Dessert

41 Caramel Desserts for Gooey, Brittle, Buttery-Sweet Satisfaction

Making caramel is the closest many of us will ever come to performing a magic trick. These desserts bring it into the spotlight.

ByJoe SevierandThe Editors of Epicurious

October 20, 2023

41 Caramel Desserts for ButterySweet Satisfaction

Transforming sugar from a pile of white granules into a golden elixir is a thrill, but once you’ve got it, what’s your next move? These caramel desserts put that liquid gold front and center, whether it’s dressing a cake or gilding a dish of ice cream, layering into a pie or sweetening your cookies. Below you’ll find a few of our favorite caramel dessert recipes—including lots that use store-bought caramel or dulce de leche so you can jump right in with your spoon. Keep that flaky salt handy and scroll down for the sweets.

Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Katherine Sacks

1/41

Caramel Apple Drip Cake With Candied Walnuts

Many of the best caramel desserts work in any season, but this is one of ouressential cakes for fall baking. Grated apples keep every cinnamon-scented slice supple and moist, while a caramel glaze and candied walnuts contribute toasty, luscious flavors.

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Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Rebecca Jurkevich

2/41

Profiteroles With Maple Caramel Sauce

Inspired by the version served at L’Express in Montreal, these little puffs are filled withstore-bought vanilla ice creamfor ease. Focus your efforts on the simple maple caramel that’s drizzled on top. You can make the sauce ahead and rewarm it in the microwave.

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Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Beatrice Chastka, Food Styling by Olivia Mack Anderson

3/41

Monkey Bread

感伤的焦糖酱汁渗入这个拉-apart delight is a truly easy three-ingredient powerhouse.

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Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Astrid Chastka, Food Styling by Anna Hampton

4/41

3-Ingredient Caramel Apple Tart

Store-bought caramel sauce andfrozen puff pastryare the secrets to a showstopping fall dessert that you can make in under an hour.

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Photo by Shutterstock

5/41

Homemade Dulce de Leche

There are two ways to make this iconic caramel spread: One is more classic—cooking down milk and sugar—but it requires a fair amount of attention and stirring. The other uses sweetened condensed milk and a long, though mostly unattended, time in the oven. Both methods are outlined here.

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Photo by Joseph De Leo, Prop Styling by Anne Eastman, Food Styling by Rebecca Jurkevich

6/41

Caramel Nut Tart

Swap out this Thanksgiving’specan piefor this chocolate-drizzled pecan and walnut tart.

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Squire Fox

7/41

Caramel Cake

This Southern classic is only as good as the icing. So it’s absolutely worth making that part from scratch.

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Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Alex Brannian, Food Styling by Michelle Gatton

8/41

No-Churn Salted Caramel Ice Cream

Want to make salted caramel ice cream without anice cream maker? This three-ingredient recipe couldn’t be easier.

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Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Kaitlin Wayne

9/41

Banoffee Pie

You don’t have to turn on your oven to make thisBritishdessert; it’s a stovetop-only situation.

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Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Katherine Sacks

10/41

Caramel Corn Clusters

These nutty clusters are ideal for movie-night snacking—or for serving at a Halloween party.

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Photo by Aya Brackett

11/41

Dobos Torta

Layer tender cake with an intensely chocolaty, lightly caramel-flavored buttercream, then attach caramel-coated cake triangles to make an impressive topper.

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Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Alex Brannian, Food Styling by Diana Yen

12/41

Giant Chocolate Caramel Cookie Bars

Buttery pat-in-pan shortbread takes the place of mass-produced cookies and gets smothered in from-scratch caramel and silken chocolate in this jumbo version of a classic candy.

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Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Bill Clark

13/41

Creole Cream Cheesecake With Caramel-Apple Topping

Pumpkin cheesecakegets its moment every fall, but we think caramel apple cheesecake deserves more love.

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Photo by Steve Legato

14/41

Peach Lattice Pie With Bourbon Caramel

A drizzle of buttery bourbon caramel over each slice of this pie heightens the naturally lush sweetness of ripe peaches.

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Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Rhoda Boone

15/41

One-Bowl Milk Chocolate Cake With Chocolate-Caramel Frosting

It’s great to have a fewone-bowl cakesin your repertoire. This easy-to-make, portable cake with chocolate-caramel frosting is ideal for a picnic or backyard barbecue.

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Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Anna Stockwell

16/41

3-Ingredient Caramel Apple Hand Pies

These quick and easy hand pies are a cross between the beloved caramel apple and flaky apple turnover.

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Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Alex Brannian, Food Styling by Ali Nardi

17/41

3-Ingredient Microwave Caramel Sauce

This easy recipe gives you caramel sauce any time you want it. Use it to drizzle over ice cream,pancakes, or into your morning mug of coffee.

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Photograph by William Meppem inThe New Easyby Donna Hay

18/41

Salted Caramel Chocolate Brownie

This particular caramel dessert is nice to have around the house for afternoon slivers and post-dinner bites.

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Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Alex Brannian, Food Styling by Diana Yen

19/41

Giant Chocolate Candy Bar with Peanuts and Nougat

The iconic chocolate bar of peanut-studded caramel and nougat is all about chewiness. Transforming that small bite into a giant layered dessert means keeping the same flavors, but whipping up nougat fluffy enough to eat by the forkful with soft peanut-studded caramel.

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Stacy Newgent

20/41

Salted Caramel Risotto

Call it rice pudding, call it sweet risotto—either way, it’s a great move for wrapping up a dinner party.

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Photo by Angie Mosier

21/41

Salted Caramel Apple Pie

This recipe frombaking expert Cheryl Dayis a great way to highlight freshly picked apples. We like to use a combination of different types for layered flavor.

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Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Alex Brannian, Food Styling by Ali Nardi

22/41

Chocolate Microwave Mug Cake with Caramel Sauce and Peanuts

When you’re craving agooey dessertbut don’t want to get out the stand mixer, this individual-size chocolate cake is here for you.

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donna hay magazine, photography by Chris Court

23/41

Caramel Popcorn, Salted Almond, and Malt Cookies

This recipe transforms store-bought caramel popcorn into nutty, salty, crispy cookies.

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Charles Masters, food styling by Suzanne Lenzer

24/41

Caramel-Apple Caramels

Make a big batch of these apple-flavored chewy caramel candies to give to friends and neighbors.

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Photo by Louise Hagger

25/41

Tamarind Millionaire’s Shortbread

Tangytamarind brightens the caramelin this spin on the classic layered shortbread bar.

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Photo by Emulsion Studio

26/41

Sawdust Pie

This crumbly, nutty pie—made with graham cracker crumbs, sweetened flaked coconut, brown sugar, and chopped pecans—is the ideal backdrop for a big drizzle of caramel sauce.

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Photo by Romulo Yanes

27/41

Red Wine Caramel Apples

Give a garnet-hued twist to the Halloween classic by coating apples in a red wine–flavored caramel sauce.

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Photo by JP Bevins, Food Styling by Molly Baz

28/41

3-Ingredient Caramel-Pear Galette

This simple pear galette requires only 15 minutes of active prep time.

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Quentin Bacon

29/41

Salted Caramel Pots de Crème

A pinch of salt in these custards heightens the caramel flavor.

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Photo by Sarah Kieffer

30/41

White Chocolate Brownies With Toasted Sesame Caramel

We’ve been baking these white chocolate brownies fromcookbook author Sarah Kiefferon repeat ever since we first tried them.

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31/41

Citrus Caramel Sundaes With Toasted Almonds

A dark, smoky caramel fancies up this winter sundae, made with store-bought ice cream and seedless mandarin oranges.

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Photo by Chelsie Craig, Food Styling by Pearl Jones

32/41

Molten Caramel Cakes

This tender toffee cake has a free-flowing dulce de leche center. Store-bought dulce de leche works fine here.

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Photo by Mark Weinberg

33/41

Caramel-Earl Grey Custard Pie in Gingersnap Crumb Crust

If you prefer, you can make this cake withchaiinstead of Earl Grey. But we wouldn’t recommend skipping the salted caramel sauce on top.

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34/41

Chocolate-Caramel Slice

To make this Australian favorite, you’ll top a butter crust with caramel, let it set, then spread melted chocolate on top before sprinkling on a touch of salt.

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Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Liberty Fennell, Prop Styling by Suzie Myers

35/41

Caramel Apple Snacking Cake

This fall snacking cake is easy to throw together—and it finds devoted fans wherever it goes.

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Photo by Sarah Kieffer.

36/41

Caramel Candies

Flavor these homemade caramels with triple sec and orange zest or add a bit of brewed coffee.

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Photo by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Jessie YuChen

37/41

Salted Caramel Apple Cookies

These soft, chewy cookies have all the best flavors of bothclassic snickerdoodlesand caramel apples.

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38/41

Leche Flan With Grapefruit

For the clearest caramel and smoothest custard, ceramic or glass baking dishes work best for cooking this dessert.

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Alex Lau

39/41

Easiest Caramel Apple Clafoutis

Grab your cast-iron skillet to make this unfussyFrench dessert. Choose tart apples here for the most balanced dish.

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Christina Holmes

40/41

Blackberry-Vinegar Caramel Sauce

You can use frozen berries for this superlative sauce. Drizzle over cake slices, ice cream, or yogurt.

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Photo by Alex Lau

41/41

咸Caramel-Chocolate馅饼

Caramel desserts like this one really send off any special occasion with a bang. This chocolate tart shell filled with a soft-but-stable caramel filling and swoops of chocolate ganache is one of our favorite things to show up with when someone asks us to bring dessert.

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