Ridiculously Easy Homemade Butterscotch Syrup Recipe

Use only 5 ingredients to make homemade butterscotch syrup, perfect for adding to desserts and as a base for Harry Potter’s Butterbeer!

Over the past few years, I’ve made quite a few recipes based on the Harry Potter book series and movies. Butterbeer recipes will call for butterscotch syrup. The first time I tried to make one, I couldn’t find butterscotch syrup in our grocery store. So, I started searching online for a recipe to make some homemade butterscotch sauce. 

Making butterscotch syrup takes more time than buying it, but as with all recipes we make at home, it gives you control. You can choose the ingredients and how much you make. The most important thing to note when making your own is the time it takes. Preparing the syrup doesn’t take long, but you have to let it cool at room temperature for a few hours.

The first time I made butterscotch syrup, I didn’t wait for a long time. I missed that part of the instructions and didn’t plan ahead well. Because of this, I placed the syrup in the refrigerator to cool it quicker. Well, I can tell you that doesn’t work well. It left the syrup crumbly rather than smooth. 

When you are done, the butterscotch syrup should have the consistency of caramel syrup. Once it’s completely cooled to room temperature, you can place it in the refrigerator to store. Heat it in the microwave for about 10-20 seconds on 10% power to make it a smooth and creamy sauce again. 

​Butterscotch vs Caramel

While they are very similar, butterscotch and caramel sauce have one key difference: the type of sugar used. Traditional butterscotch is made with brown sugar and caramel is made with white sugar. The molasses in the brown sugar gives butterscotch a deep flavor. You can use light brown sugar, as we did, or dark brown sugar if you want an even deeper, more intense flavor. 

​Butterscotch Uses

​You can find a delicious recipe using butterscotch for almost any occasion. My favorite ways include putting it on vanilla ice cream and mixing it into our Butterbeer recipes. 

• Pour over vanilla or chocolate ice cream
• Add a spoonful to a cup of hot chocolate
• Drizzle over a slice of pound cake
• Use on banana splits
• Drizzle on fruit pies
• Make a butterscotch milkshake

Butterscotch Syrup Step by Step

Ingredients

• 4 tbsp butter (unsalted)
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 3/4 cup heavy whipping cream
• 1 tbsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp sea salt

When you make the butterscotch syrup, you want to have all of your ingredients measured and ready. You have to move fast at a few points in the cooking process and can’t take the time to gather anything. 

Preparation

In a medium saucepan over medium-low heat, melt the butter then add in the brown sugar. Stir just until the brown sugar is wet from the butter.

Let that cook for about 3-5 minutes, stirring occasionally until the mixture comes to a full boil and starts to look molten and the sugar dissolves.

Pour in the heavy cream and whisk to combine.

Raise it to medium heat and cook until the mixture reaches 225F on a candy thermometer which takes about 2-3 minutes. Whisk it occasionally to make sure nothing sticks to the bottom of the pan.

Turn off the heat and let the syrup rest for a few minutes to cool. Pour the syrup into a heat-resistant container.

 Add in the vanilla extract and a teaspoon of salt. 

Let it cool to room temperature. Store in the refrigerator and reheat in the microwave on low power for 10 seconds as needed.

Butterscotch Syrup Leftovers

Storage: Store extra butterscotch syrup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. We found a mason jar works well. 

Reheating: Reheat the sauce in a microwave on low power for 10-15 seconds at a time, stirring each time until smooth. 

Recipe

Butterscotch Syrup

Use only 5 ingredients to make homemade butterscotch syrup, perfect for adding to desserts and as a base for Harry Potter's Butterbeer!

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Cooling Time 3 hours hours

Total Time 3 hours hours 10 minutes minutes

Course:

Homemade Staple

Cuisine:

American

Diet

Vegetarian

Keyword:

brown sugar

|

butterscotch

Dietary Needs:

Egg-Free

|

Gluten-Free

|

Nut-Free

Servings: 1 cup

4.63 from 8 votes

Ingredients

• 4 tbsp butter (unsalted)
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 3/4 cup heavy whipping cream
• 1 tbsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp sea salt

Recommended Equipment

• Saucepan – Medium
• Candy Thermometer
• Whisk – Nylon
• Mason Jars – 16oz

Instructions

• Have all ingredients measured and ready for butterscotch
• In a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium-low heat
• Add in brown sugar and stir until wet from butter
• Stir occasionally until the mixture looks molten, about 3-5 minutes
• Turn the heat to low and add the cream, whisking to combine
• Turn heat up to medium and cook until it reaches 225F on a candy thermometer, about 2-3 minutes, whisking occasionally
• Turn off the heat and let the syrup rest for a few minutes
• Transfer to a heat-resistant container and add the vanilla and salt
• Let the syrup cool to room temperature (anywhere from 1-3 hours)
• Store in an airtight glass jar in the refrigerator for up to one month
• To use, microwave on low power for 10 seconds

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Nutrition Facts

Butterscotch Syrup

Amount Per Serving (1 tbsp)

Calories 118 Calories from Fat 63

% Daily Value*

Fat 7g11%

Saturated Fat 4g20%

Trans Fat 0.1g

Polyunsaturated Fat 0.3g

Monounsaturated Fat 2g

Cholesterol 20mg7%

Sodium 175mg7%

Potassium 31mg1%

Carbohydrates 14g5%

Sugar 14g16%

Protein 0.4g1%

Vitamin A 251IU5%

Vitamin C 0.1mg0%

Calcium 20mg2%

Iron 0.1mg1%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

All nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered estimates. Actual nutrition content will vary based on brands used, measuring methods, portion sizes, and more.

Recipes that use Butterscotch

• Butterscotch Syrup
• Sweet and Creamy Butterbeer Ice Cream
• Butterbeer: A Harry Potter Party Essential
• Better-Than-Sex Cake or Chocolate Caramel Poke Cake

More Homemade Dessert Staples

• Homemade Hot Fudge Sauce Recipe
• Homemade Custard Cream or Pastry Cream
• How to Make Perfect Cream Cheese Frosting
• Butterscotch Syrup
• 3-Ingredient Whipped Topping from Scratch