Who doesn’t love Indiana in the Fall?  The air smells so good, the leaves are brilliantly hued, and it’s apple pickin’ time!  October is National Apple Month and National Caramel Month, so I’m going to share my favorite seasonal treat (which was also popular with the kid’s preschool class last year): homemade caramel sauce!

Forget that pricey junk at the store…this is 100 times better and so easy!  Best of all?  No unwrapping those tiny little plastic-wrapped squares!  

Caramel Sauce
makes about 4 cups caramel sauce

1/2 cup butter or margarine
1 1/2 cups light brown sugar, packed
3/4 cup light corn syrup
1 (14 oz can) sweetened condensed milk (NOT evaporated!)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 pinch salt

Combine butter, brown sugar, corn syrup, and condensed milk in a saucepan.  Stir, over low, until brown sugar is fully incorporated (trust me, you have to taste it – it may look dissolved but taste gritty).  Stir for approximately 15 minutes or until sugar is dissolved.

Add in vanilla, cinnamon, and salt.  Stir to mix.

Keep refrigerated.

Not only does this sauce taste great with apples (or right out of the jar with a spoon – awesome!), I have used it in place of store-bought caramel sauce in many a recipe without a hitch.

Related posts:

1. Easy Caramel Corn Recipe: Fit For a Circus!
2. Caramel Cream Sandwich Cookies
3. Milk Chocolate Bundt Cake