A rich, butter butterscotch sauce can be made as easily as a simple caramel and it is great on just about everything.
By Lindsey Farr
Move over caramel. Butterscotch Sauce is in the house! And you can make it in 5 minutes. Say what now?! 
Traditional butterscotch flavor comes from two things: brown sugar and butter.
The two combine to give you a rich, caramelized sauce with molasses undertones from the brown sugar. It’s like caramel’s fancier, more exotic cousin.
And it is so good you will want to pour it on everything. I do mean everything!
This recipe is based on one from American Woman’s Cookbook (1939 Edition), but the first time I made it as written in AWC it crystallized. And nobody wants a sandy butterscotch sauce.
So I added a little corn syrup to the sugar while it cooked and finished it off with some heavy cream to keep the smooth, saucy texture even after it cools. I also added salt.
You can omit the corn syrup and it will still work but it’s like cheap insurance against crystallization. The sauce will slightly separate in the fridge over time, but it will emulsify again when heated.
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Homemade Butterscotch Sauce
- Total Time: 5 minutes
- Yield: 1 cup 1x
Description
A rich, butter butterscotch sauce can be made as easily as a simple caramel and it is great on just about everything.
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups light brown sugar
- ¼ cup cold water
- 1 tablespoon corn syrup
- ¼ cup butter (cut in small cubes and room temperature)
- ¼ cup heavy cream (room temperature)
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt (fine)
Instructions
- Stir together sugar, water and corn syrup and cook until 234°F (soft ball stage) in a large sauce pan.
- Add the butter; stir to incorporate.
- Add the heavy cream and salt; stirring until incorporated and salt has dissolved.
- Continue to cook until thickened, 1-2 minutes more, if desired.
Notes
Adapted from the American Woman’s Cook Book (1939 edition).
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Category: Dessert
Frequently Asked Questions
What can I do to prevent my butterscotch sauce from crystallizing?
Adding a little corn syrup to the brown sugar while it cooks helps prevent crystallization, acting as insurance for a smooth sauce.
Is it necessary to use heavy cream in the butterscotch sauce?
While you can make the sauce without heavy cream, adding it helps maintain a smooth, saucy texture even after the sauce cools.
How should I store the butterscotch sauce, and can I reheat it later?
Store the sauce in the refrigerator, and if it separates over time, it will emulsify again when gently reheated.
