This gooey keto salted caramel sauce with allulose recipe is quick and easy to make, thick, creamy but pourable, has a deep rich caramel flavor, and tastes just like the real thing! Plus, it's naturally gluten-free, and with a few simple swaps, it can also be made dairy-free!
This sticky and gooey low-carb caramel sauce recipe is super simple to make, creamy, thick but pourable, has a rich flavor, and is sooooo delicious!
It's great with ice cream, berries, Paleo Cheesecake Bites, Apple Pie, used as a base to make Turtles or Peanut Brittle, or even eaten straight off of a spoon!
And if you've never made homemade caramel sauce before, you'll be pleasantly surprised how quick and easy it is, only taking 15 minutes!
It's a luscious sauce that tastes just like the real thing in taste and texture, but without the excess carbs and sugar.
Ingredients
This recipe comes together quickly and only requires 5 simple ingredients (6 if you count the sea salt!) that many keto folks already have on hand, including:
- Butter - Use good quality for best taste.
- Allulose - The secret ingredient that makes it smooth and creamy!
- Molasses - Adds a rich, deep taste.
- Heavy Whipping Cream -For creaminess, taste, and texture.
- Pure Vanilla - Flavor
- Sea Salt - Makes the caramel sweet and salty, and the salt enhances the sweetness.
Molasses
To add a nice caramel flavor to salted caramel sauce, I found that you can add 1-2 tsp. of molasses. Along with browning the butter, this makes the caramel have a deep, rich flavor.
While the molasses is optional, I really prefer the caramel with the molasses. The molasses gives it a deep caramel taste that is otherwise missing.
If you're worried about adding molasses to a low-carb recipe, keep in mind that molasses is considered a low glycemic sugar.
One teaspoon only adds 5 carbs to the entire batch! It's also rich in vitamins and minerals such as iron, chromium, magnesium, calcium, vitamin b6, and more!
The low-carb sweetener
For the keto sweetener, I recommend using allulose or a monk fruit/allulose blend because they dissolve beautifully, don't crystallize, and have NO aftertaste!
💭Tip: Allulose is the secret ingredient that makes this recipe smooth and creamy without crystallization!
Xylitol is my 2nd choice, but it can become ever-so-slightly gritty as it cools.
And I don't recommend erythritol-based sweeteners because they crystalize and make the sauce super grainy - even the powdered varieties!
Butter
For the butter, I prefer to use grass-fed butter because it tastes so much better than regular butter.
It’s also way healthier! It has vitamin K-2 (which is good for your arteries!), good fats, and anti-inflammatory properties.
Frequently asked questions
I don't recommend erythritol-based sweeteners in low-carb sauces because it causes them to be grainy - even the powdered varieties! However, if you add xanthan gum and don't skip the molasses, it helps with the crystallization. To find the recipe using an erythritol-based sweetener, see my Turtles post.
Yes! Simply use dairy-free butter or ghee and use coconut cream instead of heavy cream. For coconut cream, place a can of full-fat canned coconut milk in the fridge overnight. Then, scoop out the coagulated cream. I recommend Thai Kitchen, Sprouts, or Native Forest brands because they separate well and have no funny aftertaste.
Because of the sugar, caramel sauce usually has around 25 carbs per 2 Tablespoons, making it not keto-friendly. However, this recipe is sweetened with allulose, coming in at only 2 net carbs per 2 Tablespoons.
🔪 Easy instructions
Step 1: Brown the butter.
Start by adding ¼ cup of butter (or non-dairy butter) to a saucepan and heat over medium heat. Once melted, bring to a low simmer and simmer for 3 to 5 minutes, or until browned, stirring occasionally.
Don't skip browning the butter because it adds a deep, rich depth of flavor that enhances the caramel taste!
Step 2: Add the cream and sweetener.
Add heavy cream, allulose, and molasses. Bring to a low simmer. Simmer for around 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until it's thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Again, be sure it doesn't burn!
Step 3: Stir in pure vanilla and a pinch of sea salt.
Adding the vanilla after it's removed from heat, ensures that the vanilla flavor doesn't cook-off.
The caramel will slightly thicken as it cools.
Step #4: Serve.
My very favorite way to eat low-carb caramel is with keto ice cream! But it's also great with berries, cheesecake, or even eaten straight off of a spoon 🥄
How to store and reheat
This can be stored in the fridge for several weeks. When ready to eat, I recommend reheating for the best taste and texture.
Reheat on the stove over low heat, stirring frequently.
💭Tip: When reheating, be sure to heat slowly! Otherwise, it may separate. The best way to re-heat it is on the stove over low heat.
It’s important that the temperature rises gradually, otherwise, it may become "shocked" and separate.
If it starts to separate, sometimes you can recover the caramel sauce by processing it in a food processor or blending it in a blender until it becomes smooth again.
Top tips
- This recipe is fairly sweet. If you prefer your desserts on the less-sweet side, feel free to slightly reduce the sweetener.
- While the molasses is optional, I really prefer the caramel with the molasses. The molasses gives it a deep caramel taste that is otherwise missing.
- If you're worried about adding molasses to a low-carb recipe, keep in mind that molasses is considered a low glycemic sugar. One teaspoon only adds 5 net carbs to the entire batch! It's also rich in vitamins and minerals such as iron, chromium, magnesium, calcium, vitamin b6, and more!
- For dairy-free, use dairy-free butter or ghee and coconut cream instead of heavy cream.
Looking for more keto desserts?
I think you'll love these...
Or these dairy-free caramels (not keto) from Allergy Awesomeness look delicious too!
If you’ve tried this low-carb keto salted caramel sauce or any other recipe on the blog please let me know in the comments below!
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📖 Recipe
Low-Carb Keto Salted Caramel Sauce With Allulose
Ingredients
Keto Caramel Sauce:
- 4 Tbsp. Butter
- 6 Tbsp. Allulose
- 1 ½ tsp. Molasses - optional but very highly recommended
- ½ Cup Heavy Whipping Cream
- 2 tsp. Pure Vanilla
- ⅛ teaspoon Sea Salt
Instructions
- In a medium-sized saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat until melted. Once melted, bring to a low simmer. Simmer 3 to 5 minutes, or until the butter is browned, stirring occassionally and be sure not to let it burn!
- Add the heavy cream, allulose, and molasses. Then, turn the heat down to a low simmer and simmer 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until a deep golden brown and thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon. Again, be careful that it doesn't burn!
- Remove from heat and stir in the pure vanilla and sea salt. Add more sea salt to taste, if desired. Caramel will slightly thicken as it cools.
- Leftovers can be stored in the fridge for several weeks. When ready to eat, I recommend reheating for the best taste and texture. To reheat, heat on the stove over LOW heat. If you heat it too quickly it may get "shocked" and separate! If you notice it starting to separate, sometimes it can be salvaged by processing in a food processor or blending in a blender until smooth.
Add Your Own Notes
Video
Notes
- Nutrition info includes molasses.
- If you prefer your desserts on the less-sweet side, feel free to slightly reduce the sweeteners.
- If you're worried about adding molasses to a Keto recipe, keep in mind that molasses is considered a low glycemic sugar. One teaspoon only adds 5 net carbs to the entire batch! It's also rich in vitamins and minerals such as iron, chromium, magnesium, calcium, vitamin b6, and more!
- For dairy-free, use dairy-free butter or ghee and use coconut cream instead of heavy cream. For coconut cream, place a can of full-fat canned coconut milk in the fridge overnight. Then, scoop out the coagulated cream. I recommend Thai Kitchen, Sprouts, or Native Forest brands because they separate well and have no funny aftertaste.
- Are you more of a visual learner? Watch the YouTube video!!! *Note- This was one of my very first videos and we were still working out some kinks.
Nutrition
NET CARBS = Total Carbs - Fiber
Nutritional information is approximate and may vary. Sugar alcohols are included in the total carbs and fiber.
Looking for more information on the keto diet? Check out my
Silas says
I have to stay away from sugar, what can I sun for molasses?
Cassidy Stauffer says
Hi Silas!
If you have to stay away from molasses, you can simply omit it. The caramel just won't have quite as much depth of flavor. Or you could add some monkfruit/allulose brown sugar for some extra flavor. I recommend this over an erythritol-based brown sweetener because erythritol can sometimes make the sauce grainy. I hope this helps!!!
XO,
Cassidy
Shayla says
Thank you for this recipe! I love Caramel, and I’ve not been able to find a good milk free keto car mode so I’m looking forward to trying this one. In your nutrition facts, what is the serving size? Thanks! I am also wondering if you have tried this with Choc Zero Carmel or maple syrup instead of the Lakanto? I have used both syrups for various things, including on keto pancakes and in coconut yogurt :-), and I strongly prefer Choc Zero over Lacanto, so wondering if it would work in this recipe ?
Cassidy Stauffer says
Hi Shayla! The serving is approximately 1 Tbsp. I haven't tried this with Choc Zero but I've heard great things about it! Also, lately, I've been adding just a tsp or two of molasses instead of sugar-free maple syrup because it adds such a great, deep caramel flavor with very few carbs and I'm loving it so much better than maple syrup! I updated the recipe card to include the change 🙂
-Cassidy
Kortney says
I'm always so amazed at how many things can be made Keto friendly. Coconut cream is such a great ingredient - does this caramel taste strongly of coconut?
Cassidy says
Hi Kortney! I don't think it has a coconut taste at all, but I use coconut all the time and may just be used to it! There are so many flavors going on though, if you can taste the coconut it would be very faint 🙂 Hope that helps!!!
patricia says
what would you suggest using for the non-dairy butter? I have to be dairy free. Thanks for your help
This looks so delicious!
Cassidy says
Hi Patricia! I prefer Earth Balance Buttery Spread (the soy free version) because it most closely tastes and melts like butter and is found in most stores now 🙂 I've see that Nutiva has a butter flavored coconut oil that many people like, but I'm just not sure if coconut oil would work in this recipe. If you give it a shot let me know how it turns out!!! Hope that helps!!!
-Cassidy