Homemade Caramels

You're probably knee deep in holiday baked goods, but I made these delicious caramels tonight and wanted to share the recipe with you.

I remember my mom making these when we were little, and they taste just as good when I make them. They're pretty easy to make, but definitely a pain in the butt. Worth it in the end, but not the easiest holiday yummy to make.

Homemade Caramels

1 cup butter

2 1/4 cups brown sugar

1 cup light corn syrup

1 can sweetened condensed milk

1 tsp vanilla

dash of salt

Melt butter in saucepan. Add sugar and salt, stir in syrup. Mix well, gradually add milk and stir constantly. Cook and stir over medium heat to firm ball stage, or 245 degrees. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Pour into well buttered 11x17 glass pan. Cool, cut into squares and wrap.

That's the official version of the recipe. But in case you're actually going to make it, here's the real deal stuff you need to know:

1. This is a STICKY endeavor. Be prepared.

2. Get the ingredients ready ahead of time. The caramel takes all of 20 seconds to burn on you.

3. Don't stop stirring this thing. Ever. Because it will burn on you. (Yes, this happened to me!)

4. Over butter that pan. There is no such thing as too much butter in that pan (see #1).

5. It doesn't matter if you accidentally add the milk before the syrup, or forget the vanilla completely. Because I did that today and they still taste good!

6. If you don't have a candy thermometer and don't know that 245 degrees looks like, stir until your arm goes numb. That's probably about the right temperature.

7. Cut them small. These are super duper sweet and you don't need a huge piece.

I wrap mine in squares of wax paper that I cut myself. They are all so mismatched. I would suggest cutting them on the longish side so you can twist the ends all pretty.

There you go. Did I frighten you away from ever making them? They really aren't that bad, and the recipe makes A TON. Great for parties and neighborhood gifts!

Are you still baking/cooking for the holidays?