Five ingredients and just a few minutes are all you need to make this easy, homemade salted butterscotch sauce. It is divine!

I’m a chocolate girl through and through, but sometimes, butterscotch sauce is where it’s at.

This simple recipe can be whipped up anytime you get a butterscotch craving! It’s creamy and caramelly and sweet and salty. It is perfection.

Wooden spoon drizzling butterscotch sauce over vanilla ice cream in white bowl.

5 Simple Ingredients

This butterscotch sauce comes together FAST, and chances are, the ingredients are already hanging around just waiting to fulfill the measure of their existence.

  • brown sugar
  • heavy cream
  • butter
  • salt
  • vanilla

That’s it!

All of the ingredients, minus the vanilla, simmer for a few minutes. At this point: your house is going to smell amazing.

Off the heat, the vanilla is added. The sauce might appear a bit thin. But don’t worry! It thickens into a divine mess of butterscotch heaven as it cools.

Step-by-step making butterscotch sauce, simmering cream, butter and brown sugar in saucepan.
Pouring butterscotch sauce into jar.

Butterscotch vs. Caramel

From my extensive research (ha), I’ve learned the key difference between butterscotch sauce and caramel sauce is the sugar.

Butterscotch sauce is made with brown sugar and caramel sauce usually uses granulated sugar.

The brown sugar (and plentiful butter!) in this homemade butterscotch sauce lends a depth of flavor that you just don’t get with most caramel sauces.

Drizzling thick butterscotch sauce in glass jar.

How to Use Butterscotch Sauce

I mean, is this even a question?? 🙂

Butterscotch sauce is delicious on everything from ice cream to pie. Cookie bars to waffles.

If it has been refrigerated, the key is to reheat the sauce lightly before serving (don’t let it boil or simmer or it can separate or turn grainy). To be honest, I often serve it straight from the refrigerator. This may or may not include just digging in with a spoon. #nojudging

As long as it doesn’t simmer too long during the cooking process, it stays drizzle-able even after cooling and chilling. (If it cooks too long, it can turn a bit chewy.)

Personally, my favorite butterscotch sauce application is over ice cream. Nothing beats a bowl of vanilla ice cream with homemade butterscotch sauce. Nothing.

Spoon scooping vanilla ice cream and butterscotch sauce out of white bowl.

One Year Ago: Instant Pot Double Chocolate Steel Cut Oats
Two Years Ago: Chicken Cordon Bleu Panini {My New Favorite Sandwich} 
Three Years Ago: Ultimate Beef Stroganoff {Slow Cooker or Instant Pot}
Four Years Ago: Pumpkin Applesauce Muffins with {Optional} Maple Cream Glaze 
Five Years Ago: Light and Fluffy Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls
Six Years Ago: Quick and Easy Quinoa Enchilada Skillet Meal 
Seven Years Ago: Cookie Dough and Funfetti Greek Yogurt Dips 
Eight Years Ago: Salt Crusted Potatoes with Fresh Rosemary
Nine Years Ago: The Best Monkey Bread
Ten Years Ago: Meaty Eyeballs and Breadstick Bones 

drizzling butterscotch sauce over vanilla ice cream in white bowl

Easy Homemade Salted Butterscotch Sauce

Yield: 10 servings (2 1/4 cups total)
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 10 minutes
5 stars (11 ratings)
Print Recipe Rate Recipe Pin Recipe

Ingredients

  • 1 cup (212 g) packed light or dark brown sugar
  • ¾ cup heavy cream
  • ½ cup (113 g) butter (I use salted)
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions 

  • In a medium saucepan, add the brown sugar, cream, butter, and salt. Cook over medium-low heat until the butter is melted, stirring occasionally. Increase the heat to medium, bring the mixture to a simmer, and cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring constantly.
  • Off the heat, stir in the vanilla. The sauce will be thin but will thicken as it cools.
  • Pour the sauce into a jar or bowl to cool. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
  • Warm lightly (don't bring to simmer or boil or it can separate or turn grainy) before serving or serve straight from the refrigerator. Serve over ice cream, pie, blondies or whatever treat calls for butterscotch sauce!

Notes

Brown Sugar: the sauce will be quite a bit darker in color if using dark brown sugar. 
Heavy Cream: I use Darigold 40% heavy cream.
Author: Mel
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Method: Stovetop
Serving: 1 serving, Calories: 258kcal, Carbohydrates: 27g, Protein: 1g, Fat: 17g, Saturated Fat: 11g, Cholesterol: 51mg, Sodium: 187mg, Sugar: 27g

Recommended Products

Wire Whisk
Silicone Spatula
Cookware

Recipe Source: from Mel’s Kitchen Cafe

Other Recipes Like This:

Vanilla ice cream in white bowl with 5-minute hot fudge sauce on top.

5-Minute Hot Fudge Sauce {Three Flavors!}
alt=""

Easy 10-Minute Caramel Sauce
alt=""

Homemade Divine Caramel Sauce
butterscotch rice krispie pulled in half on white parchment paper

Butterscotch Rice Krispie Treats