These chewy vegan soft caramels melt in your mouth with buttery, golden sweetness — and there’s a bonus: you can reserve some of the mixture to make your own rich vegan caramel sauce. It’s a two-in-one recipe that’s surprisingly simple, pantry-friendly, and perfect for gifting or drizzling over desserts.
Are you looking for more simple no-fuss vegan desserts? Check out my favs below:
Vegan caramels are one of those nostalgic treats that feel a little magical — warm, sticky, and comforting. This recipe captures all that buttery richness without a drop of dairy (and no coconut taste!). Instead of using coconut milk, I use oat evaporated milk which gives a smooth, creamy finish, while the vegan butter creates that classic caramel chew. You only need a handful of pantry staples, and there’s something incredibly satisfying about cooking sugar to perfection.
This makes a lot of caramels, so you can choose to reserve some of the liquid for a silky caramel sauce — ideal for spooning over ice cream or swirling through brownies. The caramels themselevs are also great for gifting because it sets beautifully and stays soft for days. Plus, everything is made with plant-based ingredients, so it’s completely vegan and naturally gluten-free.
Main Ingredients & Why We Use Them
- Vegan Butter – The rich, buttery base that gives these caramels their soft chew and classic flavour. Look for Flora Plant or Naturli.
- Evaporated Oat Milk – Adds creamy body and replaces dairy cream perfectly; it’s key to that smooth, luscious texture.
- White Sugar – Caramelises and provides structure and chew. Use regular granulated sugar for best results.
- Glucose Syrup or Golden Syrup – Prevents crystallisation and keeps the caramels soft rather than gritty.
- Fine Salt – Balances the sweetness and enhances flavour.
- Flaky Sea Salt – Sprinkled on top for contrast and that irresistible salted caramel edge.
Soft Caramels Ingredients
How to Make It
Start by lining your tin with parchment so you’re ready to pour as soon as the caramel hits temperature. Melt the butter, sugar, syrup, and salt together in a heavy-bottomed pot until the sugar dissolves, then slowly whisk in the evaporated oat milk a little at a time. This step helps prevent splitting. It should take around 20 minutes to pour in both cans of evaporated oat milk. Keep cooking rest until it hits 115°C — this is the “soft-ball stage” that gives chewy texture. Pour it into your pan, sprinkle with flaky salt, and let it set before slicing into squares and wrapping in baking paper.
Variations and Substitutes
You can swap oat evaporated milk for coconut evaporated milk for a slightly toasted flavour. For a darker caramel, use golden syrup instead of glucose. Want a little spice? Stir in a pinch of cinnamon or smoked salt before pouring into the tin.
Equipment
You’ll need a medium-sized heavy-bottomed pot, a whisk, a sugar thermometer, and a parchment-lined baking tin. A reliable thermometer is essential for hitting the right caramel stage. If you don’t have one, use the old-fashioned method — drop a little caramel into cold water and check if it forms a soft, pliable ball.
How to Serve It
Cut the caramels into small squares, wrap them in parchment, and store in a jar for gifting. If you make the caramel sauce, you can drizzle this over desserts like my Vegan Caramel Loaded McFlurry or spoon over brownies, pancakes, or oats for a sweet finish.
How to Store It
Keep the caramels at room temperature in an airtight container for up to two weeks. The sauce can be stored in a sealed jar in the fridge for up to 14 days — simply reheat gently before serving. These don’t freeze well, but they keep their texture beautifully when stored cool and dry.
How to Make It
Vegan Soft & Chewy Caramels
Ingredients
- 225 g vegan butter
- 710 mL oat evaporated milk 2 cans
- 4 cups 800 g white sugar
- 2 cups 480 mL glucose syrup or golden syrup
- 1 teaspoon fine salt
- Flaky sea salt for finishing
Instructions
Prepare pan
- Line a 9 × 13-inch baking dish with parchment paper.
Start the caramel base
- In a heavy-bottomed pot, combine vegan butter, sugar, syrup, and salt. Heat gently, stirring until the sugar dissolves, then bring to a steady bubble.
Add the milk gradually
- Slowly add the oat evaporated milk about ¼ cup at a time, stirring constantly. Each can should take ~10 minutes to incorporate. Continue until both cans are fully added.
Reserve for sauce (optional)
- If making caramel sauce do this step, otherwise skip. Once all the milk is added and the mixture is smooth, carefully ladle off about ⅓ of the liquid into a heatproof jar or container. This will stay pourable once cooled slightly and can be used as a rich vegan caramel sauce. (Rewarm gently if needed for drizzling.) I keep the temperature around 105°C / 221°F at this stage.
Cook to caramel stage
- Keep cooking the remaining mixture, stirring constantly, until it reaches 115°C / 235°F (soft-ball stage). Have the stove on high and bring to a boil – it will be really bubbly and you should notice it getting nice and thick. This will probably take an additional 8 minutes to reach this heat.
Set the caramels
- Pour the hot caramel into the prepared pan. Sprinkle with flaky sea salt. Let cool 2–3 hours until firm. You want to let them set enough so they are firm enough to cut but don't squish but not too firm that they are hard to cut through. Don't set in the fridge – leave out on the counter.
Finish
- Keep the baking paper underneath the caramel, otherwise the caramel will stick to the cutting board and it makes it difficult to remove. Slice them into squares and wrap in parchment. Store at room temperature for up to 2 weeks.
