These Homemade Microwave Caramels will make you fall in love with candy making – without any major failures. I love our homemade caramels, but with two kids running around it just wasn’t going to work.
My husband and I tried these a few weeks ago and they are our new favorite treat.
They taste just like our homemade caramels, but were SO EASY to make. These would make a perfect treat to bring to neighbors for the holidays.
Love caramel? Try our Rolo Turtle Pretzel Bites!
How to make Homemade Microwave Caramels:
Combine butter, sugar, brown sugar, corn syrup and sweetened condensed milk in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave for 6 minutes, removing and stirring every two minutes.
When caramel is done cooking, pour into a 9×13-inch baking pan sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. Let cool completely.
Cut into pieces using a sharp knife.
Place each piece of caramel on a piece of waxed paper.
Wrap up each piece of caramel and twist the ends of the waxed paper to secure.
Tips for making homemade Microwave caramels
- Be sure you use a microwave safe bowl, when making these caramels. I prefer to use a glass bowl.
- When making the caramels, it’s important to take them out of the microwave every 1-2 minutes. If you let the mixture cook for the full 6, the caramel will be burned in some areas, and not others.
- When I mix my caramel, I like to grease a rubber spatula with non-stick cooking spray, to avoid caramel sticking to my spoon.
- Be sure your 9×13 inch pan is also sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. You want to avoid all sticking, or your caramels will have a hard time being cut and removed from the pan.
- I cut up all my wax paper ahead of time, and wrap them all at once, in wax paper. I use the tootsie roll wrapping method.
Do I need a candy thermometer?
No candy thermometer is needed for this recipe. That’s what makes this recipe so simple! It requires no strange ingredients, or tools. Just a microwave and five basic ingredients.
As long as you follow the recipe directions, you will have no problem with these Homemade Microwavable Caramels.
How should I store my caramels?
If your Homemade Microwavable Caramels are not eaten within the first day, you can place them in an airtight container, or sealed ziplock bag, with all the air out of it.
I usually keep mine in a decorative bowl in my kitchen and my family will eat them throughout the week. They usually get a little more chewy by day 3 or 4, but they still taste amazing.
If you are making them more than a week in advance, you may want to put them in an airtight container and store them in the fridge.
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Looking for more homemade candy recipes?
- Homemade Honey Candy
- Homemade Big Hunk Candy Bars
- Peppermint Candy Cane Fudge
- Homemade Butterfinger Bites
- Butterscotch Candy
- Homemade Chocolate Caramels with Sea Salt
Homemade Microwave Caramels Recipe
Ingredients
- ¼ cup butter
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup light brown sugar
- ½ cup light corn syrup
- ½ cup sweetened condensed milk
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients in a microwaveable safe bowl until smooth.
- Cook for 6 minutes in your microwave, removing and stirring every two minutes.
- When caramel is done cooking, pour into a 9×13-inch baking pan sprayed with nonstick cooking spray.
- Let cool completely.
- Cut into pieces and roll up in wax paper.
Video
Notes
- When making the caramels, it’s important to take them out of the microwave every 1-2 minutes. If you let the mixture cook for the full 6, the caramel will be burned in some areas, and not others.
Nutrition
Equipment
- Microwave Safe Bowl
- 9×13" Baking Pan
Recipe Details
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Love that you can make them in the microwave :) Definitely making these for my husband!
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Oh my gosh! Do you know how much my husband will LOOOOOOOVE this recipe? He is a caramel fanatic, but alas, I don't know how to make them well! I do know how to punch start on a microwave, however! Thank you so much!!!
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Do you melt the butter first? Yummy!
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I have always been afraid to try caramels, and my husband always asks me to make them! I think I'll have to save this one to try next week!
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HOLY COW! These were so easy to make an taste so awesome! They will be family favorite from now on! Thanks.
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Make sure you add some course salt immediately after you pour them into a pan to set. They will be irresistible.
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I mean "coarse".
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How much coarse salt? What a smashing idea...
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These are sooo easy and delicious...I ate way too many though! :) Amazing recipe!
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Help it got too hard and was like toffee instead of carmel. What can I do?
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Try this!! If you run into the problem below of it being too hard when cooled try 70% power for each of the 2 min intervals should be muuuuch softer. But every microwave is different it is worth the tinkering trust me these are delicious 🤤
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I would LOVE to make these! But can I use something else in stead of corn syrup? I don't know if I can buy that here... I have never seen it in the supermarkets here (I live in the Netherlands). Hope you can help!
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Just made these and they turned out just amazing! I however FORGOT the butter, lol, and they are still delicious with a perfect caramel texture.
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I made these today and they were very easy to make and soooo delicious!!!
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I made these today and they were easy to make and soooo delicious!!!
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Has anyone tried this recipe but add some flavored extract like butter rum maybe? Let me know how it turned out and how you altered the recipe please....
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I have seen similar recipes that add a tsp of vanilla after cooking so i'm sure it would be tasty with other flavors too. I plan to try it tonight!
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I have made these a few times and they are really good. I have added anise flavoring (black licorice) and they were amazing! I
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This is an excellent recipe as it is cheap, easy, delicious. I've made it twice this week and it's perfect each time. This is a keeper.
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I have a 1200 watt microwave. Is that the same wattage as yours CYD?
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Corn syrup could be replaced with a homemade sugar syrup. Google to find a recipe. Or you could use equal amounts of cane syrup or honey.
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I made 2 batches of this today for neighborhood Christmas treats! So easy and both batches turned out perfect and delicious! Thanks for the great recipe!
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My caramels are not hardening at all? Do I need to microwave them for longer?
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If I double the recipe, should I double the cooking time too??
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Made these 1/2 an hour ago. With homemade corn syrup. It looks like they turned out good. Can't wait to cut them. Thanks for the recipe!
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These are fantastic. Made 2 batches today and both were absolutely perfect. Smooth, soft, chewy and not super sweet. MMMMMM
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Just made these and they were so so good. And very easy to make. Thanks for the recipe.
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These were DELICIOUS and so easy to make! My 4 yr old son keeps asking for me to make more & even my mom was shocked that they were homemade
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If your microwave is only 900 watts howmuch longer should I cook?
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I just made the microwave caramels. They are still cooling. After I cut and wrap them, do I need to keep them in the refrigerator?
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If I didn't know any better, I'd think I was eating a Werthers! Sooooo good! Thank you for this recipe!
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Is it at cooked at 100% or less? Thank you will be making them shortly.
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I really like these! Much easier than the traditional way when you want a quick batch. I added 1/4 tsp or so of vanilla right before the pour (give it a good stir). I also used a smaller pan as I found a 9x13 was too large (caramel was super thin). Thanks for sharing!!!
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I made this today in a 9x1e dish and I think the pieces may be too thin. I usually make them in a 8x8 dish. I ended up making one of each. Warning your dish coming out of the microwave will be very hot, so be careful! Very easy and fast to make!
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Ok so these tasted great and were easy to make, but a 9 x 13 pan makes very thin caramels. I would use a slightly smaller one next time.
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I will never make any other camramels again! This is so easy and delicious, I sprinkle some sea salt on top. and I found you can get wax wrappers pre-cut on Amazon!
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Shoot, my caramels are delicious, but they aren’t really setting up. They have cooled completely. Any suggestions? I would love to be able to wrap them to give away.
