3-Ingredient Microwave Caramel Sauce

From the kitchen of Carly

Caramel in under two minutes. Butter, brown sugar, cream, and salt meld into glossy, pourable sauce right in your mug. No candy thermometer, no fussing. Drizzle over ice cream, fruit, or straight into your mouth.

3-Ingredient Microwave Caramel Sauce

Caramel made in a mug beats the stove every time, no candy thermometer required. Light brown sugar and cream do the work while you stand there for ninety seconds total. The trick is using a thin-walled vessel so heat distributes evenly and you get that glossy, pourable sauce without burnt edges. Perfect for ice cream, apple slices, or eating straight from the spoon when nobody's looking.

Prep
n/a
Cook
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Total
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Servings
4
Difficulty
medium

Ingredients

4 servings

  • 1 tbspunsalted butter
  • 2 tbsplight brown sugar
  • 1 tbspheavy cream
  • 1 pinchsalt
  • 1A 12-ounce microwave-safe mug or deep bowl

Instructions

  1. Drop the butter into a 12-ounce microwave-safe mug and zap it on high for 30 seconds. Tip in the brown sugar, cream, and salt, stir everything together, then return it to the microwave on high for another 30 seconds. Pull it out carefully, give it a good stir, and blast it one final time on high for 15 seconds. Stir once more and serve warm.

  2. The sauce keeps for 1 week stored in an airtight container in the fridge. Reheat it gently before using.

Tips from the kitchen

  • Use a thin-walled mug or bowl so the sugar heats evenly and you avoid hot spots that turn bitter. Ceramic works better than thick glass.
  • Don't skip the final 15-second blast after stirring halfway through. That last pulse brings the caramel to the right consistency and color.
  • Measure your ingredients by weight if you have a scale. Brown sugar can be packed differently, which throws off the ratio and your final texture.

Variations

  • Salted caramel, Add fleur de sel or flaky sea salt to taste after cooking.
  • Brown butter caramel, Replace unsalted butter with browned butter for nuttier depth.
  • Bourbon or whiskey caramel, Stir in 1 teaspoon of bourbon or whiskey after cooking for an adult edge.
  • Vanilla caramel, Add 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract to the finished sauce for a softer, rounder flavor.

Make ahead and storage

Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week. Reheat gently in the microwave for 10 to 15 seconds, stirring once halfway through, until pourable again.