maple syrup caramel sauce in a small mason jar with a spoon and 3 apples in the background on white counter.

The best “real maple syrup caramel sauce” you will ever make. It’s sweet, creamy, and luscious. This maple syrup caramel sauce is incredibly easy to make, requiring only three ingredients.

If you’re looking for a maple caramel sauce made from whole ingredients, this recipe is perfect for dipping apples, caramel drizzle on your apple pie, or giving your pancakes a fun twist. My dad loves it on his evening vanilla ice cream. You will absolutely love this recipe.

The fall flavor of maple is the love language of the autumn season (move over pumpkin spice). And when you taste this fabulous maple caramel recipe, it is like liquid gold.

The procedures are so simple you will get a rich thick sauce right on the first try. It is a good idea to hide it in the fridge because if the kids find it it won’t last the night.

This recipe can also be used to make homemade maple caramels by laying the cooked mixture in a parchment paper-lined pan or wax paper-lined pan. Then chill for 3 hours. If you like salted maple caramel sauce just add some flakey sea salt to the mixture. Stir and then pour into the glass jar.

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Amish Maple Sugar House: A Family Tradition

In our family, there are cherished memories of the first taste of real maple syrup. A treasured memory we have of visiting a local Amish Maple Sugar house. Surrounded by a forest of maple trees tapped for their syrup.

If you close your eyes can you remember the first time you tasted real maple syrup? I can, I must have been no more than 3 or 4 when my parents took us to an Amish maple sugar house. The smell alone was delicious.

Each visitor was given a little cup of bubble real maple syrup heating in the long vat of pure maple sap. I can remember the overwhelming joy when my Dad handed me the little paper cup of warm maple syrup that he had waited until it cooled. One sipe and I have been hooked for life. Only pure maple syrup for me and in our home.

Each visit to their quaint, rustic sugar house was a journey back in time, where the air was thick with the sweet aroma of simmering sap. The Amish families, with their years of skilled traditions, are a joy to visit.

Their dedication transformed that sap into liquid gold – a syrup that could make pancakes taste like heaven.

These family trips to the Amish Maple Sugar house have become a tradition, we have shared with our kids and now our grandkids.

maple sap being pored form a silver bucket into a wooden vat.

maple syrup caramel sauce in a small mason jar with black cap on white counter with and 3 apple slices dripping with caramel sauce white counter.

Pure Maple Syrup Caramel Sauce and Apple Picking

When I think of fall I think of taking the kids to a local apple farm to pick fall apples right from the apple tree. And when I start eating these fresh apples I want to dip them in homemade caramel sauce.

When I wanted to make homemade caramel sauce for our freshly picked apples I did not want to use processed white or brown sugar. Maple is the flavor of fall and that is the first ingredient I wanted to use for my caramel sauce recipe.

My beautiful daughter went with me to pick apples and we came home with so many delicious fresh apples.

I was able to get the apples and the maple syrup from the same farm. They had local maple syrup from at their farm market. We made the first batch of maple caramel sauce with this rich dark maple syrup.

I wanted to make more than one batch so I went to Costco and purchased their 100% pure maple syrup and it works perfectly also. You can get a larger amount of maple syrup for less cost and you do not lose any of the flavors.

On a cool crisp fall day picking apples is a fun activity to take the kids to and get everyone out into the fresh air. Check your local pick-your-own-apple orchards for when they are open to having the guests pick the apples. It is an activity your kids will remember their whole life.

maple syrup caramel sauce in a small mason jar with a spoon and 3 apples in the background on white counter top down view.

What You Need for Easy Maple Syrup Caramel Sauce

All you need for the most delicious caramel sauce that has a more pronounced maple flavor than regular maple syrup is # items. You will need a heavy medium saucepan, a candy thermometer, and an airtight container. I prefer a glass jar like the little mason jar in the photos.

This recipe uses only whole foods, no corn syrup, and no, white sugar or sweetened condensed milk.

Pure Maple Syrup
Room Temperature Butter
Heavy Cream

maple syrup caramel sauce in a small mason jar with a spoon and 3 apples in the background on white counter with a sauce pot pouring maple syrup caramel sauce in the jar.

How to Make Easy Maple Syrup Caramel Sauce

Use a heavy medium saucepan over medium heat and heat the pure maple syrup to a temperature of 230° F. or 110° C.
Attach a candy thermometer to the side of the pan making sure that the tip does not touch the bottom of the pan.
Continue over medium heat until the syrup boils slowly. Stand over the syrup and stir off and on so it does not burn.
When the syrup has reached 230° F remove it from the heat. This will take about 10 to 15 minutes. Do not rush this process.
Stir in 2 tablespoons of room temperature butter.
When the butter is melted add the heavy cream and stir.
You do have the option to add 1/4 teaspoon of flaky sea salt if you want to make a salted caramel but I have found it is so delicious the salt is not needed.
Pour into a glass jar (I used a small canning jar) and allow to cool for 10 minutes. after it has reached room temperature cover it with a lid and keep it in the fridge.
The maple syrup caramel sauce will thicken as it cools.