Old-Fashioned Caramels

Total Time

Prep: 10 min. Cook: 40 min.

Makes

2 pounds

Updated: Sep. 26, 2022
Before I was married, my future father-in-law would fix these creamy caramels at Christmas and send me some. The recipe has been in my husband's family for decades...so, when we got married, I learned to make them, too.

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon plus 1 cup butter, divided
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 1-3/4 cups light corn syrup
  • 2 cups half-and-half cream
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 cup chopped pecans, optional

Directions

  1. Line an 11x7-in. pan with foil; grease with 1 tablespoon butter and set aside. In a large heavy saucepan, combine the sugar, corn syrup and remaining butter. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly; boil gently for 4 minutes without stirring.
  2. Remove from the heat; stir in cream. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook until a candy thermometer reads 238° (soft-ball stage), stirring constantly.
  3. Remove from the heat; stir in vanilla and pecans if desired. Pour into prepared pan; cool. Using foil, lift candy out of pan. Gently peel off foil; cut candy into 1-in. squares.
Candy Thermometers
We recommend that you test your candy thermometer before each use by bringing water to a boil; the thermometer should read 212°. Adjust your recipe temperature up or down based on your test.

Nutrition Facts

1 piece: 77 calories, 3g fat (2g saturated fat), 10mg cholesterol, 27mg sodium, 12g carbohydrate (8g sugars, 0 fiber), 0 protein.