Last week, Ben and I moved from a 500-square-foot apartment to a full-sized home, and—minus a bed and a few college-era plastic drawers—that home is devoid of furniture. After three, 15-hour days spent furniture shopping, I’m confident that—at least when it comes to couches—we have too many options. Fortunately for us, the vegan caramel sauce recipe I’m sharing today tastes as heavenly eaten standing in front of an open refrigerator as it does sitting on the finest of sofas. All you need to do is grab a spoon, open the lid, and dive right into this sweet nectar.
Although I adore a butter-bursting, heavy cream-laced caramel sauce as much as the next sane individual, I also eat dessert after every meal, including lunch. I’ve found that keeping a few lighter dessert options (like this Vegan Apple Crisp) around allows me to satisfy my sweet tooth while living a healthy lifestyle. I became intrigued by the idea of making a no-cream caramel sauce, and this vegan caramel sauce is the result. This sauce comes together easily on the stove, and although it won’t thicken quite as much as regular, full-fat caramel, it’s still rich, decadent, and absolutely fabulous.
How to Make Vegan Caramel Sauce
Whether you follow a vegan diet, are looking for lower-guilt dessert choices, or run into an emergency shortage of heavy cream, this vegan caramel sauce will not disappoint.
Drizzled on ice cream (try it on this Banana Ice Cream)Dunked with apple slices or Apple ChipsPoured over waffles (try it on these Blender Whole Wheat Waffles)Added to Healthy Hot Chocolate or coffeeSwirled into these Caramel Apple BarsOR eaten directly from the jar (zero judgment—in fact, grab me a spoon too)
The Ingredients
Sugar + Water. Just like traditional caramel, vegan caramel also begins with a base of sugar and water. (If you’re looking for a non-traditional caramel, try this Apple Cider Caramel Sauce.)Maple Syrup. Gives the caramel a subtle maple flavor and enhances the color.Cornstarch. Functions as a thickening agent for the sauce since vegan caramel contains less fat than traditional caramel sauces.Vanilla Soymilk. Our vegan swap for milk. Make sure to choose regular soymilk rather than light soymilk. Even vegan caramel needs a bit of “fat” to help it thicken and come together.Dairy-Free Margarine. Choose a soy-based margarine, like Earth Balance for best results.Vanilla. Enhances the natural flavor of the vegan caramel.Pinch of Salt. The perfect finish to balance out the sweetness of the caramel.
The Directions
