With fall on its way, I’ve begun daydreaming about warm, rich, cozy flavors like coffee, caramel, toffee and maple. So today I’m sharing the recipe for this insanely good salted toffee butter sauce that’s spiked with a little bourbon. It’s much easier to make than a traditional salted caramel sauce, but just as delicious.
Looking for more recipes like this one? You’ll love my homemade salted caramel sauce, caramelized banana toffee ice cream, and apple caramel crumble with toffee sauce.
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How is Toffee Sauce Different from Caramel Sauce?
Salted Caramel Sauce
- water
- granulated sugar
- light corn syrup
- heavy cream
- butter
- salt
- vanilla (optional)
While somewhat similar in ingredients, the cooking methods for the two sauces are quite different. With a traditional caramel sauce, the sugar is cooked (some professionals cook it “dry” without water) with the water and corn syrup until it become a deep amber color. (The corn syrup is not a standard ingredient in all recipes, but it greatly helps in preventing the process of sugar crystals forming.)
This process can be a little finicky, with burning the sugar and/or sugar crystals ruining the texture being the main culprits for failure. Once the sugar is caramelized, the heavy cream, butter and salt are added, and you will have a beautiful, rich, deeply-flavored caramel sauce.
Toffee Sauce
- butter
- dark brown sugar
- salt
- cream
- bourbon or vanilla (optional)
With toffee butter sauce, the process is much simpler, and far less prone to problems. The butter, brown sugar and salt are melted together on the stove, and then cooked just for a few minutes to dissolve the sugar crystals and deepen the flavor a bit. Then, add the cream and bourbon or vanilla, and the sauce is done. Rich, sweet, toffee-scented, delicious.
So, which is better? Honestly, it’s just a matter of personal preference. Caramel sauce tends to be a bit smoother, but they both have amazing flavor, and you can’t beat the ease of making the toffee sauce.
Ingredients
- 6 tbsp unsalted butter
- ½ cup dark brown sugar
- ½ tsp coarse Kosher salt
- 1 tbsp good-quality bourbon or whiskey (or substitute 2 teaspoons vanilla extract)
- ½ cup cream or half ‘n’ half
Instructions
- In a saucepan, melt the butter, brown sugar and salt over medium heat. Once it begins to bubble, continue to cook for 4 1/2 – 5 minutes, stirring constantly with a spatula so it doesn’t scorch. It should be thick, with a rich toffee scent and a deep amber color. Remove from the heat.
- Carefully stir in the bourbon (or vanilla extract); the sauce will hiss and splatter a little. Stir until smooth.
- Stir in the cream or half ‘n’ half until smooth.
- Pour the sauce into a glass jar. Refrigerate for up to 1 month.
Frequently Asked Questions
What should I serve this sauce with?
Oh, my gosh, what couldn’t you serve this decadent sauce with? A dark chocolate cake. Ice cream. Cheesecake. Apple crisp. Brownies. Just to name a few things.
How do I reheat the sauce?
The toffee sauce will thicken as it chills. To rewarm it to a pourable consistency, microwave the sauce in 20-second bursts at 50% power, stirring well until pourable.
Can I make this recipe without the bourbon?
Yes, as noted in the recipe card, you can use vanilla extract instead of bourbon.
You Might Also Like
Millionaire’s Shortbread Bars 
Butter Pecan Pancakes with Toffee Butter Bourbon Sauce 
Caramel Brownie Sundae No Churn Ice Cream 
Salted Vanilla Caramels
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Salted Toffee Butter Sauce
Ingredients
- 6 tbsp unsalted butter
- ½ cup dark brown sugar
- ½ tsp coarse Kosher salt (if using table salt, use half the amount)
- 1 tbsp good-quality bourbon or whiskey (or substitute 2 teaspoons vanilla extract)
- ½ cup cream or half 'n' half
Instructions
- In a saucepan, melt the butter, brown sugar and salt over medium heat. Once it begins to bubble, continue to cook for 4 1/2 – 5 minutes, stirring constantly with a spatula so it doesn't scorch. It should be thick, with a rich toffee scent and a deep amber color. Remove from the heat.
- Carefully stir in the bourbon (or vanilla extract); the sauce will hiss and splatter a little. Stir until smooth.
- Stir in the cream or half 'n' half until smooth.
- Pour the sauce into a glass jar. Refrigerate for up to 1 month.
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