This vegan caramel sauce is silky, buttery, and perfectly pourable — made without cream or dairy. It’s the kind of sauce that makes everything taste better, from brownies to oats to your morning coffee.
Are you looking for more simple no-fuss vegan desserts? Check out my favs below:
With just a few ingredients and 15 minutes, you can create something that tastes like a fancy dessert topping from a café. Most caramel sauces are made with butter, cream, and sugar — ingredients that give them their rich, velvety texture and deep sweetness. If you don’t eat dairy, this vegan version is the perfect alternative; it delivers the same glossy, buttery flavour and smooth consistency using oat milk and vegan butter instead. You’d never guess it’s completely plant-based.
I love that it uses oat evaporated milk instead of cream, giving it that smooth, melt-in-your-mouth texture without any dairy. It’s buttery, slightly salty, and has just the right level of sweetness — the kind of sauce that makes a simple dessert feel special. You can reheat it over and over, and it never separates or turns grainy. It’s also endlessly versatile: drizzle it over oats, swirl through ice cream, or pour over pancakes for an indulgent brunch. Plus, it stores beautifully in the fridge, ready for spooning whenever the craving hits.
Main Ingredients & Why We Use Them
- Vegan Butter – The foundation for flavour and that luxurious glossy texture; choose Flora Plant or Naturli for the best taste.
- Oat Evaporated Milk – Replaces cream, keeping the sauce silky and rich while staying 100% vegan.
- White Sugar – Caramelises into that deep golden sweetness that defines a good caramel.
- Glucose Syrup or Golden Syrup – Keeps the sauce smooth and prevents crystallisation.
- Fine Salt – Enhances the buttery flavour and balances the sweetness.
- Flaky Sea Salt (optional) – A finishing sprinkle that transforms this into a salted caramel dream.
Caramel Sauce Ingredients
How to Make It
Melt vegan butter, sugar, syrup, and salt in a heavy pot over medium heat until the sugar dissolves and the mixture turns golden and bubbly. Slowly pour in the oat evaporated milk while whisking — it’ll sizzle a bit, but keep stirring until smooth and glossy. Once thickened slightly, remove from the heat, and you’re done! Pour it into a jar and let it cool; it’ll thicken as it stands.
Variations and Substitutes
If you prefer a darker, more complex flavour, swap white sugar for light brown sugar. For a coconut twist, use coconut evaporated milk instead of oat. You can also add a splash of vanilla extract or a pinch of cinnamon for warmth. If you want to make soft and fudgy caramels, keep cooking and find the rest of the recipe instructions here.
Equipment
You’ll need a medium saucepan, a whisk, and a heatproof jar for storing. A silicone spatula helps scrape down the sides to prevent burning. A candy thermometer isn’t essential here, but it’s helpful if you like precision.
How to Serve It
This sauce is amazing poured over vegan ice cream, drizzled onto brownies, pancakes, or even blended into coffee. It’s also perfect as a topping for my Vegan Caramel Loaded McFlurry or spooned onto warm baked oats for a decadent breakfast.
How to Store It
Store your vegan caramel sauce in a sealed glass jar in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. Reheat gently in the microwave or on the stove to bring it back to pourable perfection. It doesn’t freeze well — the texture can separate once thawed — but it stays smooth and glossy refrigerated.
How to Make It
Vegan Caramel Sauce
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.
Finish the sauce
- Once all the milk is added and the mixture is smooth, carefully ladle 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.)
