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These Salted Vanilla Bean Caramels are soft, buttery, and perfectly chewy. They have deep caramel flavor, flecks of real vanilla bean, and just the right touch of salt on top.
They’re simple to make, beautiful to gift, and you won’t be able to stop reaching for them once you try one.
Krissy’s Notes
I make a lot of candy during the holidays, but these homemade vanilla bean caramels are the ones people always ask for. They’re everything you want in a caramel. They are rich, smooth, and full of that classic sweet-salty flavor combo that keeps you coming back for more.
When I first started making candy, I was terrified of boiling sugar (thanks to a long-ago gingerbread house incident I still haven’t fully recovered from). But once I mastered caramel sauce, I realized how approachable it actually is. If you have a reliable thermometer and a little patience, you can make these perfectly every time.
The secret to incredible flavor? Browned butter and real vanilla beans. Browning the butter adds a nutty depth, and using whole vanilla beans—rather than extract—makes these taste luxurious. Maldon sea salt is my finishing touch; it balances the sweetness beautifully.
What You’ll Need To Make Them
You’ll find the exact ingredient quantities in the recipe card below, but here’s what you’ll need.
You’ll use unsalted butter, granulated sugar, light corn syrup, sweetened condensed milk, vanilla beans, water, and flaky sea salt. The vanilla beans give these caramels those signature specks and an unbeatable aroma.
If you can, use high-quality vanilla beans (like Madagascar or Tahitian). And don’t skip the salt because it turns simple caramels into something special.
How to Make Salted Vanilla Bean Caramels
Complete directions are in the recipe card below, but here’s the process in a nutshell.
- Prepare the pan. Line a 9×13-inch pan with buttered parchment or foil.
- Brown the butter. Melt the butter in a large saucepan, stirring constantly until golden and fragrant.
- Cook the caramel. Add sugar, corn syrup, condensed milk, vanilla beans (split and scraped), and water. Bring to a boil and stir constantly until the mixture reaches 245°F.
- Pour and cool. Immediately pour the caramel into the prepared pan, remove the vanilla bean pods, and sprinkle with flaky sea salt.
- Cut and wrap. Once cooled, slice into squares and wrap each piece in wax paper.
Make Ahead, Storage, and Gifting
How to make ahead: These caramels keep beautifully, so you can make them weeks before the holidays.
To store: Wrap individually and store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 weeks.
To gift: Package them in glass jars, tins, or festive bags. They’re one of my most-requested homemade gifts every year.
Learn From Me
When making candy, temperature is everything. Use a thermometer and remove the caramel from heat the instant it hits 245°F. Go higher, and they’ll turn hard; go lower, and they’ll stay too soft.
They’re sweet, nostalgic, and impressive enough to make you feel like a candy-making pro.
I’ve made so many recipes including my Brown Butter Blondies and Chocolate Chip Cookies with this flavor combination of browned butter, real vanilla, and salt. It has never failed me.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some of the reader questions I’ve gotten about this recipe with my responses.
Yes, though vanilla beans give a deeper flavor. Use 2 teaspoons of pure extract if that’s what you have.
Use a flaky sea salt like Maldon. It adds texture without overpowering the sweetness.
Yes! It’s the only way to guarantee that perfect chewy texture. I use a digital meat thermometer, and it works great.
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Ingredients
- 12 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup water
- 2 cups sugar
- 4 vanilla beans split with seeds scraped (you’ll use both)
- 14 ounces sweetened condensed milk
- 1 cup light corn syrup
- 1 teaspoon flaked salt I use Maldon
Instructions
- Line a 9×13-inch baking pan with foil or parchment lined foil. Butter any sides of the dish that are not covered in the liner.
- Using a medium to large saucepan (I used an 8 quart because hot bubbling sugar scares me), melt 12 tablespoons unsalted butter over medium high heat. Whisk continually as butter melts and bubbles, scraping any brown bits off the bottom of the pan. When butter has successfully browned, you will have a wonderful caramel nutty aroma. Remove from heat.
- Combine the 1/2 cup water, 2 cups sugar, 4 vanilla beans with scraped seeds, 14 ounces sweetened condensed milk, 1 cup light corn syrup, and browned butter in the saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly with a heat-resistant rubber spatula. Continue stirring while cooking until the batch reaches 245ºF. You may need to use a heat protective glove over your hand while stirring.
- The instant the caramel reaches 245ºF, immediately pour into the prepared pan and remove the vanilla bean pods using a fork. If you do this too early, the caramel won’t set. If you take the temperature above the setpoint, you risk having caramel that’s hard as a rock as opposed to chewy.
- As soon as you've poured the caramel, sprinkle 1 teaspoon flaked salt over the surface. Allow to cool completely to room temperature, at least 2 hours. Remove the sheet of caramels from the pan. Cut into the desired size pieces using a sharp chef's knife. For easy wrapping, caramels may be chilled before handling. Wrap in pieces of wax paper for individual treats. Store in airtight container at room temperature.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Oh yum! The browned butter adds such a rich flavor. I love using it in my baked goods, but never thought to try it with candy. Amazing!
THESE are delightful! And horribly addicting! So delicious. I love the salt. That might be the part that is so addicting… Gonna have to make these more often!
Had these over the holidays! We really loved the flavors of the salt, vanilla and caramel together! So good!
These were phenomenal! I just love the salty sweet combo and they were super easy to make too!