Paleo Vanilla Caramel Sauce

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Paleo Vanilla Caramel Sauce is a bubbly, drizzly confection with hints of toffee and a sweet and nutty flavor. Enjoy it as a dip for fruit, as a topping for baked goods, or with nothing more than a spoon. This sauce may be decadent but with only 6 ingredients needed, it isn’t fussy. Tips and tricks included! {Paleo + Vegan}

Oh, Spiriteds, do I have a treat for you today? Paleo Vanilla Caramel Sauce is just as delicious and decadent and ridiculous as it sounds. Like, who even just makes caramel sauce, and a paleo one, at that? Well, we do, apparently. And why shouldn’t we? It is worth every bubbling, simmering, sugary moment. And while it is decadent, it is not fussy. Like, it could be fussy, but it chooses not to be. 

This is the sauce you drizzle over dairy-free ice cream or paleo breads and muffins. Or you just do what we do and eat it with a spoon because you are the boss of yourself and you can do whatever your tastebuds tell you to do.

Spiriteds, grab your saucepan, a whopping six ingredients, and let’s get a caramel saucing game GOING! Our foursome cannot wait to share this one with you. 

Paleo Vanilla Caramel Sauce is

• Gluten-free and dairy-free
• Nutty and sweet with a hint of a toffee undertone
• Rich and decadent
• Viscous and smooth, perfect for drizzling or dolloping

Paleo Vanilla Caramel Sauce ingredients

• Coconut cream. Chill the can ahead of time so the cream is firm and then transfer the contents of the can to the saucepan.
• Coconut sugar. This flavor will give your caramel sauce the caramel-y flavor you seek. It’s divine.
• Maple syrup. Just like the coconut sugar, 100% pure maple syrup is purely divine in this sauce.
• Vanilla. I add about a tablespoons, but you can adjust accordingly to your taste preferences.
• Pinch of sea salt. A little goes a long way, so add in small pinches until you achieve the sweet-and-salty balance you desire.
• Coconut oil. I always have extra on hand just in case I need more. But I add only as much as is needed to help solidify the ingredients. And in this case, that’s 1/2 tablespoon. 

How to make Paleo Vanilla Caramel Sauce

1. To a heavy-bottomed saucepan add the coconut cream, coconut sugar, and 100% pure maple syrup. Warm on a MEDIUM-HIGH heat, stirring frequently, until bubbles begin to form. Reduce heat to MEDIUM and continue to simmer the mixture, stirring regularly, for another 30-35 minutes.  
2. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla, a pinch of sea salt, and 1/2 tablespoon coconut oil. If the ingredients don’t blend together and hold, then transfer the caramel sauce to a high-speed blender and blend on a LOW to MEDIUM speed until the ingredients are emulsified. 
3. Let cool and then refrigerate in a glass container for up to two weeks.

Recipe tips and tricks

• For best results, stir with a heatproof silicone spatula. And when you do stir, lift the sauce from the bottom of the saucepan to the top in a wide circular motion, starting at the edge of the saucepan. Repeat this process, gradually moving to the center so all ingredients are lifted and blended. Repeat this process throughout the cook time.
• A second stirring option that blends the ingredients evenly is a zig-zag motion across the saucepan. The key is to lift ingredients that may start to stick to the bottom of the pan and to recombine ingredients that pool in the center.
• Another key is patience. For the first 25-30 minutes, your caramel sauce may not look like much. Mine never does. But in those last 5-10 minutes it is as though a switch is flipped, and you find yourself in the presence of smooth, streamy caramel sauce. So, chin up and hang tight.

Recipe FAQs

• Can I adjust the coconut sugar and maple syrup ratios? Yes! If you want a sweeter, less oaky flavor, then reduce the coconut sugar by 1-2 tablespoons and increase the maple syrup by 1-2 tablespoons.
• What if my caramel sauce separates? This is a common occurrence as the fat separates from the rest of the ingredients. Briskly stir it. And if that doesn’t work, then transfer it to a high-speed blender to emulsify it. If you don’t have a high-speed blender then transfer it to the small work bowl of a food processor and process until the sauce is smooth.

More delicious paleo sauces!

When you find an allergen-friendly recipe full of tantalizing flavors, you just know you have to bookmark it. These jams, sauces, and butters fit the bill for being paleo-friendly AND tasty! Enjoy them with paleo muffins and breads, fresh fruits, or by themselves and nothing more than a spoon!

• 4-Ingredient Strawberry Vanilla Chia Jam
• 5-Minute Blackberry Sauce
• Paleo Pear Butter

Spiriteds, stay well and stay wild. Jump into the fun when you can and always remember I’m glad you’re here. ❤️

Paleo Vanilla Caramel Sauce

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Paleo Vanilla Caramel Sauce is a bubbly, drizzly confection with hints of toffee and a sweet and nutty flavor. Enjoy it as a dip for fruit, as a topping for baked goods, or with nothing more than a spoon. This sauce may be decadent but with only 6 ingredients needed, it isn’t fussy. Tips and tricks included! {Paleo + Vegan}

• Prep Time: 2 mins
• Cook Time: 5 mins
• Total Time: 7 mins
• Yield: 2 cups 1x
• Category: Sauces and Spreads
• Method: Stovetop
• Diet: Gluten Free

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

• 1 (13.5 ounce) can coconut cream
• 6 tablespoons coconut sugar
• 3 tablespoons 100% pure maple syrup
• 1 tablespoon vanilla
• Pinch of sea salt
• 1/2 – 1 tablespoon coconut oil

Helpful equipment:

• Heavy-bottomed saucepan
• Silicone spatula
• High-speed blender or food processor

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Instructions

1. To a heavy-bottomed saucepan add the coconut cream, coconut sugar, and 100% pure maple syrup. Warm on a MEDIUM-HIGH heat, stirring frequently, until bubbles begin to form. Reduce heat to MEDIUM and continue to simmer the mixture, stirring regularly, for another 30-35 minutes.  
2. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla, a pinch of sea salt, and 1/2 tablespoon coconut oil. If the ingredients don’t blend together and hold, then transfer the caramel sauce to a high-speed blender and blend on a LOW to MEDIUM speed until the ingredients are emulsified. 
3. Let cool and then refrigerate in a glass container for up to two weeks.

Notes

• If you want a sweeter, less oaky flavor, then reduce the coconut sugar by 1-2 tablespoons and increase the maple syrup by 1-2 tablespoons. 
• For best results, stir with a heatproof silicone spatula. And when you do stir, lift the sauce from the bottom of the saucepan to the top in a wide circular motion, starting at the edge of the saucepan. Repeat this process, gradually moving to the center so all ingredients are lifted and blended. Repeat this process throughout the cook time.
• A second stirring option that blends the ingredients evenly is a zig-zag motion across the saucepan. The key is to lift ingredients that may start to stick to the bottom of the pan and to recombine ingredients that pool in the center.
• Another key is patience. For the first 25-30 minutes, your caramel sauce may not look like much. Mine never does. But in those last 5-10 minutes it is as though a switch is flipped, and you find yourself in the presence of smooth, streamy caramel sauce. So, chin up and hang tight.

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