Really easy butterscotch sauce with just 3 ingredients. Perfect for pouring on ice-cream, desserts or just licking from the spoon!
I’ve realised that in order to become a great cook it’s important to be able to make the basics well. Once you’ve got them nailed there’s then so much you can do with them, getting creative with flavours or mixing them with other ingredients to create amazing original recipes. I’ve loved getting creative with my homemade custard and caramel sauce, and now I’ve turned my attention to butterscotch.
Butterscotch is really similar to caramel (in fact I’ve seen many recipes similar to this one that would call themselves caramel). The main difference is that caramel is made from granulated sugar whereas butterscotch is made from light brown sugar (I’ve also made it with muscovado sugar, which gave it a great favour, but is much darker in colour that traditional butterscotch). Butterscotch has a sweeter, creamier taste than caramel, it’s also easier to make as you don’t have to worry about caramelising the sugar, you simply melt the butter and then stir in the other ingredients.
Butterscotch Sauce
INGREDIENTS
- 100 g soft light brown sugar
- 120 ml single cream - or 60ml double cream and 60ml milk
- 60 g unsalted butter
INSTRUCTIONS
- Put the butter (60g) into a saucepan and cook over a low heat until the butter has melted.
- Add the light brown sugar (100g) and single cream (120ml) and stir until all of the ingredients are combined.
- Turn the heat up to medium and cook until the sauce starts to bubble, stirring the sauce occasionally. Once the sauce is bubbling, turn the heat down to low and simmer for 5 minutes until the sauce has thickened slightly (if you're making a larger portion, you'll need to simmer the sauce for longer, e.g. if I make a double portion I'll simmer the sauce for 8 minutes).
- Remove the sauce from the heat and either serve hot or leave to cool (the sauce will thicken as it cools. If you find it gets too thick you can simply heat it in the microwave for 10-20 seconds to make it pourable).
NOTES
NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION
Any nutritional information provided is the estimated nutritional information per serving. Please refer to my guide to Charlotte’s Lively Kitchen nutritional information if you would like to learn more about how this is calculated.
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If you like this recipe then why not take a look at my CARAMEL SAUCE and HOMEMADE CUSTARD.
Free From/Suitable For…
- Suitable for Vegetarians
- Egg-Free
- Gluten-Free
- Nut-Free
- Soy-Free
The ingredients for this recipe are commonly available free from all these allergens. However, please ensure you double-check allergen information for all ingredients.
Emma Matthews says
My girls just devoured this!! Husband was pretty impressed when he realised I’d made it!! Thanks so much for all your recipes they’re amazing!!
Herschel Demattia says
Do you think pouring this sauce under the ice cream layer in an ice cream pie would work? I m worried about the texture of the frozen butterscotch being really brittle but I m not sure. Let me know! Thanks!
Charlotte Oates says
I’ve not tried freezing this sauce before so I’m not 100% sure, but I have frozen my caramel sauce with has a very similar recipe and that would definitely work. When it freezes it retains its soft gooey texture rather than going too hard so would make a lovely layer in the icecream pie. I’d very much suspect that this bitterscotch would do the same but if you don’t want to take the risk then go for the caramel.
Helen says
Oh my goodness I’m kind of sorry I read this post…. I feel a need for butterscotch dipped…something coming on! GORGEOUS pictures!
Charlotte Oates says
Oh I’d definitely recommend butterscotch dipped something 🙂 Just dip your finger in if you’ve got nothing else to hand!
Eb Gargano says
Yum. This looks soooo good! And love the photos…great action shots!! Pinning 🙂 Eb x
Charlotte Oates says
Thanks Eb, I had to eat the butterscotch dipped banana after each shot – it was a tough shoot 😉
Eb Gargano says
Oh no! Poor you, Charlotte. That sounds hard 😉
Kathleen says
Hi Charlotte. Love your blog! Your photos are absolutely gorgeous!
Charlotte Oates says
Aww thanks so much Kathleen xx
Sarah - Craft Invaders says
Stunning photos Charlotte, and love the basics theme – off to check out the custard next 🙂
Charlotte Oates says
Thanks Sarah, the custard has become a staple in quite a few recipes and I suspect the butterscotch will go the same way!
Ana says
Mmm, sounds yummy. How long would it keep in the refridgerator, also would it be possible to freeze?
Charlotte Oates says
Thanks Ana,
Mine has always disappeared before it goes off so I’m not totally sure how long it keeps for but I’d be happy to eat it up to a couple of weeks later if it’s kept in the fridge. I’ve not tried freezing it but I have seen other similar recipes online which state it can be frozen so I suspect it would work. If you don’t want as much as the recipe makes then it’s really easy to make smaller batch, just remember that it won’t need to simmer for quite as long.
Kate - gluten free alchemist says
Lovely recipe and beautiful photos Charlotte.
I am looking for a good drizzly caramel/butterscotch recipe for a birthday cake I am planning……. would this be better to drizzle over cake warm and then leave to cool, or wait until it is cold before pouring over?
Charlotte Oates says
Thanks Kate x
It won’t pour when it’s cold as its too thick. I found I got a great pouring consistency without it being too hot or too runny by letting it cool and then heating it in a microwave for about 20 seconds.