Made with brown sugar, butter, and cream, homemade butterscotch sauce is easier than you might think.
Make it to top ice cream, slices of pie, and more!
When was the last time you tasted authentic butterscotch?
Shuna Lydon
Butterscotch sauce was an all but extinct, or out-of-date, substance and flavor until recently.
Now it’s all the rage.
Wouldn’t you like to know exactly what butterscotch sauce is and how to make it?
Shuna Lydon
What Is Butterscotch Sauce?
Historically, butterscotch was a hard candy made with unprocessed sugar.
The suffix “scotch” means “to cut”.
Shuna Lydon
Today, butterscotch is considered a flavor, much like caramel.
We also add in a little vanilla and salt to boost the flavor.
If you only have salted butter, it’s possible for you to use it instead.
Shuna Lydon
Just be sure to reduce the salt in the recipe.
Speaking of salt, this recipe calls for a lot of itup to a one teaspoon.
While it may seem excessive, trust us.
Shuna Lydon
It’s best to avoid it if possible.
Look for regular pasteurized heavy cream at health food stores or local grocers.
Butterscotch vs. Caramel Sauce
What’s the difference between butterscotch and caramel?
Shuna Lydon
Butterscotch and caramel are both cooked sugar.
But the main difference between the two is the sugar used to make them.
Caramel is often made with regular white granulated sugar, while butterscotch is made with brown sugar.
Shuna Lydon
Caramel sauce doesn’t always have butter, while butterscotch always calls for butter.
The same goes for vanilla.
Making butterscotch is a fast process that cannot wait for hunting around for ingredients.
Shuna Lydon
In a heavy bottomed, 2-quart stainless steel saucepan, melt butter over low to medium heat.
Stir in 1/2 teaspoon of the salt.
Increase the heat to medium.
Shuna Lydon
ensure to get into the corners of your pot, and watch closely to see the mixture change.
At this point add all the cream at once.
Lower the heat a little and whisk cream into mixture.
The sugar mixture may lump up, but thats okay.
Stir until the cream assimilates and any hardened lumps dissolve.
If youre using a candy thermometer, clip one to the pot now.
Turn heat off and stir in the vanilla.
Let rest for a minute or two before transferring into a non-reactive bowl.
(We prefer a stainless steel or glass bowl.)
Dip a small spoon into the sauce, then let it cool enough to take a small taste.
Remember to let the small spoonfuls of sauce cool between tastings.
Butterscotch makes a fantastic topping for ice cream.
Store butterscotch sauce in a glass container with a tightly fitting lid only after sauce has chilled completely.
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