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Paleo Caramel Sauce

Candy & Confections· Caramel· Dairy Free· Desserts· Gluten Free· Paleo· Rachel's Picks· Recipe Index· Refined Sugar Free· Vegan

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This Paleo Caramel Sauce is made with coconut milk and coconut sugar for a delicious, silky smooth sauce that’s refined sugar free and vegan! It’s perfect as a Paleo substitute for caramel sauce in any recipe.

This Paleo Caramel Sauce is made with coconut milk and coconut sugar for a delicious, silky smooth sauce that's refined sugar free and vegan! It's perfect as a Paleo substitute for caramel sauce in any recipe.Happy Labor Day! I hope everyone is having a relaxing holiday weekend, soaking up the last few moments of summer that you can and enjoying the company of the people you love. As you read this, I’ll be spending the Labor Day weekend with my dad in Victoria, British Colombia to celebrate his birthday, which was on the 6th.

I’ll totally fill you all in on the trip and how beautiful that place is, but today I have something delicious to talk about: caramel sauce. But this one has NO refined sugar. Instead, I subbed one of my new favorite ingredients: coconut sugar.

This Paleo Caramel Sauce is made with coconut milk and coconut sugar for a delicious, silky smooth sauce that's refined sugar free and vegan! It's perfect as a Paleo substitute for caramel sauce in any recipe.The more I bake with coconut sugar, the more I like it. It seriously performs so similarly to granulated sugar, but it tastes more like a strong brown sugar. I’ve found that I can usually substitute it in recipes as a substitution for both the granulated sugar and the brown sugar and it usually works out pretty darn wonderfully, if I do say so myself.

It has a caramelized flavor naturally, and it just so happens that that flavor works absolutely perfectly when you’re making caramel. This recipe is a little different than a traditional caramel sauce recipe where you first melt and caramelize the sugar and then add the heavy cream. That process usually takes less than 10 minutes.

This Paleo Caramel Sauce is made with coconut milk and coconut sugar for a delicious, silky smooth sauce that's refined sugar free and vegan! It's perfect as a Paleo substitute for caramel sauce in any recipe.Instead, for this recipe, you combine the coconut milk and coconut sugar and cook them down together into a thick caramel sauce. This version of making caramel takes a little bit longer, about 30-35 minutes, but it’s more hands-off and way less stressful.

I also added a scraped vanilla bean to the caramel to add a hint of delicious vanilla flavor to my caramel sauce. A similar flavor could be achieved with vanilla extract, but you won’t get the gorgeous vanilla bean specks in your caramel! If you don’t want to splurge on a vanilla bean to use in this recipe, I love using vanilla bean paste to get vanilla bean flecks without having to use a whole vanilla bean. One jar will last you a while.

This Paleo Caramel Sauce is made with coconut milk and coconut sugar for a delicious, silky smooth sauce that's refined sugar free and vegan! It's perfect as a Paleo substitute for caramel sauce in any recipe.

Whip up a batch of this caramel and eat it with some ice cream, or with some ice cream. Be sure to save some though – I have a delicious recipe using this caramel coming at you on Wednesday! I can’t wait to share it. It’s to die for! For now, enjoy the paleo caramel sauce!

This Paleo Caramel Sauce is made with coconut milk and coconut sugar for a delicious, silky smooth sauce that's refined sugar free and vegan! It's perfect as a Paleo substitute for caramel sauce in any recipe.

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This Paleo Caramel Sauce is made with coconut milk and coconut sugar for a delicious, silky smooth sauce that's refined sugar free and vegan! It's perfect as a Paleo substitute for caramel sauce in any recipe.

Paleo Caramel Sauce


★★★★★

4.7 from 12 reviews

  • Author: Rachel Conners
  • Prep Time: 3 minutes
  • Cook Time: 30 minutes
  • Total Time: 33 minutes
  • Yield: 1 1/4 cups 1x
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Ingredients

  • 1 14- oz. can full-fat coconut milk
  • ½ cup coconut sugar
  • ½ vanilla bean (split or 2 teaspoons vanilla extract)
  • 1 tablespoon coconut oil
  • ½ teaspoon salt (I recommend a flaky salt like fleur de sel)

Instructions

  1. In a heavy bottomed saucepan, combine the coconut milk and coconut sugar. Scrape the insides of the vanilla bean and add the seeds and pod to the mixture, if using.
  2. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat, stirring frequently. Once boiling, turn the heat to low and let the mixture boil slowly. Stir frequently, scraping the bottom to make sure it doesn’t burn. Continue boiling until caramel has reduced and thickened to thick, syrupy texture, about 30-35 minutes. Remember that the caramel will continue to thicken as it cools.
  3. Remove from heat and stir in oil, salt, and vanilla extract if using. If you used the vanilla bean, remove the pod and discard.
  4. Let cool to room temperature, stirring occasionally to keep the fat incorporated. Pour into a glass container.
  5. Store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
  • Category: Dessert

Did you make this recipe?

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Want to make something with your caramel sauce?

Try these Caramel Apple Crumb Bars!

These Caramel Apple Crumb Bars are absolutely addicting, on their own or served with a little extra caramel sauce! They are gluten-free, refined sugar-free, and vegan.

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Comments

  1. Nicole @ Young, Broke and Hungry says

    September 7, 2015 at 10:04 am

    The flecks of vanilla in the caramel sauce are killing me.

    Reply
  2. Danielle says

    September 7, 2015 at 12:04 pm

    I just made some salted caramel sauce too, but your version definitely beats mine! I love that there’s no refined sugar and the vanilla bean was such a great touch.

    Reply
  3. Medha (Whisk and Shout) says

    September 7, 2015 at 2:09 pm

    This looks delicious and yay for vegan!

    Reply
  4. Vivian says

    September 7, 2015 at 2:23 pm

    Hi,
    Do you think it would work with almond or soy milk and brown sugar and if yes the way of doing it would be the same?

    Thanks!

    Reply
    • Rachel says

      September 7, 2015 at 6:33 pm

      Hi Vivian, I haven’t tried using almond or soy milk for caramel, but they tend to be thinner than full-fat coconut milk. I would recommend find a recipe specifically using one of those milks for the best results. This one using almond milk from Oh Ladycakes looks delicious!

      Reply
    • Tara says

      March 31, 2016 at 1:41 pm

      Almond milk works but it’s not as thick of a sauce and it has to condense down to 3/4c.

      Reply
  5. Bella B says

    September 7, 2015 at 2:26 pm

    Yum! I totally need to try this.

    xoxoBella | http://xoxobella.com

    Reply
  6. Cathleen @ A Taste Of Madness says

    September 7, 2015 at 6:02 pm

    Oh wow, this looks amazing! I have always wanted to try making my own caramel sauce, but have never gotten around to doing it. Must try this soon!!

    Reply
  7. Sarah | Well and Full says

    September 8, 2015 at 11:06 am

    What a photogenic caramel!! I love the little vanilla bean spots in it :) And I doubly love that it’s vegan + paleo!! :D

    Reply
  8. Lauren Gaskill | Making Life Sweet says

    September 8, 2015 at 1:16 pm

    This is exactly what has been missing from my life! YUM! Pinning. :)

    Reply
  9. Sandra @ Heavenly Home Cooking says

    September 8, 2015 at 2:19 pm

    This looks absolutely delicious! I’ve never tried coconut sugar, but you’ve definitely inspired me. I bet this caramel sauce is a great accompaniment to the apples that are just coming into season.

    ★★★★★

    Reply
  10. Beth @ bethcakes says

    September 9, 2015 at 8:49 am

    This is so awesome, Rachel! I’m having to learn a bit about paleo for my day job, and I’m totally referencing your blog to figure out which things I can use, haha. I’ve never used coconut sugar, but this is genius! :)

    Reply
    • Rachel says

      September 9, 2015 at 12:24 pm

      Haha I’m so glad!! You must try coconut sugar! It’s my absolute favorite to use in paleo baked goods.

      Reply
  11. Kayle (The Cooking Actress) says

    September 18, 2015 at 11:52 am

    yet another reason I need to get my hands on coconut sugar! This caramel sauce looks so indulgent and rich!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Rachel says

      September 19, 2015 at 1:11 pm

      Thanks so much, Kayle!! You’ll love coconut sugar :)

      Reply
  12. Chrissy says

    November 8, 2015 at 12:58 pm

    Phenomenal recipe!! Absolutely love this caramel! Just found your blog & will definitely be trying other recipes in the future. :)

    Reply
    • Rachel says

      November 8, 2015 at 6:17 pm

      So glad you liked it!! Thanks, Chrissy.

      Reply
  13. Savanah Fahrney-Day says

    November 19, 2015 at 8:56 pm

    This looks absolutely divine! I’ve been missing caramel sauce since we went Paleo and am trying this soon!

    Reply
  14. Jennifer says

    December 9, 2015 at 6:38 pm

    I am not paleo, but am refined sugar and gluten free. Can this recipe be used with heavy cream rather than coconut milk?

    I have so much success with your recipes! Thanks!!

    Reply
    • Rachel says

      December 10, 2015 at 9:38 am

      Hi Jennifer. Definitely, heavy cream will work perfectly! Enjoy :) so glad you’ve liked my recipes!

      Reply
  15. Linda says

    February 10, 2016 at 8:01 pm

    Can you use light coconut milk instead? I find that full fat coconut milk causes digestive upset sometimes.

    Reply
    • Rachel says

      February 11, 2016 at 7:27 am

      Hi Linda. I haven’t tried it, and I’m a bit skeptical – similar to how milk won’t work for traditional caramel (you need heavy cream), I’m unsure if there’s enough fat in light coconut milk to thicken up. You could definitely give it a shot though. If you do, I’d love to hear if it turns out!

      Reply
  16. nays says

    February 14, 2016 at 9:57 am

    Thanks very much for this recipe – made it and used it between two layers of chocolate cake – yum yum :-)

    Reply
  17. Jasmine says

    March 22, 2016 at 3:58 pm

    I love the flavor of this, but having no prior experience with sauces, I was unable to achieve the desired texture. Once it started to boil on medium heat, I was afraid it would stick to the pan to immediately lowered it to low heat for the duration of cooking. This caused it not to thicken up and remain very liquidy, but still added an amazing flavor and caramelized well in the Caramel Apple Crumb Bars that I made with this!

    Reply
    • Rachel says

      March 22, 2016 at 5:47 pm

      Hi Jasmine! You do need to cook it on a higher heat to get it to thicken up – it won’t stick to the pan even if you do :) I’m glad you enjoyed it regardless though!

      Reply
  18. Sarah says

    May 4, 2016 at 12:40 pm

    Hi! Thanks for the great recipe! Just wanted to see if you could sub grass fed butter for the coconut oil?

    Reply
    • Rachel says

      May 4, 2016 at 1:33 pm

      Hi Sarah, absolutely! It would work perfectly :) enjoy!

      Reply
  19. FreeTheGlutens says

    May 5, 2016 at 3:22 am

    I made this in the weekend and near lost my face in the p(l)ot!
    This recipe is exquisite and now I can enjoy my vanilla ice cream with caramel again the way I used to.

    Thank you very much from an over enthusiastic gluten head.

    Reply
    • Rachel says

      May 5, 2016 at 8:06 am

      Awesome, so glad you enjoyed the recipe! Happy ice cream eating :)

      Reply
  20. Andi says

    August 27, 2016 at 2:04 pm

    l really want to try coconut sugar but have yet to find a brand made in a PN/TN-free facility. In the meantime, will this recipe work if I use raw sugar as a substitute for the coconut sugar?

    Reply
    • Rachel says

      August 27, 2016 at 2:12 pm

      I haven’t tried it with raw sugar so I can’t make any guarantees, but it should work just fine.

      Reply
  21. Alicats says

    October 21, 2016 at 4:03 am

    I made this yesterday, however I only had Light coconut milk in (I normally purchase full fat) but I did not realize on the day of purchase, I had picked up 4 tins of light..Anyway just to say it is amazing….absolutely….yummmy…yummmy..maybe as I used light it is not so thick but wow..all the flavor, and yes coconut sugar..used..Thank you.

    Reply
    • Rachel says

      October 21, 2016 at 9:41 am

      So glad to hear that light coconut milk still did the trick! Thanks so much for sharing your experience for other’s to reference – have a great day :)

      Reply
  22. Heather says

    November 16, 2016 at 2:57 am

    Could I substitute date sugar for the coconut sugar?

    Reply
    • Rachel says

      November 16, 2016 at 6:55 am

      Hi Heather – I haven’t experimented too much with date sugar so I’m not sure if it would work here. I’m not positive if it melts and caramelizes the way other sugars do. Wish I had a better answer – experiment at your own risk!

      Reply
  23. Corali says

    February 25, 2017 at 12:18 pm

    Hi, do you use canned coconut milk, and both the thick and watery parts? Thanks!

    Reply
    • Rachel says

      February 26, 2017 at 9:03 pm

      Hi Corali, yes you use the whole can of full fat canned coconut milk. Enjoy!

      Reply
  24. Elise damico says

    April 13, 2017 at 5:45 pm

    Is there a different sugar you would recommend besides coconut sugar?

    Reply
    • Rachel says

      April 16, 2017 at 9:15 pm

      I’ve only tried this with coconut sugar so I can’t make any other recommendations with confidence.

      Reply
  25. BC says

    May 29, 2017 at 1:24 pm

    I just made this recipe and I enjoyed it over ice cream. Looking forward to trying it in iced coffee!

    Reply
    • Rachel says

      May 30, 2017 at 11:24 am

      So glad you’re enjoying it, BC! Sounds amazing in coffee.

      Reply
  26. DD says

    June 15, 2017 at 8:49 pm

    I made this and it is absolutely amazing! The perfect topping for brownies, ice cream, cinnamon rolls, and home-made samoas!

    Reply
  27. Jill McDowell says

    October 29, 2017 at 4:35 pm

    I used real whipping cream, and it taste amazing!

    Reply
  28. Heather Harris says

    January 26, 2018 at 4:15 pm

    Your caramel was perfect. I adapted it just slightly since I have someone in the family on the AIP diet and it tasted FANTASTIC. I posted your recipe on my blog, linking it back to your site so credit is given where credit is due. Thank you so much for this recipe!!!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Rachel says

      January 28, 2018 at 9:52 am

      So glad you’re loving the caramel, Heather and were able to make it AIP friendly! Thanks for your feedback :)

      Reply
  29. Marta says

    February 4, 2018 at 8:49 am

    Hi there, dam question, i know, but the measure for the coconut milk is a full standard can (aborto 400ml)?
    Thanks

    Reply
    • Marta says

      February 4, 2018 at 8:52 am

      Dumb, not dam and about 400ml (my keaboard writes faster than me ;-))

      Reply
    • Rachel says

      February 4, 2018 at 9:04 pm

      Hi Marta, yes it’s a standard sized can!

      Reply
  30. Jennifer says

    February 14, 2018 at 5:56 pm

    The flavor of this caramel was lovely but when I put it in the fridge it separated and formed a hard layer from the coconut oil I imagine…did I do something wrong?

    ★★★★

    Reply
    • Rachel says

      February 15, 2018 at 8:03 am

      Hmm…you can always microwave it to reincorporate the coconut oil! Not sure why that would’ve happened.

      Reply
  31. Roro says

    April 17, 2019 at 11:23 pm

    Hiii, will definitely try it, but is it ok to not use the salt, i made a date cake and want to drizzle it on top would they match taste wise, and for the coconut oil should i melt it first.
    Thanks

    Reply
    • Rachel says

      April 18, 2019 at 3:11 pm

      Hi Roro, you can definitely skip the salt if you’d prefer. For the coconut oil, it doesn’t matter! It will melt when it hits the caramel either way.

      Reply
  32. Jenine says

    May 4, 2019 at 6:23 pm

    Hi Rachel, I cooked it for about 40 minutes and it seems pretty thin.. I kept it at a low boil. Any advice on how to thicken it up? I haven’t refrigerated it yet but it’s cooled to room temperature
    Thank you,
    Jenine

    ★★★★

    Reply
    • Rachel says

      May 4, 2019 at 7:00 pm

      Hi Jenine, it will definitely thicken as it cools, but it should’ve been boiling for a while, so if the heat was on too low to be steadily boiling, it may be that not enough of the liquid evaporated. Hopefully, it will be thick enough once it cools! If not, you can always add back into the pan and cook for a little longer, or even add to big bowl and microwave for a few minutes. Hope this helps!

      Reply
  33. Kristin says

    September 29, 2019 at 1:17 pm

    I made it twice now and my boyfriend and i love it now the second batch i used orange zest i enjoy it

    Reply
    • Rachel says

      September 30, 2019 at 3:59 pm

      Orange zest sounds like a delicious addition! Thanks for the tip, Kristin.

      Reply
  34. B. says

    December 17, 2019 at 10:32 am

    One of my biggest pet peeves when searching for reviews is seeing 5 star rated reviews by people who think it looks good but have not yet made it. So, as a person who has indeed made this, I am giving it a legit 5 stars. This sauce is even better than it looks and thickened up beautifully. I use it for my coffee as I don’t like all the icky ingredients in the store bought options. Next time I may double the recipe since I’ll be using it daily. Thanks for sharing this decadent caramel syrup recipe with us!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Rachel says

      December 18, 2019 at 11:51 am

      Thank you so much for the feedback and review, B! It’s much appreciated and I’m so glad you loved the recipe.

      Reply

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