Rich, Easy & Amazing Southern Pecan Caramel Sauce

Desserts are always a treat to end a meal, whether they’re fancy or a simple crumble. This Southern Pecan Caramel Sauce looks elegant spooned over ice cream, but it’s an easy dessert to make. Pecans, bourbon and caramel are a great match, and the sauce dresses up almost any fall dessert.

Southern Pecan Caramel Sauce

You’ll need: pecans, sugar, light corn syrup, bourbon, heavy cream, and fine sea salt or kosher salt.

Makes: 12 servings · Time: about 20 minutes

Get the full recipe and method from Garlic & Zest →

Thanks to Lisa Lotts of Garlic & Zest for this recipe and the featured photo. On her site it’s now called Bourbon Caramel Sauce with Pecans.

Good to know

• It’s quick. At about 20 minutes, it’s one of the fastest homemade dessert sauces you can make.
• The bourbon. If you’d rather not use alcohol, many cooks swap in a little vanilla extract. The flavor is softer, but still lovely.
• Out of heavy cream? Check our heavy cream substitute guide before you start, because a caramel sauce needs a rich cream to stay smooth.
• Storing it: keep it covered in the fridge. It thickens when cold, so warm it gently before serving.

What to pour it over

Vanilla ice cream is the classic. It’s also great on fall desserts like caramel apple dump cake, pumpkin pecan cobbler and butter pecan cookies. And if you love pecans at Thanksgiving, try our pecan pie bark.