This butterscotch sauce is silky smooth with a sweet, buttery taste! It’s a quick and easy homemade treat that elevates any ice cream, pie or dessert.

This sauce makes the best topping for homemade vanilla ice cream but is equally good drizzled on apple cobbler or bread pudding.

Butterscotch sauce and ice cream in a bowl.

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Key Takeaways: Homemade Butterscotch Sauce

  • Quick and easy: Ready in just 15 minutes with only 5 simple ingredients.
  • Rich butterscotch flavor: Dark brown sugar, butter and heavy cream create a smooth, buttery sauce with a deep caramel-like flavor.
  • Easy dessert topping: Delicious drizzled over ice cream, brownies, cakes, pies and more.
  • Make ahead: Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks, then gently reheat before serving.

Why I Love This Recipe

Homemade butterscotch sauce is so much better than store-bought and only takes 5 simple ingredients. It’s rich, creamy and perfectly sweet and salty with a deep caramel-like flavor.

I love drizzling it over no churn vanilla ice cream, but it’s delicious on just about any dessert. If you’re a fan of caramel sauce, you’ll love this too. The two are similar, but brown sugar gives butterscotch sauce its signature deeper, richer flavor.

XO - Jamielyn

Recipe Ingredients

Butterscotch ingredients on the counter.

Find the full printable recipe with specific measurements below.

  • Brown sugar: I used dark brown sugar for a more pronounced butterscotch flavor, but you can use light brown sugar.
  • Unsalted butter: If you use salted butter your sauce may be too salty. If you only have salted, just leave out the salt.
  • Heavy cream: Heavy whipping cream or heavy cream that has at least 35-36% fat.
  • Vanilla extract
  • Salt: Kosher salt balances the sweet sauce. Table salt or flaky sea salt can be used.

How to Make Homemade Butterscotch Sauce

Step 1:  In a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium heat then add brown sugar, heavy cream and salt. Bring to a light boil for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Showing how to make butterscotch by heating cream, butter and stirring in brown sugar.

Step 2: Reduce heat to medium-low and allow mixture to come to a boil, this will take about 5 minutes. If you would like to use a candy thermometer, cook sauce until it reaches 220°F. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.

Butterscotch sauce in a pot.

Recipe Tips

  • Prevent curdling: I like to use a heavy bottomed saucepan that distributes heat evenly.
  • Avoid overcooking the sauce: This will cause the sauce to get too thick. Avoid turning the heat too high or it will turn into toffee.
  • Type of milk: Double cream or table cream both work but do not use whole milk or half and half as the butterscotch recipe will not taste the same.
  • Add flaky salt: For a salted butterscotch sauce, sprinkle a little flaky sea salt over the top before serving. It adds a nice contrast to the rich, sweet flavor.

Favorite Ways to Serve

I love butterscotch topping on homemade vanilla ice cream but it’s equally as good on banana bars, apple cake or homemade brownies, too.

It’s the perfect addition to a classic banana split or drizzle it over pound cake or pumpkin cheesecake bars!

Homemade Butterscotch Sauce FAQs

What’s the difference between butterscotch and caramel sauce?

The main difference between butterscotch sauce and caramel is the type of sugar used in the recipe. Butterscotch is made with brown sugar while caramel is made with granulated white sugar and corn syrup.

Why is my butterscotch sauce runny?

Butterscotch sauce will thicken as it cools, so give it a few minutes before deciding it’s too thin. If it’s still runny, it may not have cooked long enough. Return it to the heat and gently simmer for another 1 to 2 minutes, stirring often, until it starts to thicken. Avoid adding extra cream, as that can make the sauce thinner.

Why won’t my homemade butterscotch sauce recipe thicken?

You must let the butter scotch boil for 3 minutes otherwise it will not thicken properly.

How to store and reheat butterscotch sauce?

Store in an airtight covered container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. Reheat in 10 second increments in the microwave or on the stove.

Spoonful of butterscotch sauce.

More homemade dessert toppings to try include homemade strawberry sauce and blueberry sauce.

More Dessert Sauce Recipes

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Butterscotch and ice cream in a bowl.

Easy Homemade Butterscotch Sauce

5 from 1 vote
Recipe by: Jamielyn Nye
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Cool Time:: 5 minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes
Servings: 16
This butterscotch sauce is silky smooth with a sweet, buttery taste! It's a quick and easy homemade treat that elevates any ice cream, pie or dessert.
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Ingredients 

  • 4 Tablespoons unsalted butter
  • ½ cup packed dark brown sugar
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ½ cup heavy cream
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

  • Melt butter with brown sugar: In a medium saucepan, melt the 4 Tablespoons butter over medium heat. Stir in the 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1/2 cup heavy cream and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Bring to a light boil, stirring occasionally. This will take about 3 minutes.
  • Cook the sauce: Reduce the heat to medium-low and allow it to come to a boil, stirring frequently. Be careful no to let it burn. This will take about 5 minutes. If you would like to use a candy thermometer, cook it until it reaches 220°F.
  • Stir in vanilla and cool: Remove from heat. Stir in 1 teaspoon vanilla. Cool for about 5 minutes, the transfer to a jar for serving.

Last step: Please leave a comment and rating after you make the recipe.

Notes

Not just for ice cream although it’s perfect for sundaes. Drizzle on apple cobbler, pound cake, bread pudding or cheesecake.
Add flaky salt: For a salted butterscotch sauce, sprinkle a little flaky sea salt over the top before serving. It adds a nice contrast to the rich, sweet flavor.
Storage: Store in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. Reheat in the microwave or on the stove.

Nutrition

Calories: 77kcal, Carbohydrates: 7g, Protein: 0.2g, Fat: 6g, Saturated Fat: 4g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 1g, Trans Fat: 0.1g, Cholesterol: 16mg, Sodium: 41mg, Potassium: 17mg, Sugar: 7g, Vitamin A: 197IU, Vitamin C: 0.04mg, Calcium: 12mg, Iron: 0.1mg

Nutrition provided is an estimate. It will vary based on specific ingredients used.