Salted Kentucky Bourbon Caramels

Salted Kentucky Bourbon Caramels. Sticky, gooey, bourbon enhanced caramel candy. An addicting candy classic.

I’m getting really excited for autumn now. I did not have to break a sweat once this week and I think I can officially put the shorts away. It was long sleeve shirts and a few sweaters all the way but still comfortable enough that I could wear sandals. This kind of weather is pure heaven to me. Not too hot, not too cold but just right!

Today I bring you Salted Kentucky Bourbon Caramels. Sometimes you just need a piece of candy. Not a big piece of cake or 3 cookies but just a good old fashioned piece of sticky caramel that satisfies that sweet craving you have going on without being too much of a good thing.

Why These Salted Kentucky Bourbon Caramels are so good:

1. They are ooey and gooey which always makes for a fun sweet treat.
2. They are enhanced with good old Kentucky Bourbon. The alcohol is cooked off but you’re still left with that rich flavor.
3. Rich and creamy – something magical happens when you combine cream, sugar, bourbon and butter together. Pure magic!
4. A little bit of salt makes all the difference – all that sweet needs a little balance of salt, just a sprinkle goes a long way.

A little word on bourbon. I chose a high end brand of bourbon, Woodford Reserve. I’d like to tell you that I chose this brand because I know my way around a good bourbon but the truth is I don’t know a thing about bourbon. So I figured the best thing to do would be splurge and get a good quality one to be on the safe side 🙂 . With that being said if you have a good bourbon in mind go for it! I’m in no way a bourbon snob and though Woodford Reserve tasted pretty darn good, even for my uneducated bourbon palette, work with the bourbon you love best.

Making candy can be a little stressful if you haven’t done it before or worse, you’ve burned it before. I have ruined plenty of my share of candy recipes, primarily from burning. Just keep practicing and invest in a good quality candy thermometer that attaches to the side of pan. Back when I first started experimenting with candy I used a run of the mill battery operated meat thermometer, I would stick it into the candy mixture every so many minutes to check the temp, it wasn’t an accurate method and I wouldn’t recommend it. Plus the steam would come up and my hand would get mighty hot while trying to get a temperature read. Learn from my mistake 😉 .

Enjoy these caramels the next time you crave a sweet treat!

Stacey

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Salted Kentucky Bourbon Caramels

Stacey - The Sugar Coated Cottage

Salted Kentucky Bourbon Caramels. Sticky, gooey, bourbon enhanced caramel candy. An addicting candy classic. | thesugarcoatedcottage.com #caramel #candy

5 from 3 votes

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Prep Time 10 mins

Cook Time 25 mins

Total Time 35 mins

Course Candy

Cuisine American

Servings 1 8x8 pan

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 2 cups heavy cream
• 1 cup light corn syrup
• 2 cups sugar
• 6 tbsp unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup good quality bourbon I used Woodford Reserve
• Salt for sprinkling I used himalayan sea salt but any flaked sea salt will do

Instructions

 

• Grease an 8x8 pan and line with parchment, keep some over hang so you can easily lift the caramel out of pan for cutting.
• In large sauce pan with high sides add the cream, corn syrup, sugar, butter and bourbon.
• Bring to boil over high heat, stir until sugar is dissolved.
• Bring heat down to med/high heat and let cook without stirring. Make sure you attach your candy thermometer at this time.
• Continue to cook until mixture reaches 248 degrees F. This took about 25-30 minutes for me. But start checking thermometer sooner as every pan and cook top is different.
• Pour mixture into prepared pan and let cool completely.
• When ready cut into 1 inch squares, sprinkle with a little salt and wrap each piece in parchment or wax paper.

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!