*This post may contain affiliate links. As Amazon Associates we earn from qualifying purchases.

Kim’s homemade old fashioned butterscotch sauce creates a buttery sweet topping perfect ice cream, cake, and all sorts of desserts!

Who doesn’t love sweet, decadent sauces? Well, I’m sure someone would say they don’t.

But, as for the rest of us, nothing finishes a dessert better than a flavorful sauce.

For today, we’re sharing Kim’s homemade butterscotch sauce. As you can imagine, it’s the perfect topping for vanilla ice cream.

The finished butterscotch sauce served in a jar. — This sauce is so buttery and decadent!

Now, it should be noted that this butterscotch syrup is homemade. So, it does require your full attention.

With that being said, it’s done in about 15-minutes. While it might be an old fashioned recipe, it doesn’t take forever to create.

Speaking of which, shall we get started?

The finished sweet sauce in a small mason jar. — We store all our dessert sauces in small mason jars.

How to make old fashioned butterscotch sauce?

First, place a 3-quart metal saucepan over medium heat. After that, add in the butter, brown sugar, heavy cream, and sea salt.

Next, stir the mixture to combine the ingredients. Stop stirring and let the liquid come to a boil.

Butter, heavy cream, and other ingredients in a saucepan. — Everything but the vanilla extract goes right into the pan.

It needs to boil for 4-5 minutes without stirring. Then, turn off the heat and let it cool for 2-3 minutes.

Afterward, stir in the vanilla; being careful not stir in the crystalized sugar around the edges of the pan.

Last, once the sauce cools serve it warm or transfer it to a heat-safe container with a lid.

It can be stored in your fridge for up to 2-weeks.

A top-down view of the cooked sauce in the pan. — Imagine adding this sauce to vanilla ice cream.

That’s it, your butterscotch sauce is done! Kim and I hope you enjoy it and wish you all the best 🙂

Recipe Tips:

Don’t let the sauce cook for too long. Otherwise, it will turn into butterscotch candy.
If you use salted butter, then I recommend removing the salt from our recipe.
For a salted butterscotch sauce, you can stir flaky sea salt into the sauce once it’s done cooking.
I would avoid using a non-stick saucepan. Kim has read that it can negatively effect your dessert sauces.
To create a tasty Fall drink, use this sauce to make butterscotch coffee.

Why won’t my butterscotch sauce thicken?

Usually, a butterscotch syrup is too thin because it hasn’t cooked long enough. Cook it a little longer and it should thicken. However, don’t let it cook too long or it will become butterscotch candy.

How long does butterscotch sauce last?

When properly stored in your fridge, it should last for up to 2 weeks.

A close-up of the sauce in a jar. — Sauces like this one are perfect for ice cream bars.

If you like this recipe, please leave us a comment and rate the recipe card. You can also find us on Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter and Instagram searching for Berly’s Kitchen!

Join our Facebook group for more recipes from Berly’s Kitchen, our new site More Than Meat and Potatoes, and some of our blogger friends!

Butterscotch Sauce

Yield: 14 Ounces

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 15 minutes

Kim's homemade old fashioned butterscotch sauce creates a buttery sweet topping perfect ice cream, cake, and all sorts of desserts!

Ingredients

½ Cup Unsalted Butter
1 ¼ Cups Dark Brown Sugar
1 Cup Heavy Whipping Cream
½ Teaspoon Sea Salt
¼ Teaspoon Vanilla

Instructions

In a large, heavy bottomed saucepan combine the butter, sugar, heavy whipping cream, and salt over medium heat. Stir to combine the ingredients. Bring the mixture to a boil for 4 to 5 minutes without stirring, then remove from heat.

Cool slightly before adding the vanilla. Stir to combine without scraping any sugar crystals that may be along the sides of the pan into the butterscotch mixture. Otherwise, the sauce will be grainy.

Store the butterscotch in a sealable, glass container for up to 2 weeks in the refrigerator.

Notes

The calories listed are an approximation based on the ingredients in the recipe card and a serving size of 1-ounce of the butterscotch sauce. Actual calories will vary. For more information and tips, please refer to the post.

Recommended Products

As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 14 Serving Size: 1 Ounce
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 178Total Fat: 13gSaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 37mgSodium: 86mgCarbohydrates: 16gFiber: 0gSugar: 16gProtein: 1g

*The calories are an estimate and are based on the ingredients and serving size listed. The calories can vary depending on the brand of product purchased.