Easiest Butterscotch Sauce

ByNicole@The Happy Homemaker
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This is the Easiest Butterscotch Sauce recipe ever! Its homemade, simple and comes together in minutes. 

Easy butter scotch sauce in a clear glass bowl topped with pecans sitting on a red and white checkered table cloth with a stainless steel spoon next to it

Nothing beats a bowl of homemade ice cream topped with warm, homemade butterscotch sauce.

This sauce is rich, buttery, and similar to caramel, and the best part is that it comes together in minutes with simple ingredients.

Some of my other favorite homemade ice cream toppings are Saskatoon berry sauce and strawberry sauce.

They’re all delicious drizzled over my no-churn vanilla ice cream with sweetened condensed milk, or spooned onto a classic old-fashioned vanilla ice cream made with eggs for that extra creamy, nostalgic feel.

Why YOU’LL LOVE THIS RECIPE

  • Its made in one pot in minutes.
  • Makes a great gift!
  • Uses simple ingredients.
  • Makes simple desserts taste even better!
Butterscotch sauce poured over homemade vanilla ice cream and topped with chopped pecans sitting on a red and white table cloth with a spoon to the side of it

Recipe Ingredients

  • Dark Brown Sugar: Gives it a deeper flavor and a beautiful amber colour.
  • Butter: I used un-salted butter in this recipe.
  • Salt: Cuts down the sweetness. You can add more salt if you’d prefer then called for in the recipe.
  • Whipping Cream: Makes the sauce pourable and rich.
  • Vanilla Extract: Artificial or pure works fine.

See recipe card for quantities.

How to make this recipe

Use these photos as a guide as you move along each step.

butterscotch sauce ingredients sitting in a sauce pan getting ready to be cooked down
  1. Step 1: Combine ingredients besides vanilla in a small sauce pan.
Sugar, butter and milk ingredients boiling in a pot for 5 minutes on the stove
  1. Step 2: Cook until it comes to a boil, boil for 5 minutes while whisking occasionally.
butterscotch sauce in a small sauce pan that just had vanilla extract stirred into it
  1. Step 3: Remove from heat then stir in the vanilla.
Butterscotch sauce sitting in a small mason jar that has thickened up after cooling and it being drizzled into the jar from a stainless steel spoon
  1. Step 4: Add to a jar, it will thicken as it cools.

Hint: The sauce thickens as it cools. To soften from the fridge place it in the microwave for a short time until it is pourable again.

butterscotch sauce sitting in a mason jar on a red and white cloth napkin with a bowl of ice cream next to it with butterscotch sauce over it and diced pecans

Serving Suggestions

  • Pour it over ice cream sundaes
  • Use it as a dip for fruit
  • Use it as a cheesecake topping
  • Use it for cakes or drizzle it over pie
  • Pour it over ice cream

Storage


Fridge: Allow to cool at room temperature then store it in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. Warm in microwave until pourable consistency again.

easy butterscotch sauce in a clear glass bowl sitting on a red and white table cloth with a spoon next to it

Easiest Butterscotch Sauce

Homemade, simple and comes together in minutes.
Total Time 15 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup dark brown sugar packed
  • 2 Tablespoons butter
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

  • Combine all ingredients besides the vanilla in a small heavy sauce pan.
  • Cook over medium heat. Once it starts to boil, boil for 5 minutes and whisk occasionally.
  • Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla.
  • Add to a glass jar, it will thicken as it cools.
  • Cool slightly before serving.
  • Once completely cooled, store in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.

Leave a comment below if you made this recipe, I’d love to hear feedback.

Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:

saskatoon berry sauce in a mason jar being scooped out with a spoon

Saskatoon Berry Sauce

classic strawberry sauce in a mason jar with fresh strawberries next to it on a blue place mat on a wooden table top

Classic Strawberry Sauce

apple sauce in a glass bowl with fresh apples to the side of it on a fall cloth napkin with fresh apples next to it

Apple Sauce

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