Vanilla Bean Sea Salt Caramels with Bourbon
These soft and chewy vanilla bean sea salt caramels are absolutely addicting! Sweet, salty and filled with just a touch of warm bourbon flavor, they make for the perfect homemade gift. Vegetarian and gluten free.
Note: This recipe is NOT dairy free. It was published before Cook Nourish Bliss transitioned to dairy free recipes and remains popular with long time readers. You can try using substitutions to make it dairy free, however I have not tested this myself and can’t say how it will turn out.
I had no intention of blogging these caramels.
I was looking for a fun kitchen project to give to a neighbor as a gift. You see, one of our new neighbors brought over a pie to welcome us to the area.
Seriously, it was the nicest thing ever. I still can’t get over how sweet it was.
I wanted to make something small as a thank you for the aforementioned pie.
I’ve had caramels on my must-try list for a very long time and figured there was no reason to wait any longer to give them a whirl.
The verdict? I’m obsessed.
Like I’ve made two batches in less than a few days obsessed.
We gave away most of the first batch to our neighbor and realized that we just had to have more to snack on. But be warned … they are dangerously addictive.
I had to hide the last ones from my husband so he didn’t get to them before me. No shame.
And since I’m so obsessed I knew I had to share them here with you.
If you’re not a huge fan of bourbon, don’t worry. The flavor is not super strong at all and it more just compliments the vanilla and sea salt. A very wonderful combination indeed.
Oh and did I mention that these are soft and chewy? Sweet and salty? My new personal kryptonite? Sigh, maybe I should hide them from myself…
Additional Candy Recipes:
- Homemade Almond Butter Cups
- Dark Chocolate Pistachio Toffee
- Dark Chocolate Fruit & Nut Clusters
- Dairy Free Caramel Sauce
Did you make this recipe? Rate and review it down below! I’d love to hear from you.
Vanilla Bean Sea Salt Caramels with Bourbon
These soft and chewy vanilla bean sea salt caramels are absolutely addicting! Sweet, salty and filled with just a touch of warm bourbon flavor, they make for the perfect homemade gift. Vegetarian and gluten free.
Ingredients
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch chunks
- 1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise and scraped
- 1 ¼ teaspoons sea salt, plus more for sprinkling
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon bourbon
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
- ¼ cup light corn syrup
- ¼ cup water
Instructions
- Line the bottom and the sides of an 8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper. Use butter to lightly grease the parchment and set aside.
- Add the cream, butter, vanilla bean seeds and pod, and the 1 ¼ teaspoons sea salt to a small saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium high heat. Once it is boiling, turn off the heat and stir in the vanilla extract and bourbon. Set aside.
- Add the sugar, corn syrup and water to a heavy saucepan (3 to 4 quart). Bring the mixture to a boil over medium high heat, stirring only until the sugar has dissolved.
- Attach a candy thermometer to the pan. Continue to boil the mixture without stirring (but gently swirling the pan) until it is a light golden caramel color (about 310ºF to 315ºF on the thermometer).
- Remove the vanilla bean pod from the pan with the cream and then very carefully and slowly pour the cream mixture into the caramel, stirring constantly (the mixture will bubble and rise up).
- Allow the mixture to continue to simmer, stirring frequently, until it registers 248ºF on the thermometer. Immediately remove the pan from the heat and pour the mixture into the prepared baking pan.
- Allow the caramel to cool for 30 minutes.
- Sprinkle the top of the caramel with additional sea salt, then let the caramel sit until it is completely cooled.
- Use the parchment to lift from the pan. Use a lightly greased pizza cutter to cut the caramel into 1-inch pieces. Wrap each piece individually in pieces of wax paper.
Notes
Slightly adapted from Everyday Annie
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 32 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 86Total Fat: 4gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 13mgSodium: 87mgCarbohydrates: 12gFiber: 0gSugar: 12gProtein: 0g
Nutrition data shown is an estimate provided by an online calculator and is for informational purposes only. It should not be considered a substitute for a medical professional’s advice.
The recipe worked fantastic! I switched out half the cream with some fresh goats milk to make it extra smooth and creamy and add some vanilla bean paste too. Out of curiosity have you ever tried doubling the recipe? My mom wants me to make a big batch to give out at her work for Christmas!
Hey Madelyn! So happy to hear this! And those changes sound delicious 🙂
I haven’t – I always get nervous doubling recipes like caramel since while in theory it should work I feel like it always winds up a bit off!
Alright I’ll give it a shot one time and see how it goes! I do make my candy in a copper pot so it might be a little more forgiving in that. Thank you!
Let me know how it goes!
These look amazing! I’m curious if I don’t add the bourbon if that will totally off-set the recipe? Not a bourbon fan… Looking forward to trying to make these!
Nope, you can just leave it out! It will work just fine without the bourbon! I hope that you love them as much as we do : )
I made them and they were delicious! Thank you!!
So happy to hear this!! Thanks for letting me know Marybeth!
You knew Ashley I would have to comment on this recipe. Sweet, Sweet, sweet! My favorite thing, even though I shouldn’t. When you come up to NJ we are making this together. You will have to bring the candy thermometer. As your mom, you have no choice. Ha! Ha!
haha I know … but these are nice and soft so better than those ones you always eat!
Last night we made a chicken recipe that called for a tablespoon of bourbon, and would you believe I didn’t have any?!? So I went out and bought 750ml of bourbon. Tablespoon by tablespoon (and a few sips in between) I am going to cook up that bourbon. These caramels will be tablespoon #2. 🙂
haha I did the same a few months ago – I’m slowly working my way through the bottle for different recipes : )
Oh I would absolutely hide these from my husband. I love salted caramel everything and bourbon everything, so these are right up my alley. Yum!
Definitely important to keep a hidden stash – these go way too quickly! lol
Okay these sound totally heavenly! And how sweet of your neighbor to bring you a pie 🙂 I would totally bring you a pie if I knew I would be getting these in return!
Thanks Rachel : )
Looks lovely!!
These look delicious! Bourbon seems to be a super appropriate addition for the South! I just need to make sure I package up most of these immediately! They sound too addicting to be safe in my house 🙂
That’s what I thought : ) Package them up and then give away – otherwise it’s a fight with yourself to step away from these bad boys lol
Man, I wish I was your neighbor! These look so yummy!
haha Thanks Stephanie!
So sweet of your neighbor to bring a pie over to welcome you to the area! 🙂 These caramels sound delicious! Love the chewy part and the bourbon, of course! 😉
It was : ) I was pretty shocked when they came over with it! haha
These look professional, nice job! How sweet to be able to share things you make with your neighbors too.
Thanks Tiffany : )
EVERY time I try to make caramels, I end up with caramel sauce. Ugh. I will keep trying though!
Oh man! Hopefully you’ll get them to work next time!
These look perfect. I mean, that color is such a beautiful deep amber. If that didn’t get me, the vanilla bean, sea salt, and bourbon sounds amazing! Caramels have been on my to do list for a long time. Now I’m afraid to make them because I know I’ll need to hide them from myself!
haha they’re worth it though : ) even though I had a slight problem only having one at a time!
Haha I totally feel ya on the hiding food situation! I have secret stashes every where that I bring out during “emergencies”. These looks so soft and chewy, I want one right now!
haha exactly! sugar emergencies : )
I can see why you’re obsessed with these caramels…they look and sound fantastic!
The are definitely my new weakness : )
That’s so sweet of your neighbour to welcome you with a pie and for you to make these wonderful treats back for them 🙂 These caramel treats look heavenly and soo chewy and delicious! I love the flavors in here, I can see why you had to make another batch 🙂 Thanks for sharing Ashley and have a great weekend!
Thanks Kelly! Have a great weekend too : )
Homemade caramels are the best!! These sound fabulous!
They are!
these look absolutely delicious and so moreish! I love that combination of flavours too xxx
Thanks Katie!
No doubt about it – you are in the south now! How charming is it that your neighbor brought a pie AND that you reciprocated with another sweet treat. These seriously do look amazing. I’ve never tried homemade caramels, but that flavor combination is the way to go!
haha I know! That would have never happened in DC! It’s an awesome combination – I keep wanting to make even more… lol