Crockpot Dulce de Leche Caramel takes just five minutes of active preparation time to make, and it contains no corn syrup!
Hey there, Friends! This week will be dedicated to all things sweet, creamy, and caramel-y. Because the Theme Weaver’s teaming up for usual culinary hi-jinks to bring you Caramel Week!
All. Week. Long!
Six full days simply oozing with caramel goodness, including a savory meal sure to impress even the finickiest of dinner guests. I’ll share the entire line-up in a few minutes, so hold tight and prepare for an amazing week drenched in buttery, ambrosial decadence.
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We’re kicking off Caramel Week with the easiest, most decadent caramel recipe around: Dulce de Leche Caramel, made in a slow cooker. This delicious sauce can be yours with only five minutes of active preparation time!
Yes, way!
As an added bonus, this caramel is absolutely free of corn syrup for those with corn allergies.
Literally translated the term “dulce de leche” means sweet milk. Dulce de leche is made by slowly heating sweet milk until the sugars caramelize, thus changing both the color and flavor of the original product.
I’ve shared a couple of from-scratch caramel recipes in the past. While I really enjoy the flavor of caramel made from scratch, there is another way to make caramel that doesn’t involve standing over a hot stove for prolonged periods of time stirring molten sugar.
All you need is a slow cooker, three eight ounce canning jars with bands and seals, and two cans of low-fat sweetened condensed milk.
If you want to use fully leaded sweetened condensed milk, then by all means, use it. Your secret is safe with me. But, please! For all that is good and right with the world, do not–I repeat, do not use fat free sweetened condensed milk for your dulce de leche caramel.
Comfortably Domestic Service Announcement: I’m pretty sure the term fat-free caramel is an oxymoron. Plus, I’m told it tastes like glue. Don’t eat glue.
Open cans of sweetened condensed milk, and divide the contents between the three canning jars. Fill each about three-fourths of the way full. Place the seals on the jars, loosely affixing the bands until they are on well, but not quite finger tight. We want air to be able to circulate through the seals so as not to have them explode under the pressure created by the steam in the crock pot.
Set the jars in the crock pot before filling the crock with enough water to surround the jars to within one-inch of the tops. Place the lid on the crock, and simmer over low heat for between five and seven hours, depending on the make/model of your slow cooker, and desired outcome. My general timeline is as follows:
- Five hours for flowing caramel.
- Seven hours spreadable caramel.
Carefully remove the jars after the desired amount of time has lapsed, and allow them to cool completely on the counter before refrigerating.
The dulce de leche caramel will continue to thicken upon standing, so don’t judge the outcome strictly by how it looks coming out of the crock pot.
If the pale sweetened condensed milk has transformed to a rich amber hue, then the caramel is done.
I’m slightly uncivilized when it comes to caramel, attacking warm dulce de leche with a spoon. However, I’m confident you are far more dignified than I am. Therefore, I’ll be sharing two more recipes that call for freshly made Dulce de Leche Caramel.
Until then, grab a spoon and dig in to decadent dulce de leche caramel!
♥♥♥
Kirsten Kubert
Yields 24 ounces
Sweet dulce de leche caramel, made in a slow cooker, with NO corn syrup! The easiest way to make caramel sauce.
5 minPrep Time
5 hrCook Time
5 hr, 5 Total Time
Save RecipeIngredients
- 2 cans (14 oz. each) Sweetened Condensed Milk
- 3 (8 oz. each) canning jars with seals and bands
Instructions
- Transfer the contents of the cans of sweetened condensed milk into the canning jars, filling each jar no more than three-quarters of the way. Place the seals on the jars, and loosely affix the bands until they are on well, but not quite finger tight. We want air to be able to circulate through the seals so as not to have them explode under the pressure created by the steam in the crock pot.
- Set the jars into the crock of a slow cooker. Fill the crock with enough cold water to immerse the jars in water until it is one-inch from the top of the jars. Place the lid on the slow cooker and heat on low for five to seven hours, depending on the desired consistency.
- Five hours for flowing caramel, or up to seven hours for spreadable caramel.
- Carefully remove the jars from the crock, and let stand at room temperature until cool. Caramel will continue to thicken as it stands.
- Once cooled, dulce de leche can be stored in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.
Notes
Recipe yields Three 8-Ounce Jars
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Caramel Week continues with all sorts of gooey fun:
- Monday–I’m here with Crockpot Dulce de Leche (see above) / Beka @ Kvetchin’ Kitchen-Caramel Apple Pie/ Mads @ La Petite Pancake-Caramel Banana Bread Pudding
- Tuesday–Allison @ Decadent Philistines Save the World-Salted Caramel Pork Loin with Shaved Brussel Sprout and Apple Salad / Carrie @ Bakeaholic Mama-Chewy Milk Dud Brownies
- Wednesday–Jeanne @ Inside NanaBread’s Head-Chocolate Alfajores with Salted Vanilla Bean Caramel / I’m back with my verson of Alfajores Caramel Sandwich Cookies / Haley @ The Girly Girl Cooks-Almost-Famous Fairground Caramel Sauce/ Lauren @ Climbing Grier Mountain-Dulce de Leche Milkshakes with Caramel Drizzle
- Thursday–Kat @ Tenaciously Yours-Popcorn Crunch Sundae / Beka’s back with Kvetchin’ Kitchen – Red Wine Caramel Sauce
- Friday–Megan @ Country Cleaver-Pear Caramel Mini Cheesecakes / Madeline @ Munching in the Mitten-Caramel Cake
- Saturday–Me again with DIY Dulce de Leche Coffee Creamer, and Katie @ The Hill Country Cook – Salted Caramel Pie
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