These homemade Chocolate Covered Caramels are such an indulgent treat for candy lovers. With a buttery, rich homemade soft caramel dipped in smooth chocolate. Add a little sprinkle of salt on top for the perfect sweet and salty treat. These candies are perfect for gifting, and everyone will be amazed at your gourmet-quality chocolates!
Caramels are one of my favorite treats, and dipped in chocolate it takes them to the next level! These buttery, chewy chocolate covered caramels are so irresistible!
If you haven’t made caramels at home before, this is the place to be! This recipe makes the best buttery, sweet, chewy caramels and dipped in creamy chocolate, they’re as good as you could get from your favorite chocolate shop!
Why make this Recipe
- Luxurious Flavor – The combination of sweet caramel, and rich chocolate is a match made in heaven. These homemade candies look as good as you’ll get from the store, for a fraction of the cost!
- Perfect for Gifting – These homemade caramels are sweet, thoughtful, and will be loved by anyone you share them with!
- Customizable – Experiment by adding mix-ins to your caramels like crunchy chopped nuts, or trying different chocolate for the coating.
- Make Ahead Option – These caramels store well at room temperature for up to 1 month. So they’re a great treat to make ahead, and space out all your holiday baking!
Ingredients Needed
This is a quick overview of the ingredients you’ll need for this Chocolate Covered Caramels Recipe. Specific measurements and full recipe instructions are in the printable recipe card below.
- Granulated Sugar – Cooks and turns into caramel
- Light Corn Syrup – This helps keep your caramels extra smooth, and prevent them from being grainy
- Unsalted Butter – You can also use salted butter and skip the added salt
- Salt – Just a little to balance the flavors
- Evaporated Milk – Helps give the caramels their extra smooth texture.
- Vanilla Extract – Gives the caramels a light vanilla flavor.
- Chocolate – You can use a hiqh quality chocolate chip, or chop up a chocolate bar. You can use milk, dark, or semi-sweet chocolate.
- Flakey Sea Salt – Just a little to sprinkle on top of the chocolates, if desired
How to make Chocolate Covered Caramels
Step 1: Cook the sugar, corn syrup, and butter. Add the sugar, corn syrup, butter, and salt to a large, heavy pot. Stir occasionally as the mixture comes to a boil. Once boiling, very slowly add the evaporated milk a little bit at a time, so you don’t lower the temperature stirring constantly.
Step 2: Cook to Hard Ball Stage. Add in a candy thermometer, and continue cooking the caramel, stirring constantly, until the caramel reaches about 240 F. If you want a slightly softer caramel go between 235 to 240 F. If you want a chewier caramel go between 240 to 245 F. I like chewier caramels for dipping in chocolate. Once the temperature is reached stir in the vanilla extract.
Step 3: Spread the mixture into a pan. Spread the caramel into a lined pan and spread the top evenly. Let the caramels cool for a couple hours until set. Cut the caramels into bite sized squares.
Step 4: Dip caramels in chocolate. Melt the chocolate in a double boiler, until melted and smooth. Remove from the heat, once creamy. Drop one caramel at a time into the melted chocolate and lift it out with a fork. Slowly slide the caramel off the fork onto a piece of parchment paper. Sprinkle the top with flakey sea salt if desired. Let the caramels sit until the chocolate is set.
Tips and Tricks
- Pour very Slowly – Very slowly add the evaporated milk, it will take about 12-15 minutes for each can. The easiest way for me is I add about 1 TBS every 30 seconds or so.
- Use a Candy Thermometer – This is a recipe that needs a candy thermometer! You need to ensure your caramel reaches the right temperature for the perfect texture!
- Soft Ball Stage – You want to cook your caramels to be soft and chewy, but firm enough to hold their shape so you can dip them in chocolate. This is referred to as the soft ball stage in candy making. I like to range around the upper end of this stage for a chewier candy when dipping in melted chocolate.
- Altitude – Altitude can greatly affect temperatures for your candy making. The easiest way to test this is by boiling a pot of water on the stove, and checking the temperature of the boiling water. At sea level water typically boils around 212 F. If your water boils lower than that (for example, mine boils at about 204 F) then I will lower my desired candy temperature also by 8 degrees. For a general guid:
- Sea level: You’ll want to your caramel to hit between 242 – 245 °F
- 2000 ft: Between 238 – 241 °F
- 4000 ft: Between 234 – 237 °F
- 6000 ft: Between 230 – 233 °F
- Flavors – Add different extracts instead of, or in addition to the vanilla extract, about 1/2 teaspoon when adding the vanilla. Try coconut, maple, orange, etc.
- Cutting Caramels – Use a sharp knife, or a stainless steel scraper to cut the caramels into straight lines, then wrap individually.
Storage Instructions
Store the chocolate covered caramels in an airtight container at room temperature for 3 to 4 weeks. You can also freeze the caramels for up to 3 months. Let them thaw at room temperature for a few hours before enjoying.
These homemade chocolate-covered caramels are as good as you’ll get out of a high quality chocolate box! With their chewy caramel centers, and rich chocolate coating, they are perfect for treating yourself or sharing with loved ones!
More Homemade Candies
- Churro Toffee
- Peanut Butter Potato Candy
- Peppermint Popcorn
- Cream Cheese Mints
- Chocolate Covered Cherries Recipe
If you try these Chocolate Covered Caramels, please leave a 🌟 rating and let me know how it went in the comments below. I love hearing from you!
Chocolate Covered Caramels
Ingredients
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 cups light corn syrup
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 12 oz evaporated milk
- 3/4 tsp vanilla extract
- 10 oz high quality chocolate
- flaky sea salt
Instructions
- Line a 8×8 in pan with parchment paper, and light grease. Set it aside.
- Add the sugar, corn syrup, butter, and salt to a large, heavy bottomed pot and heat it over medium on the stove top. Stir occasionally as the mixture comes to a boil. 2 cups granulated sugar, 1 cups light corn syrup, 1/2 cup unsalted butter, 1/2 teaspoon salt
- Once boiling, very slowly add the evaporated milk a little at a time, about 1 TBS every 30 seconds, stirring constantly. It will take between 10 and 15 minutes to add, and you need to stir the whole time so the milk doesn't lower the temperature of the mixture. 12 oz evaporated milk
- Once all the milk has been added, add in a candy thermometer and continue cooking, stirring constantly until the mixture comes between 242 and 245 Fahrenheit.
- Once the temperature is reached, remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract. 3/4 tsp vanilla extract
- Pour the mixture into the prepared pan, and spread out the top as needed.
- Let the caramels cool until totally set. Lift the caramels out of the pan, with the parchment paper and cut them into bite sized pieces, using a sharp knife.
- Add the chocolate to a double boiler over medium heat, and stir until melted. Remove from the heat. 10 oz high quality chocolate
- Drop one caramel at a time into the chocolate. Lift it out with a fork, and tap the fork on the edge of the bowl to remove the excess chocolate. Carefully transfer the chocolate caramel to a piece of parchment paper.
- Sprinkle the tops of the caramels with flakey salt if desired. flaky sea salt
- Let the caramels sit until the chocolate is hardened.
Notes
- Pour very Slowly – Very slowly add the evaporated milk, it will take about 12-15 minutes for each can. The easiest way for me is I add about 1 TBS every 30 seconds or so.
- Use a Candy Thermometer – This is a recipe that needs a candy thermometer! You need to ensure your caramel reaches the right temperature for the perfect texture!
- Soft Ball Stage – You want to cook your caramels to be soft and chewy, but firm enough to hold their shape so you can dip them in chocolate. This is referred to as the soft ball stage in candy making. I like to range around the upper end of this stage for a chewier candy when dipping in melted chocolate.
- Altitude – Altitude can greatly affect temperatures for your candy making. The easiest way to test this is by boiling a pot of water on the stove, and checking the temperature of the boiling water. At sea level water typically boils around 212 F. If your water boils lower than that (for example, mine boils at about 204 F) then I will lower my desired candy temperature also by 8 degrees. For a general guid:
- Sea level: You’ll want to your caramel to hit between 242 – 245 °F
- 2000 ft: Between 238 – 241 °F
- 4000 ft: Between 234 – 237 °F
- 6000 ft: Between 230 – 233 °F
- Flavors – Add different extracts instead of, or in addition to the vanilla extract, about 1/2 teaspoon when adding the vanilla. Try coconut, maple, orange, etc.
- Cutting Caramels – Use a sharp knife, or a stainless steel scraper to cut the caramels into straight lines, then wrap individually.
Nutrition
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