This Vegan Caramel Sauce has just three ingredients: tahini, maple syrup, and (vegan) butter. It comes together in about five minutes, and candy thermometers are not required! This tahini caramel sauce is perfect for drizzling all over your favorite sweet treats.
*This post was originally published on 10/11/18. I am republishing it with a few new photos and new information.
This Easy Vegan Caramel Sauce isn’t a traditional caramel, but it tastes amazing, and you’ll want to put it on everything. This vegan caramel uses tahini, maple syrup, and butter. It comes together quickly and goes great on anything you add regular caramel sauce to. If you love tahini, you’ve got to try this sauce!
Why You’ll Love This Vegan Caramel Sauce!
- It’s made with tahini – Enough said! But really, if you love adding a drizzle of tahini to everything, this delicious vegan caramel sauce is for you.
- It’s easy to make – Regular caramel isn’t the easiest thing to make. It falls in the realm of candy and thermometers and stresses me out. With this recipe, all you have to do is put the ingredients into a pot and cook until butter is melted.
- It has great flavor – Not only is the texture very close to regular caramel, the taste is, too. It’s sweet, buttery, and a little nutty from the tahini. The addition of tahini makes this caramel sauce a little more versatile and it’s great on roasted sweet potatoes.
Easy Vegan Caramel Sauce Recipe Ingredients
- Tahini – Different brands of tahini have different tastes. I’ve tried some that were pretty bitter, so give your tahini a taste before using it just to make sure you enjoy the taste. I buy the Mighty Sesame Co. Tahini at Walmart, and I really like its texture and milder flavor. Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods also have good ones.
- Vegan Butter – I usually make this caramel with the Earth Balance pictured above. I’m sure it would work well with other vegan butter brands, but please let me know if you use one that doesn’t!
- Maple Syrup – For this recipe, you want to use 100-percent pure maple syrup, not pancake syrup. I haven’t used honey before, but it would probably work similarly to maple syrup.
How To Make The Easiest Vegan Caramel Sauce
- Add the tahini, maple syrup, and vegan butter to a small saucepan. Place over low heat and mix until the butter has completely melted and a sauce has formed.
- Mix frequently and let the caramel sauce cook for another minute or so. There’s no need to bring it to a simmer or boil; you just want everything to be completely combined.
- If you want to add sea salt, now is the best time to do that. The caramel sauce can be used at this point, but it’s a little thin when it’s warm. I like to put the lid on and let the sauce cool for about 10-15 minutes. As it cools, it will thicken in texture.
- The tahini caramel sauce will last the longest if stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container. It will thicken more if chilled, so you may just want to reheat it in the microwave or leave it at room temperature for a little bit before using. It can also be stored at room temperature in an airtight container.
Vegan Caramel Recipe Frequently Asked Questions
- Is this recipe gluten-free? Yes.
- Can this recipe be made with regular butter? I haven’t tried it with regular butter yet, but I imagine it would still work great.
- Can this caramel sauce be frozen? Yes, you can freeze it in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw it at room temperature, then place it in a saucepan and cook until heated through. That will help with any separation problems it may have.
- How long will this sauce last? If stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container, it should last for a couple of weeks. You should be able to visibly notice any mold that appears and get rid of it if that happens.
- What should this caramel be used on? You can enjoy it on anything you would regular caramel sauce. It can also be used on dishes that are a little more savory, like these roasted sweet potatoes.
Have a question I didn’t answer? Ask me in the comment section below, and I will get back to you ASAP.
Looking For More Delicious Tahini Recipes?
Black Bean Wraps with Chipotle Tahini Sauce
Creamy Tahini Greek Pasta Salad
Easy Vegan Caramel Sauce with Tahini and Maple Syrup
- Total Time: 12 minutes
- Yield: 1 cup 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Description
This Vegan Caramel Sauce is made with just three ingredients: tahini, maple syrup and (vegan) butter! It comes together in just about 5 minutes and there’s no candy thermometers required! This tahini caramel sauce is perfect for drizzling all over your favorite sweet treats!
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup pure maple syrup
- 6 tablespoons tahini
- 6 tablespoons vegan butter, I like to use the soy free Earth Balance one
- Flaky sea salt, optional
Instructions
- To a small saucepan, add the tahini, maple syrup and vegan butter. Place over low heat and mix until butter has completely melted and a sauce has formed.
- Mix frequently and let caramel sauce cook another minute or so, there’s no need to bring it to a simmer or boil, you just want everything to be completely combined.
- If you want to add sea salt, now is the best time to do that. The caramel sauce can be used at this point but it is a little thin when it is warm. I like to put the lid on and let the sauce cool for about 10-15 minutes. As it cools, it will thicken in texture.
- The tahini caramel sauce will last for the longest amount of time if stored in the refrigerator, in an airtight container. It will thicken more if chilled, so you may just want to re-heat in the microwave or leave at room temperature for a little bit before using. It can also be stored, in an airtight container, at room temperature as well.
Notes
Recipe makes about 1 cup of caramel sauce
- Prep Time: 5 mins
- Cook Time: 7 mins
- Category: Dessert, Condiment
- Method: stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Excited to try this recipe. Can cacao butter be replaced for the vegan butter?
I haven’t done that myself so I can’t say for sure but I think it would work!
N.L – Cacao butter is not like vegan butter at all. I’d say no to using it but am wondering if you tried it? And did it work? 🙂
Can you use regular butter?
Yes!
Great idea! I keep making recipes with a similar vegan caramel sauce – only I use almond butter with maple syrup. Adding the sea salt in to get that sweet & salty combo is the best!
That sounds delicious too!!
It’s a Weck jar, I’ve seen them at Cost Plus/ World Market in the US
Yes!
Looks delicious especially drizzed on sweet potatoes. Love the little glass jar too! Is it available on Amazon? I’m a glass jar freak and have way too many of them. Always on the lookout for more. Thanks!