Can I make this recipe ahead of time?

Yes, most components of this recipe can be prepared ahead. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat gently before serving for best results.

How should I store leftovers?

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. For longer storage, freeze in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.

Can I substitute ingredients in this recipe?

Absolutely. This recipe is flexible and works well with substitutions. Swap proteins, vegetables, or seasonings based on your dietary needs or what you have on hand.

Fruit Juice Caramel Sauce

Name: Fruit Juice Caramel Sauce
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 35 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 4 cups freshly pressed apple juice (see note); 2 tablespoons coconut oil or grass-fed butter; small pinch of salt (adjust to taste)

This post is brought to you by my new friend Lauren from Empowered Sustenance. She reached out to me via email and said she had a recipe I would love to have on my site. Well she was right. But I would love more for her to make it for me, so I could just be a fat kid and enjoy. I hope you enjoy and please come leave a comment with your results as I have not tested this yet. This recipe was adapted from the lovely Lauren over at Oatmeal With a Fork. Her recipe can be found HERE.

Caramel–real caramel, and not a jar of plastic-y corn syrup–is perhaps the most luxurious dessert sauce. The simple term “homemade caramel sauce” seems to stimulate tastebuds into a salivating frenzy. In the same way, the words Salted Caramel Sauce should be handled with extreme care because it has been know to produce uncontrollable activation of salivary glands.

Conventional caramel sauce relies on a base of cooked sugar and heavy cream. This simple recipe uses reduced fruit juice and either coconut oil or butter for a luscious and creamy texture. When made with coconut oil, this sauce is dairy free. Additionally, this recipe fits into the GAPS, SCD and Paleo/Primal diets!

How to Use Fruit Juice Caramel Sauce if any actually survives until dessert time, enjoy this caramel sauce:

Drizzled over fresh fruit
Poured over ice cream
Stirred into a latte or tea
By the spoonful!

Call this sauce what you will, be it Homemade Caramel, Salted Caramel, Fruit Juice Caramel or even Homemade Salted Fruit Juice Caramel Sauce. Just stand out of the way to avoid the ensuing salivary waterworks.

George Bryant

Fruit Juice Caramel Sauce

4 from 6 votes

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Prep Time 5

Cook Time 30

Total Time 35

Servings: 4

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

4 cups freshly pressed apple juice see note
2 tablespoons coconut oil or grass-fed butter
small pinch of salt adjust to taste

Method

Simmer the apple juice in a sauce pan until the consistency of runny honey, about 30 minutes.
You should have about 1/2 to 2/3 cup reduced juice.
You can let the juice simmer unattended for about 20-25 minutes.
When the mixture begins to thicken, keep an eye on the pot to make sure it doesn't burn (it goes from thickened to burned very quickly).
Let cool slightly, then stir in the coconut oil or butter.
Stir until emulsified.
Add a small pinch of salt. Use immediately, or refrigerate.
The sauce will harden slightly in the fridge, so soften it over a pan of hot water before serving.

Notes

I recommend using fresh juice instead of store bought juice, which is pasteurized and may contain sweeteners, preservatives and mold. You can see a video of how to press fresh apple juice HERE. If you don’t have a juicer, Trader Joe’s carries an organic, unfiltered apple juice with no added sugar or sweetener. Apple juice creates the traditional caramel sauce color, but feel free to experiment with other sweet fruit juices. Half apple juice and half pineapple juice tastes delicious, for example. Makes about 1/2 Cup

Lauren is the 19-year-old real food blogger at EmpoweredSustenance. After struggling with ulcerative colitis for five years, she decided to dive head first into healing her body with nutrition and a holistic lifestyle. She loves sharing her creative Paleo, SCD and GAPS-friendly recipes and healing tools with others. She also offers a free, retro-inspired Grain Free Holiday Feast e-cookbook on her blog. You can follow her on Facebook HERE or Pinterest HERE.

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