Caramel in a Crockpot

Oh my goodness I have so much fun stuff to share with you this week! Hurray for fall—my favorite season! I have an AMAZING (like could be my best one ever) recipe for Caramel Apple Baked Oatmeal to share with you tomorrow so stay tuned for that, but now I want to share this incredibly easy way to make caramel in a crockpot.

Last week I started googling “ways to make caramel”; most suggested going to the store buying caramel candies and melting them down. Not exactly what I had in mind. Where were the original caramel recipes like you know, what people made before there was Wal-Mart? Well, I found some of those too and they were a little intense and involved standing over the stove for long periods of time. Not exactly what I had in mind either. Then I stumbled across this idea that you could make caramel sauce in a crockpot and it is so easy and delicious I had to share it with you*

*As a disclaimer, I am not the first person to do this. I’m not sure who is. I normally like to give credit where credit is due, but I found lots of “recipes” and personal experiences with making it online so I am not crediting one source, but sharing my experience.

Caramel in a Crockpot

Gather the following supplies: Crockpot, 2 small (8 ounce) canning jars with lids, 1 can sweetened condensed milk, Sea Salt (optional).

Pour can of sweetened condensed milk into two canning jars, dividing evenly.

Wipe the sticky goodness off the top of the jars. Sprinkle with sea salt if desired. Top with lids and rings. Place jars in crockpot. Fill crockpot with water until jars are COMPLETELY covered. Place lid on crockpot. Cook jars on low for 7-8 hours. (Check occasionally to make sure water hasn’t gone down over jars.)

Remove jars from crockpot using tongs. Allow to cool until they are warm to the touch (1-2 hours). Refrigerate. Although the jars seem to be “sealed” they are not properly canned and need to be refrigerated.

Enjoy your caramel in dips, as ice cream topping, stirred into hot chocolate, whirled into your oatmeal—whatever suits your fancy!

Technically, this is dulce de leche, a Mexican treat which is basically caramelized milk and sugar; true caramel is sugar cooked until it liquefies—sometimes butter and cream are added, depending on the consistency desired. My taste buds can’t tell the difference. One time I made real caramel for a 4-H cooking experiment, the experiment ended with a first degree burn on my finger, intense screaming, nearly blinding my sister, and a nice “beauty scar” for her just below her eye. Your welcome, Bec.

So really, think of your sister and make this caramel in a crockpot.

What’s your favorite way to enjoy caramel? I’m a big fan of Starbuck’s Salted Caramel Hot Chocolate, but my favorite way is plain dip with tart apples.

Linking up at Say Not Sweet Anne and Made by You Monday