This dark chocolate caramel recipe is an easy recipe loaded with deliciously sweet flavors. Homemade, bite-sized caramels are covered in a dark chocolate candy coating and decorated with festive sprinkles for a holly jolly treat.
Caramel is a classic flavor that’s perfect for any time of year, especially the holidays. When Christmas rolls around, I love making treats like my signature homemade caramel, cashew caramel corn, and apple pecan bites with caramel sauce.
Now, I’ve added a new caramel creation to my holiday recipe box. This dark chocolate caramel combines classic homemade caramel with a dark chocolate coating that is simply irresistible. Like my pecan caramel, it’s a tasty twist on a classic that remains true to the original.
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Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Limited Ingredients: It only takes a handful of simple ingredients to make this recipe.
- Surprisingly Easy: Many people think making homemade caramel is difficult, but it’s actually very simple.
- Classic, Sweet Flavor: These bites are loaded with sweet, chewy caramel flavor and texture, along with a rich, dark chocolate accent.
- Perfect for the Holidays: Decorate the bites with festive sprinkles for the perfect holiday treat.
- Great for Make Ahead: These are freezer-friendly, so you can make extra for future events or just snacking!
Key Ingredients
You’ll find a full list of ingredients and their exact amounts in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
- Light Brown Sugar and Light Corn Syrup: A combination of light brown sugar and light corn syrup creates a rich, sweet flavor and a soft, chewy texture.
- Sweetened Condensed Milk: Sweetened condensed milk adds richness, sweetness, and improves the texture of the caramel.
- Dark Chocolate Candy Coating: Dark chocolate melting candy creates a beautiful exterior, a slight crunch when you bite into the candies, and a deep chocolate note.
Variations
- Dark Chocolate Candy: You can use any dark melting chocolate or candy you prefer.
- Dark Chocolate: Use a mix of dark chocolate and coconut oil if you prefer using real chocolate.
- Sprinkles: Use different sprinkles to make treats suitable for any holiday or special occasion.
How to Make Dark Chocolate Caramel
1: Melt the butter in a heavy-bottomed pan. Then, add the brown sugar and salt and stir.
2: Slowly add the corn syrup, stirring constantly, followed by the condensed milk.
3: Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture begins to boil and reaches the “soft ball” stage.
4: Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla. Then, pour the caramel into a 13×9 glass baking dish lined with parchment paper.
5: Cool completely. Then, remove the caramel and cut it into 1-inch cubes.
6: Heat the dark chocolate according to the package directions.
7: Dip each caramel into the chocolate, placing them on wax or parchment paper as you go.
8: Add holiday sprinkles while the chocolate is still wet. Place individual caramels in candy wrappers, or place them in single layers divided by parchment paper in an airtight container.
Expert Tips
- It takes between 16 and 18 minutes to reach the “soft ball” stage on low heat. However, I highly recommend using a candy thermometer to ensure the candy reaches 230°F.
- To ensure you don’t cook the caramel past the “soft ball” stage, drop a little bit of caramel into a glass of cold water once it reaches 220°F. It should feel soft, but somewhat firm between your fingers. Repeat until you reach the required temperature and texture.
- DO NOT let your caramel reach 240°F or higher. Otherwise, it will be too hard.
- Your caramel should be fully cooled before coating it in chocolate. This ensures a nice, even coating that sets up well.
Dark Chocolate Caramel FAQs
Dark chocolate caramel is a sweet treat made with homemade caramel squares that are dipped in dark chocolate.
Caramel is ready when it reaches 230°F. It reaches the “soft ball” stage at that temperature, resulting in the classic soft, slightly firm texture.
When used in caramel, sweetened condensed milk adds more richness, and a deeper caramel flavor with a dulce de leche-like note.
“Soft ball” is the stage at which the caramel forms a soft ball when a bit of it is dropped into cold water. At that point, the caramel should be soft, but somewhat firm.
More Fun Candy Recipes
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Dark Chocolate Caramel
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter
- 16 ounce box light brown sugar
- Dash of salt
- 1 cup light corn syrup
- 14 ounce sweetened condensed milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 16 ounce H‑E‑B Dark Chocolate Candy Coating, or melting chocolate of your choice (might need 2)
- Festive holiday sprinkles
Instructions
- In a heavy bottom pan, melt butter over low heat.
- Once butter is melted, add brown sugar and a dash of salt. Stir thoroughly.
- Next, add corn syrup and continue to stir.
- Slowly add condensed milk, stirring constantly.
- Cook over low heat and continue stirring constantly.
- Once the caramel starts to boil, continue cooking until the caramel reaches 230° and then start to test for “soft ball stage.” This takes approximately 16-18 minutes to get to this point, all the while stirring constantly.
- If you are unsure what “soft ball stage” means, get a small bowl of cold water and once the temperature reaches 220° drop a little caramel into the cold water and see if it feels soft, but somewhat firm between your fingers. This might need to be done a few times to get to the right temperature for the caramel. If it is too soft and doesn’t form somewhat of a ball, continue cooking a little bit longer, stirring constantly. Keep testing for the firmness with the “soft ball stage” method. Once the caramel reaches the desired texture and temperature, remove from heat. Make sure the caramel’s temperature does not reach beyond 240° because then your caramel will be too hard.
- Once removed from heat, add vanilla and stir.
- Pour caramel into a 9 x 13 glass baking dish lined with parchment paper or generously buttered.
- Once cooled, remove the caramel from the baking dish and place caramel on the counter with the parchment paper. Cut into approximately 1-inch pieces.
- Heat the dark chocolate candy coating according to package directions.
- Drip each piece of caramel into the melted chocolate and place on parchment paper. While the chocolate is still wet, sprinkle with holiday sprinkles, and let cool.
- Place the caramels individually in candy wrappers or place chocolate covered caramel in a container with wax paper between the layers.
Notes
- It takes between 16 and 18 minutes to reach the “soft ball” stage. However, I highly recommend using a candy thermometer to ensure the candy reaches 230°F.
- To ensure you don’t cook the caramel past the “soft ball” stage, drop a little bit of caramel into a glass of cold water once it reaches 220°F. It should feel soft, but somewhat firm between your fingers. Repeat until you reach the required temperature and texture.
- DO NOT let your caramel reach 240°F or higher. Otherwise, it will be too hard.
- Your caramel should be fully cooled before coating it in chocolate. This ensures a nice, even coating that sets up well.
Nutrition
These caramels look so delicious! We love all chocolate, would definitely be tryin these!