval, until the chocolate is almost completely melted.
4Remove it from the microwave and stir in the reserved chocolate pieces. Continue stirring until the mixture is smooth and glossy.
5To coat the caramels, use two forks to dip each caramel into the melted chocolate. Allow any excess chocolate to drip off, and then place the dipped caramel onto the prepared baking sheet. Immediately sprinkle a pinch of salt on top of each caramel.
6Let the chocolate set completely at room temperature.
7Once set, wrap each caramel in plastic wrap or waxed paper to protect them. Enjoy them immediately, refrigerate them for up to two weeks, or freeze them for up to a month.
Adam and Joanne's Tips
- Equipment I use: I use a standard candy thermometer (a Taylor thermometer is shown in the video and photos) and a 1 ½ to 2-quart heavy, thick-bottomed saucepan (I love my All-Clad D5 2-quart).
- Salted butter: After years of making these, I prefer salted butter. If you have unsalted butter, add 1/4 teaspoon of fine salt. You can also use unsalted butter, which we use in the video.
- Doubling the recipe: I generally don’t recommend doubling this caramels recipe. Doubling the recipe can make it difficult to control the temperature accurately, which is crucial for achieving the right texture and consistency in caramels. If you need a larger quantity, it’s best to make multiple batches. However, if you’re experienced with candy-making and have a large enough pot, you can try doubling the recipe. Just be extra vigilant about monitoring the temperature and adjusting cooking times.
- This recipe has been inspired and adapted from Jacques Pépin’s book, “Chez Jacques: Traditions and Rituals of a Cook.”
- The nutrition facts provided below are estimates. We included all of the chocolate in the calculations, which is unlikely as you will have some leftover.
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I was wondering if you stir at all after adding the butter/cream mixture? Or do u just leave it alone till it reaches 240°F?
Hi Jody, I briefly stir with the candy thermometer and then leave it.