Low Carb Light Caramel Sauce: Five Easy Ingredients
Last updated on October 28th, 2024
Do you have a sweet tooth, but are you watching your carbs? This light Caramel Sauce is low carb, gluten-free, and refined sugar-free. It’s perfect for topping cakes, candies, ice cream, muffins -you name it! With just five ingredients and 2g net carbs, it’s easy to make and will not turn rock-hard in the fridge. Plus read on to make a dark caramel sauce with this recipe. Who knew being good could taste this sweet?
| serving size | carbs | fibre | net carbs |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 tbsp | 5.1g | 3.1g | 2g |
Low Carb Light Caramel Sauce: Five Easy Ingredients
I’ve made this light, Low-Carb Caramel Sauce numerous times to perfect the recipe, and it’s incredibly delicious! Even after refrigeration, the key to its smooth consistency is using a natural sweetener other than the usual keto sugars you find nowadays AND an ingredient you probably have already!
The secret? I combine white and golden monk fruit and add some pure date syrup for a light caramel colour and smooth texture. No food colouring or caramel extract is necessary, my friends! Also, I add a splash of vinegar; read on to find out why.
Date syrup for natural caramel colour
From the start, I attempted to jazz up my caramel sauce with a dash of molasses, but it turns out I’m not a fan of the molasses mojo in my caramel. Sure, it gives it that lovely dark caramel hue, but it dominated the overall taste of my caramel sauce. However, if you’re cool with molasses, go for it and achieve that classic ‘caramel’ colour.
Yet, before committing to molasses, consider giving natural date syrup a chance. It’s like the cooler, more laid-back cousin of molasses with similar nutrition benefits and less attitude, haha!
Dash of vinegar for a smooth caramel texture
Sometimes, even though this sauce is irresistibly delicious, I can’t finish it all in one day. So, in addition to the date syrup, I sneak in a dash of vinegar towards the end of this recipe to keep it from crystallizing in the fridge. You can’t have the sweet goodness turning into candy.
Shh, don’t tell everyone my secret kitchen tricks!
Why You Will Love This Low-Carb Caramel Sauce
- It only involves five simple ingredients but requires careful cooking monitoring to prevent overflow due to high heat. However, I highly recommend trying it as it’s the closest to a natural keto low-carb caramel sauce and is incredibly versatile.
- This keto sauce stores exceptionally well in the fridge without crystallizing, so it won’t turn rock hard. You can use it as a caramel butter alternative for toasted low-carb bread.
- Even more so, it can be conveniently heated in the microwave to bring it back to a pourable consistency, making it ideal for drizzling over ice cream or cakes if kept in the refrigerator. Additionally, it complements muffins quite well.
- This recipe doesn’t rely on xanthan gum, an artificial ingredient, as the sauce thickens effortlessly without it. Depending on your desired application, it can be used at various temperatures.
- Furthermore, you can convert this light caramel sauce into a butterscotch sauce by omitting the white granular sweetener for extra golden monk fruit sweetener. This will result in a delightful combination of sweetness and saltiness reminiscent of butterscotch.
- This delightful light caramel sauce is perfect for drizzling over muffins, cakes, or gingerbread to add a delightful contrast of colour.
- Alternatively, use this recipe to make a dark caramel sauce in one extra easy step.
What is Date Syrup?
Date syrup is a natural sweetener from date fruit grown on date palm trees. The juices of the dates are extracted and then reduced to a thick, sweet liquid. Due to its natural source and rich flavour, many consider date syrup a healthier alternative to refined sugar or artificial sweeteners. People use it in various recipes, including baked goods, dressings, and marinades.
Nutritional Notes on Carbs and Servings
This recipe makes about 1 cup of light caramel sauce.
Whip up about 1 cup of delightful caramel sauce in 30 minutes. That’s 16 tablespoons of deliciousness, and each serving is 2g net carbs with 82 calories.
Even with the date syrup, you won’t be adding too many carbs, and since dates are full of fibre, that’s all part of the recipe’s charm for making it into the keto-friendly approved list!
under 5g net carbs per serving
- 5.1g of carbohydrates
- 3.1g of fibre
- 2 g of net carbs
Of course, you need to be mindful of how you use this caramel sauce and topping or use it with other recipes, which will adjust the carbs in that recipe.
Ingredient Notes
Whipping cream
I Use 35% whipping cream, but heavy and double cream can be used instead.
White and Golden Monk fruit
I suggest combining white and golden monk fruit for this recipe and grinding them into a powder using a spice or coffee grinder. This combination helps to preserve the desired balance of caramel flavour. Alternatively, if you have Allulose or xylitol, you can use them instead of regular monk fruit to ensure a consistent texture in the caramel sauce.
Unsalted Butter
I prefer to use unsalted butter to control the saltiness in this recipe. Salted butter may make your caramel sauce taste a bit like butterscotch sauce, and if that’s what you are aiming for, then by all means, feel free to use salted butter.
Date syrup
I use Liva’s organic and gluten-free natural date syrup, which I found in the health section at my local grocery store. It is made with pure dates with no sugar added, and it tastes neutral, so it will not dominate the overall taste of this sauce. Add one teaspoon of molasses at a time or simmer the cream mixture longer if you want a darker colour.
Vinegar
I add a bit of vinegar at the end of making caramel sauce to prevent it from becoming too hard when it’s in the fridge. I’ve discovered that some recipes also recommend using this technique, and I’ve noticed that it stops the sauce from turning into a solid mass after a couple of days, keeping it more spreadable.
How to Make Low Carb Light Caramel Sauce
1) To powder the sweeteners, place them into a spice or coffee grinder and pulse until powdered, then set aside.
2) Heat butter in a saucepan until it browns lightly and becomes bubbly, about a few minutes. Reduce the heat, add the powdered sweeteners, and stir over medium heat for a minute or two until the sweetener has dissolved.
3) Gradually pour the whipping cream into the saucepan and stir continuously. It will sizzle initially but then calm down as the temperature evens out.
4) Increase the heat slightly and allow the caramel mixture to come to a gentle boil. Then, let it simmer until the colour shifts from very light cream to a slightly golden shade.
5) This process may last around 15-20 minutes, so it’s important not to leave and to keep an eye on the sauce while stirring occasionally.
6) Add the date syrup and simmer further for about 10 minutes until it coats the back of the spoon when dipped.
7) Remove the saucepan from the heat, add a splash of vinegar, stir, and allow the low-carb caramel sauce to cool in the pot for 10 minutes to thicken gradually.
8) After 10 minutes, you can use the sauce for drizzling or topping or transfer it to a mason jar or a container with a tight-fitting lid and refrigerate it.
Helpful Tips for the Best Low Carb Caramel Sauce
- To make the perfect caramel sauce, it is crucial to monitor it closely to prevent burning or overcooking.
- When browning the butter, aim for a light golden colour or slightly darker if you’re going for a butterscotch flavour, but be careful not to burn it.
- Add cream gradually into the pan to prevent excessive sizzling and splattering.
- Generally, keto sugars won’t caramelize or turn brown while cooking, so cook the butter and sweetener no more than 5 minutes before adding the cream.
- To achieve a richer caramel colour, gradually add a quarter teaspoon of molasses until you reach your desired hue. Molasses can impart a unique flavour to the caramel, so it’s best to use it sparingly.
- To check if the caramel is ready, simply coat the back of a spoon with it. It’s ready when the caramel coats the spoon without dripping off.
- Add a splash of vinegar towards the end of cooking to prevent the caramel sauce from becoming hard while it is in the fridge.
How Can I Make This Caramel Sauce Darker?
To make a dark caramel sauce, you can just follow the recipe as instructed, but simmer your cream mixture longer after adding the date syrup. This will take about 15 minutes longer, so be careful not to burn the sauce as it becomes dark and caramelized.
See the images below, I made a dark caramel sauce to use for my millionaire barfi bars.
Will Low Carb Caramel Sauce Stay Pourable?
This low-carb caramel sauce can be used in various ways depending on the desired consistency. Initially, it will be runny and pourable but gradually thickens as it cools. However, it will never harden even when refrigerated. It becomes spreadable, but you can quickly reheat it to restore its pourable consistency.
Five Ways to Use Low Carb Caramel Sauce
- Serve low carb caramel sauce with your favourite low carb gingerbread and baked muffins.
- Use this caramel sauce to make a layered dessert with cheesecake mousse
- Fill low carb chocolate eclairs with this delicious caramel sauce for an even more decadent treat.
- This sauce is a great ingredient to add to homemade low carb ice cream.
- Drizzle low carb caramel sauce over apple crisp instead of cream.
Storage and Reheating Notes
Storage:
Store unused low-carb caramel sauce in a glass or heat-proof sealed container in the fridge for up to 7 days. It will solidify in the cold but remain spreadable. However, leaving it out at room temperature will soften your caramel sauce further into a smooth, creamy texture.
Reheating:
When you store your caramel in a glass or heat-proof container, you can heat it in the microwave in 5-second increments to bring it back to your desired consistency. Alternatively, you can place your caramel in a larger container filled with hot water.
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Low Carb Light Caramel Sauce: Five Easy Ingredients
INGREDIENTS
- 1 ¼ cup Whipping Cream
- 2 tbsp Regular Monk fruit - Powdered
- 2 tbsp Golden Monk fruit - Powdered
- 2 tbsp Unsalted Butter
- 2 tsp Date Syrup - Liva Brand
- 1 tsp Vinegar
INSTRUCTIONS
- To powder the sweeteners, place them into a spice or coffee grinder and pulse until powdered, then set aside.
- Heat butter in a saucepan until it browns lightly and becomes bubbly, about a few minutes. Reduce the heat, add the powdered sweeteners, and stir over medium heat for a minute or two until the sweetener has dissolved.
- Gradually pour the whipping cream into the saucepan and stir continuously. It will sizzle initially but then calm down as the temperature evens out.
- Increase the heat slightly and allow the caramel mixture to come to a gentle boil. Then, let it simmer until the colour shifts from very light cream to a slightly golden shade.
- This process may last around 15-20 minutes, so it’s important not to leave and to keep an eye on the sauce while stirring occasionally.
- Add the date syrup and let it simmer for 10 minutes until the caramel coats the back of the spoon when dipped.
- To make a dark caramel sauce, you can just follow the recipe as instructed, but simmer your cream mixture longer after adding the date syrup. This will take about 15 minutes longer, so be careful not to burn the sauce as it becomes dark and caramelized. Please take a look at the images in the post for reference.
- Remove the saucepan from the heat, add a splash of vinegar, stir, and allow the low-carb caramel sauce to cool in the pot for 10 minutes to thicken gradually.
- After 10 minutes, you can use the sauce for drizzling or topping or transfer it to a mason jar or a container with a tight-fitting lid and refrigerate it.
RECIPE NOTES
Helpful Tips
- To make the perfect caramel sauce, it is crucial to monitor it closely to prevent burning or overcooking.
- When browning the butter, aim for a light golden colour or slightly darker if you’re going for a butterscotch flavour, but be careful not to burn it.
- Add cream gradually into the pan to prevent excessive sizzling and splattering.
- Generally, keto sugars won’t caramelize or turn brown while cooking, so cook the butter and sweetener no more than 5 minutes before adding the cream.
- To achieve a richer caramel colour, gradually add a quarter teaspoon of molasses until you reach your desired hue. Molasses can impart a unique flavour to the caramel, so it’s best to use it sparingly.
- To check if the caramel is ready, simply coat the back of a spoon with it. It’s ready when the caramel coats the spoon without dripping off.
- Add a splash of vinegar towards the end of cooking to prevent the caramel sauce from becoming hard while it is in the fridge.