Keto & Paleo Caramel Sauce

4.7 stars, average of 94 ratings

By Martina Slajerova, updated September 3 202029

Making a really good caramel sauce that is sugar-free is not easy and I can't take credit for this recipe. Carolyn of All Day I Dream About Food has spent a long time developing and fine-tuning this amazing Caramel Sauce that tastes and looks just like the real deal.

I've been experimenting with a few more ingredients and used coconut milk to make my caramel sauce paleo-friendly. So here is what I used in my recipe:

Glucomannan powder is made from konjak root just like shirataki noodles. I used it for thickening. You can also use xanthan gum instead just like Carolyn did. Although xanthan gum is one of the ingredients that may not be considered paleo/ primal, small amounts won't cause any harm (provided that it doesn't upset your stomach).

Sukrin Gold is a natural low-carb sweetener made with erythritol, tagatose, glycerol (glycerine), malt extract (gluten-free) and steviol glycosides. It can be used just like brown sugar and is perfect for making low-carb caramel sauce. Erythritol-based sweeteners including Sukrin and Swerve do caramelise when chilled so keep that in mind. Adding vegetable glycerine helps the caramel retain a smoother texture.

Glycerine is a simple polyol (sugar alcohol) that is made either from plants or from animal fat. I used glycerine to make the caramel sauce smooth and prevent sweetener crystals from developing when it's chilled. It has a minimal effect on blood sugar but I would still use this ingredient with caution and count at least half of it as carbs. You can find more about glycerine here.

Consider Using Allulose

Chilled desserts that use erythritol-based sweeteners tend to crystallize slightly and although adding glycerine helps minimise this effect, your caramel won't be super smooth. For very smooth results, swap the erythritol-based sweeteners for allulose. Allulose is a healthy low-carb sweetener, although it's less common and can be pricey. The carb count is the same as for erythritol, and it’s as sweet as sugar. Unlike erythritol, it does not crystallize and is a great option in chilled desserts.

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0 days, 0 hours, 0 minutes

Hands-on 15 minutes Overall 15 minutes

Serving size 2 tbsp, 30 g/ 1.1 oz

Allergy information for Keto & Paleo Caramel Sauce

✔ Gluten free

✔ Dairy free

✔ Egg free

✔ Nut free

✔ Nightshade free

✔ Pork free

✔ Avocado free

✔ Coconut free

✔ Fish free

✔ Shellfish free

✔ Beef free

Pescatarian

Vegetarian

Notes

Recipe can be made dairy-free or coconut-free.

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Nutritional values (per serving, 2 tbsp, 30 g/ 1.1 oz)

Net carbs0.8 grams

Protein0.5 grams

Fat9.8 grams

Calories89 kcal

Calories from carbs 4%, protein 2%, fat 94%

Total carbs0.9 gramsFiber0.1 gramsSugars0.3 gramsSaturated fat7.1 gramsSodium23 mg(1% RDA)Magnesium9 mg(2% RDA)Potassium45 mg(2% EMR)

Ingredients (makes about 1 cup, 240 g/ 8.5 oz)

¹/₄ cup butter, ghee or virgin coconut oil (56 g/ 2 oz)
¹/₂ cup Sukrin Gold, powdered Swerve, Erythritol or Allulose (80 g/ 2.8 oz)
¹/₂ cup + 2 tbsp coconut milk or heavy whipping cream (150 ml/ 5 fl oz)
¹/₄ tsp glucomannan powder or xanthan gum
2 tbsp water, room temperature (30 ml/ 1 fl oz)
pinch salt or more for salted caramel
Optional: 1 tbsp vegetable glycerine (15 ml)

Instructions

For this recipe you'll need Sukrin Gold natural brown sugar substitute. If you can find allulose it will be even better as this is low-carb sweetener does not crystallise and will make the sauce super smooth. I also use glucomannan powder as a thickener that is made from konjak root.
Place the brown "sugar" and the butter into a medium sauce pan. Bring to a boil over a medium heat and cook for about 5 minutes. Keep stirring to prevent the mixture from burning.
Mix the glucomannan powder with 2 tablespoons of water by sprinkling it on top and mixing until no clumps are visible. In a small bowl, combine ¹/₂ cup of coconut milk and the glucomannan powder mixed with water.
Do not make the same mistake I did. I mixed the powder directly with the coconut milk and then had to blend the caramel sauce as there were clumps of the gelled powder in it.
Remove the butter and sweetener mixture from heat and mix in the coconut milk & glucomannan blend. Mix vigorously until well combined. The mixture will start to thicken.
Return to the heat and cook for another minute or two while stirring. Take off the heat and mix in the salt (a pinch or more to taste). Let it cool down for at least 5 minutes and then mix in 2 more tablespoons of coconut milk and combine well.
For a smoother texture and to prevent the sweetener crystals from forming as it chills down, add a tablespoon of glycerine and mix until well combined.
At first, the caramel will be thin and runny but it will thicken as it cools down.
Place in an airtight container and store in the fridge for up to 2 weeks or freeze for up to 3 months.
This is how it becomes when chilled in the fridge for an hour. If you use glycerine, the texture will be smooth - if you don't use it, you will see sweetener crystals. You can make it smooth again by heating up!

Ingredient nutritional breakdown (per serving, 2 tbsp, 30 g/ 1.1 oz)

Net carbs	Protein	Fat	Calories
Butter, unsalted, grass-fed
0 g	0.1 g	5.8 g	51 kcal
Sukrin Gold, brown sugar substitute
0.3 g	0 g	0 g	1 kcal
Coconut milk (full-fat, unsweetened)
0.5 g	0.4 g	4 g	37 kcal
Glucomannan powder, thickening agent
0 g	0 g	0 g	0 kcal
Water, still
0 g	0 g	0 g	0 kcal
Salt, pink Himalayan rock salt
0 g	0 g	0 g	0 kcal
Total per serving, 2 tbsp, 30 g/ 1.1 oz
0.8 g	0.5 g	9.8 g	89 kcal

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Magdalena Yonova one month ago #

I made it 2 times with coconut oil and Sucrin gold, by following carefully all the steps.
I was more careful with the heat and the color looked a lot like on the pictures here. Once I started adding the coconut cream, the color frightened and never turned dark.
I really don't know what I'm doing wrong and I'm looking for advice because I really want to have this great bronze color.

Martina @ KetoDiet one month ago #

That's strange, did you cook it for a few more minutes after adding the cream? I'll share a video next week and I'll add it here!

Maggie one month ago #

Yes, I did and the light brown/grey(ish) color happened after I added the coconut cream 🙁

It will turn light brown when you add the cream but that should turn golden as you cook it and it thickens. The video will help - I'll share very soon 😊

Annalisa 5 months ago #

Hi Martina,
here in Italy and in Europe in general, allulose is not allowed for human consumption and therefore it is not sold, so if we want to have a smoother sauce that does not crystallise once chilled, I guess we are only left with xylitol as an option 😉
I know, though, that xylitol is not as low-carb as erythritol....
Cheers,
Annalisa

Martina @ KetoDiet 4 months ago #

Hi Annalisa, I think it's just a matter of time, I see no reason why they wouldn't allow allulose (Can I Have Allulose on a Healthy Low-Carb Diet?).
It's a tough one... I think the best way is to use vegetable glycerin which will minimise the crystallisation but will not make it completely smooth. Xylitol is an option too although it's not just the carb count, some people don't tolerate it well (GI distress). Having said that if you only use a small amount (as you would with caramel) I think it's ok. Another option is to use Tagatose: Can I Have Tagatose on a Healthy Low-Carb Diet?

Ruxell 10 months ago #

This caramel recipe seems to have been listed for keto And paleo diets but it's not paleo.

Martina @ KetoDiet 10 months ago #

It depends what you define as "paleo" but based one the general rules it is. Keep in mind that the definition of "paleo" has been more or less set by bloggers and health websites. Ghee and coconut milk are paleo options. Some strict paleo eaters would argue that bacon is not paleo.

Susanne 11 months ago #

Can I use gold monk fruit sweetener?

Martina @ KetoDiet 11 months ago #

Yes, you can but but not liquid (drops). Lakanto Brown (Gold) would be great here! Top 5 Keto Sweeteners and Low-Carb Sweetener Conversion Chart

Sonia Mehrotra 2 years ago #

Hi...neither of the thickeners is available here. Would psyllium husk powder or arrowroot flour do?How much would you recommend? Thanks

Martina @ KetoDiet 2 years ago #

Hi Sonia, arrowroot may work but you'd have to use more of it. It depends on how you plan to use this sauce but it may be better to just skip it.

I wanted to use as drizzle on cupcakes and cheesecakes to begin with...

Hi... I managed to get xantham gum from a store that supplies to hotels. How and when do I mix it while cooking the caramel? In the recipe you have only given instructions for glucomannan. Thanks.

Hi Sonia, I would use it just like the glucomannan powder (step 3) as these two are very similar. Ideally, mix with some water to avoid any clumps. Even if you get clumps, use an immersion blender and process until smooth. I hope this helps!

Sandra 3 years ago #

Thank you for all these recipes! I made a low carb flan today and got the idea from this post to use Sukrin Gold for the caramel. I used 1/2 cup of Sukrin Gold and 2 tbs of water for the caramel and it turned out great! 😀

Martina @ KetoDiet 3 years ago #

That sounds delicious - I've been planning to make low-carb flan! 😊

Linda @ The Fitty (http://www.thefitty.com/) 4 years ago #

Can I get Sukrin Gold in Canada?

Martina @ KetoDiet 4 years ago #

I think you should be able to find it on Amazon (should be available at Amazon.ca) or get it directly from Sukrin's website.

Tina 4 years ago #

Can I use Xylitol instead?

Definitely - Xylitol will work too 😊

sophie 4 years ago #

Though it would alter the taste, could I use erythritol instead of sukrin gold?

Yes you can. The brown sugar substitute adds flavour and colour but you can try a teaspoon of blackstrap molasses + Erythritol for a similar effect.

Christian 4 years ago #

Could I use xanthan gum instead of glucomannan powder? And do you think it would be 1:1 ratio?

Hi Christian, yes, you can.

Megan Hullet 4 years ago #

This is delicious, it really tastes like caramel! I didn't use the same sweetener because I only had erythritol and a tablespoon of blackstrap molasses... it was perfect!

Thank you Megan, glad you liked it!

Vicky 4 years ago #

Wow, this took some serious creativity! I'm always impressed with recipes like this. They're the most labor intensive but result in the best food! Both you and Carolyn are awesome!!

Thank you Vicky! 😊