Salted Caramel Ice Cream – Barefoot in the kitchen

Rich, buttery homemade salted caramel is transformed into frosty perfection in this irresistible Salted Caramel Ice Cream.

Caramel Ice Cream

Inspired by our love of warm caramel sauce and homemade ice cream, this is a wonderfully decadent ice cream. It has been in our dessert range for years.

The first time I made caramel ice cream was on a weekend when my husband was out of town. I tasted it and then forced myself to give the whole portion to a friend, knowing I couldn’t be trusted on my own. (Yes, I have problems with ice.)

A week later I made this ice cream again for my family and it was a huge hit. Salted caramel is a beautiful thing. Just a small pinch of salt enhances the flavor of the caramel beautifully.

If you haven’t tried it yet, hurry over to the stove and stir some of it up. If you stir a pinch of salt into some warm caramel, give it a try and you’ll understand just how popular it is.

And if you haven’t made your own caramel sauce yet, get started! Homemade caramel sauce is dangerously easy to make and, like so many other things, tastes ten times better than anything you can buy at the store.

If you like homemade salted caramel ice cream, then you have to try this Twix Ice Cream next. It’s incredibly good.

And this Caramel Swirl Brownie Chunk Ice Cream is a great way to celebrate any occasion.

With a selection of over 70 ice cream recipes, there is sure to be the right ice cream for everyone! If you’re new to ice cream making, the best and easiest vanilla ice cream is a great place to start.

These are my favorite inexpensive containers for storing ice. They’re perfect for gifting (who doesn’t love homemade ice cream?), storing, reusing, etc. I write the flavors on the lids with a marker and wash them off with dish soap.

I have more scoops of ice cream than I can keep track of at this point and I’m definitely playing favorites. This ice cream scoop cuts through solid ice best and still delivers a pretty scoop. Bonus points for also being one of the most affordable shovels I own.

Don’t miss our ice maker review for all the information you need to find the BEST ice maker for your needs! Spoiler alert – our top rated machine under $50 might surprise you. It really surprised me!

salted caramel ice cream

For this recipe you will need the following ingredients:

• light brown sugar
• butter
• whipped cream
• milk
• vanilla extract
• sea-salt

The most common question I get is if it’s possible to make ice cream without a machine. The answer is yes. You can make ice cream without a machine. Full directions can be found here!

Salted caramel ice cream recipe

First, combine the butter and sugar in a medium-sized saucepan over medium-high heat. When the butter has melted, stir to combine the melted butter with the sugar.

Continue stirring as the mixture simmers, until thick, bubbly, and caramel-colored, about 4 minutes. Remove from stove.

Pour the cream very slowly into the hot caramel, whisking constantly. Continue beating until you get a smooth batter. Be careful not to let too much caramel stick to the bottom of the pan. (A little on the bottom edges is fine.)

Add milk, vanilla and salt and mix again until smooth. Cover and refrigerate until cold. Then process according to the manufacturer’s instructions for your ice cream maker.

Serve immediately for a soft serve, or transfer to an airtight container and freeze for a few hours for firmer ice cream.

Scoop into ice cream cones or serve in bowls with a drizzle of warm caramel sauce on top.

Recipes with caramel

I’ve always loved caramel. And that shows in the number of recipes I’ve played with this feature. White Chocolate Caramel Fudge is a fabulous example. It goes wonderfully with a cup of coffee.

If you like caramel like me, you should give Caramel Turtle Bark a try. It tastes so much better fresh than anything you can find in the store. And the Caramel Swirl Cheesecake Cupcakes make an excellent dessert for your next party.

Salted caramel frosting enhances so many of our favorite chocolate desserts. You can’t go wrong using it on baked goods, ice cream, or even smoothies.

Make snack time special with a helping of Caramel Cheesecake Dip. Apple slices have never tasted better. And no bake caramel cheesecake mousse is hands down the best no bake cheesecake dessert I’ve ever eaten.

{originally published 8/12/2014 – recipe notes and photos updated 7/7/2023}