Nothing like store-bought caramel sauce, this sauce is decadently rich and faintly boozy. Keep it on hand in the fridge to serve over ice cream, apple pie, or your favorite baked dessert. Enjoy!

BOURBON CARAMEL SAUCE
Makes about 1 ½ - 2 cups

INGREDIENTS

1 cup granulated (white) sugar
1/4 cup water
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream, room temperature* (Add an extra ¼ cup for a lighter sauce.)
1/4 cup butter, room temperature*
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ cup bourbon
½ teaspoon fine sea salt

INSTRUCTIONS

Combine the sugar and water in a heavy-bottomed saucepan and stir to combine.
Turn the burner on to medium-high heat. Do not stir or touch the pan until the sugar has caramelized. As you watch carefully, the sugar mixture will go from being completely clear to a champagne color to a light golden color, and then to increasingly darker shades of amber. Once the sugar reaches a deep amber color (think the color of a copper penny), remove the saucepan from the heat and turn off the burner.
Immediately begin to pour the warm heavy cream slowly and carefully into the sugar mixture, whisking vigorously as you pour to incorporate the cream. (The mixture will bubble furiously when the cream hits the hot sugar, so be careful!) Add in the warm butter and whisk until combined and emulsified. Add the vanilla, bourbon, and sea salt, and continue to whisk vigorously until you have a smooth sauce.
Let the sauce cool until it reaches room temperature (it will thicken as it cools), then transfer the sauce to a sealed container and refrigerate for up to 2 weeks. Reheat the sauce in a microwave for a few seconds or in a saucepan stirring over medium low heat for a few minutes.

Serve spooned over ice cream or your favorite baked dessert.

*Feel free to heat the cream and butter up a bit in the microwave for a few seconds if you are in a hurry. Both ingredients must be at room temperature (or warmer). If cold, they will cause the caramelized sugars to seize and clump.

Adapted from: https://www.gimmesomeoven.com/bourbon-caramel-sauce/