Top 31 Best Caramel Desserts

My guide for the best caramel desserts includes a tasty assortment of both lighter caramel baking recipes and more indulgent recipes that use caramel sauce. I chose these desserts with caramel because of their step-by-step instructions and easy-to-find ingredients, as well as their beautiful photos and creative approaches. 

Jump to:

• Best Caramel Desserts
• 1. Homemade Caramel Filling 
• 2. Chocolate Caramel Cupcakes 
• 3. Caramelized Banana Upside Down Cake
• 4. Coffee Caramel Ice Cream Bar
• 5. Pecan Upside Down Cake
• 6. French Creme Caramel
• 7. Salted Caramel Apple Pie
• 8. Salted Caramel Chocolate Chip Cookies
• 9. Brown Sugar Chai Pound Cake with Salted Caramel Glaze
• 10. Caramel Popcorn Cupcakes
• 11. Turtle Cheesecake
• 12. Caramel Pudding with Cookie Butter Whipped Cream
• 13. Caramel Apple Crisp
• 14. No Churn Salted Caramel Swirl Ice Cream
• 15. Salted Caramel Creme Brulee
• 16. Easy Salted Caramel Cheesecake
• 17. Espresso Oatmeal Carmelita Bars
• 18. Golden Key Caramel Cake
• 19. Caramel Apple Empanadas
• 20. Gooey Caramel Monkey Bread
• 21. Chocolate Caramel Tart
• 22. Brioche Bread Pudding with Salted Caramel Sauce
• 23. Caramel Brownies
• 24. White Chocolate and Caramel Blondies
• 25. Pecan Sticky Buns
• 26. Millionaire Shortbread Bars
• 27. Caramel Apple Fudge
• 28. Soft Caramel Snickerdoodles
• 29. Salted Caramel Crunch Sugar Cookies
• 30. Chocolate Caramel Pecan Turtles
• 31. Bananas Foster Pull Apart Bread
• Caramel Desserts FAQs
• Related Caramel Dessert Recipes
• Top 31 Best Caramel Desserts

One of the best things about this list is that it’s filled with caramel dessert recipes easy enough to recreate in your own kitchen, even if you’re a total baking beginner. You’ll find a variety of easy caramel desserts that can double as breakfast items as well as a handful of no bake caramel desserts that are quick enough to whip up whenever the craving strikes.

Read on to discover your new favorite caramel treats inside the ultimate guide for the best easy desserts with caramel. 

Best Caramel Desserts

1. Homemade Caramel Filling 

Everything tastes better when it’s homemade, and this caramel filling is no exception. Make your own caramel sauce in only 10 minutes with just 4 simple ingredients. This is one of the easiest caramel desserts you’ll ever make. Use this caramel sauce dessert for everything from filling cupcakes and cakes to drizzling over your ice cream. It´s also one of the best cake fillings.

2. Chocolate Caramel Cupcakes 

Chocolate and caramel always make a lovely pairing, and their true compatibility is on full display in this recipe. Filled with a buttery, homemade caramel filling and topped with a light and satisfying caramel mascarpone frosting, these tender chocolate cupcakes are just as elegant as they are indulgent.

Check out also some of our favorite cupcake recipes.

3. Caramelized Banana Upside Down Cake

This wonderful vanilla cake gets help from the yogurt in the batter to give it a delightfully moist texture throughout. The topping is a wonderfully sweet layer of bananas and sugar that caramelizes in the oven. 

Finally, you can choose to pour a lovely brown sugar syrup over the cake after baking to complement the flavors and make this incredible cake taste even more decadent.

4. Coffee Caramel Ice Cream Bar

Get ready to meet your new favorite frozen treat! The ice cream for this dessert comes together in just 10 minutes, all without the need for an ice cream maker. Still, it's an absolutely delicious base that's made even better when mixed with coffee and condensed milk, then after freezing, dipped in a quick-setting caramelized white chocolate coating.

5. Pecan Upside Down Cake

This exceptional Pecan Upside Down Cake is a perfect dessert; the excellent harmony of moist yogurt cake as the base and caramelized pecan topping! The cake can be made in any pan you have, even in a Bundt pan to turn it into a festive Pecan Upside Down Bundt cake for Thanksgiving!

6. French Creme Caramel

This caramel custard is a classic dessert that also goes by the name of “flan.” This super simple yet perfectly silky version of the dessert comes together in no time. Making things even easier, you can even mix the creme caramel recipe with the help of your blender. 

7. Salted Caramel Apple Pie

Caramel and apple are two flavors that were made for each other, and that’s very evident in this delicious pie recipe. Let this tasty dessert brighten up your holiday season with its warm Fall spices and classic fruity flavor. The addition of caramel only enhances this traditional apple pie recipe, making it a simple caramel dessert that you won’t want to miss out on. 

8. Salted Caramel Chocolate Chip Cookies

Adding salted caramel to chocolate chip cookies is the simplest way to improve upon something that is already perfect. The blend of flavors in these gooey, chewy cookies offers an unrivaled richness in every bite. 

Additionally, the addition of lightly ground oats differentiates this recipe from a standard cookie, adding a satisfying texture while keeping the dough soft and lovely.

9. Brown Sugar Chai Pound Cake with Salted Caramel Glaze

You'll meet a wonderful combination of spicy and sweet in every bite of this abundantly flavorful caramel bundt cake. Between the rich brown sugar, the gingery black tea and the sweet caramel glaze, this Fall cake is simply a delight. 

Additionally, to keep it moist and tasting perfect on the inside, this recipe uniquely adds buttermilk to the batter for an even richer experience.

10. Caramel Popcorn Cupcakes

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/845973111269005047/

These incredible cupcakes include one of the most unique inclusions of caramel popcorn that you’ll ever see. Not only is each cupcake topped with crunchy pieces of the sweet and salty snack, but ground pieces of popcorn are actually mixed right into the batter. Finally, each cupcake comes topped with a generous swirl of caramel buttercream to round out the ultimate caramel popcorn dessert experience.

11. Turtle Cheesecake

Chocolate and caramel is an amazing flavor pairing made better by the additon of buttery, crunchy pecans. It's no surprise that turtle desserts are absolutely beloved by sweets lovers; the flavors complement each other incredibly well, and when that combination is brought to a creamy cheesecake, it also causes an explosion of complementary textures.

This cheesecake is made with a rich Oreo cookie crust to add a fun crunch and sweetness to the base of this caramel dessert.

12. Caramel Pudding with Cookie Butter Whipped Cream

Caramel pudding is a refined dessert option that’s perfect for any occasion. It’s full of flavor and is elevated by a spiced cookie butter whipped cream. Topped with crumbled cookies for a bit of added crunch, this is a great make-ahead dessert that can be ready straight from the fridge whenever the time is right. 

Check out some of our favorite Biscoff recipes as well.

13. Caramel Apple Crisp

This apple crisp recipe has a golden oat-streusel topping that pairs wonderfully with its soft apples. Additionally, this recipe includes caramel in the mix for an extra sweet comforting taste that’s perfect for Fall. You’ll love how quickly this caramel dessert comes together and creates the perfect base for topping with a generous scoop of vanilla ice cream. 

14. No Churn Salted Caramel Swirl Ice Cream

This caramel swirled no churn ice cream couldn’t be more simple. With this recipe, there are no eggs or tempering required, but instead, just a few simple ingredients whipped up and frozen. This soft ice cream only needs four easy ingredients to create the perfect dessert.

15. Salted Caramel Creme Brulee

Creme Brulee is a fancy restaurant menu item that’s easier than you might think to recreate at home. This caramel flavored take on the classic is silky smooth and loaded with sweet caramel flavor. And of course, this dessert includes the classic torched sugar layer that makes the perfect crackle when you dig in.

16. Easy Salted Caramel Cheesecake

Just like with any of the salted caramel desserts out there, there’s no shortage of flavor in this amazing caramel cheesecake. Not only is caramel sauce its topping, but it’s also a thoughtful addition throughout the cake. A layer of the good stuff is even baked between the crust and cheesecake itself, providing double layers of caramel in each bite. 

Finally, to enhance the caramelized flavors, crunchy toffee pieces are sprinkled over the top layer of caramel that covers the cheesecake for an even deeper flavor. 

17. Espresso Oatmeal Carmelita Bars

These bars have so many delicious flavors happening all at once. From their chocolate espresso oat base to the layers of chocolate chips and drizzled caramel, these rich yet simple bars are an indulgent treat that can knock out several flavor cravings at once. And they whip up in just over an hour!

18. Golden Key Caramel Cake

This beautiful caramel cake is perfect treat for special occasions. Dulce de leche provides a sweet caramelized flavor in both the cake itself and its filling. Additionally, a whipped caramel mascarpone frosting covers the cake and is sprinkled with chopped nuts for both a gorgeous finish and a satisfying crunch.

19. Caramel Apple Empanadas

If you enjoy the flavor of caramel apples, you’ll love these empanadas. They’re flaky, delicious, and made in the air fryer for a quick and delicious portable dessert. Each bite is filled with tasty chunks of spiced apple pie filling and ooey gooey caramel. 

20. Gooey Caramel Monkey Bread

Monkey bread is an indulgent treat that covers small balls of soft dough in a luscious, gooey caramel sauce. As the dough bakes up, it expands and also sticks together to make a pull-apart bread that’s soft, fluffy and perfect for sharing with friends.

21. Chocolate Caramel Tart

These mini caramel chocolate tarts are a sophisticated, individually portioned treat. A decadent chocolate crust holds a soft caramel and chocolate ganache filling in this delectable dessert. They’re perfect for parties and can alternatively be made into a large 9-inch tart when the occasion is right. 

22. Brioche Bread Pudding with Salted Caramel Sauce

Brioche is a naturally rich and sweet, buttery bread that makes amazing bread pudding. When you add creamy caramel to the mix, this comfort food dessert gets even better. This is one of the best recipes using caramel sauce and it puts an excellent twist on classic bread pudding. 

This version has even more complex flavors that elevate the entire dish. 

23. Caramel Brownies

These salted caramel brownies are a super indulgent dessert that you won’t want to put down. Extra fudgy brownies surround a middle layer of caramel for a decadent treat that’s guaranteed to satisfy your sweet tooth. To keep these brownies from tasting overly sweet, you can add a flaky salt, which balances the sugary caramel and also enhances the chocolate flavors in this recipe. 

24. White Chocolate and Caramel Blondies

White chocolate and caramel are a perfect match in these blondies. The sweet white chocolate pairs with the deep caramel tones for an ultra-rich and ultra-delicious treat. When looking for recipes that use caramel sauce, this one is sure to be a hit. Not only are they swirled with caramel sauce, but you can also choose styling the blondies with a drizzle them too.

25. Pecan Sticky Buns

Sticky buns are an absolute must for caramel lovers. Every bite is full of rich, gooey caramel and light, fluffy cinnamon bread rolls. Sticky buns are one of the caramel baking recipes that always pleases a crowd and you save this recipe to easily pull together on holidays or birthdays to make special occasions even more special. 

26. Millionaire Shortbread Bars

These layered shortbread bars are popular caramel Christmas desserts, and for good reason. Each part of these bars has its own particularly tasty qualities that are heightened when combined for the perfect bite. From the buttery shortbread crust to the sweet, creamy caramel and the rich chocolate layer, these millionaire shortbread bars are one of the best dessert recipes with caramel that should be a go-to for parties.

27. Caramel Apple Fudge

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/282249101637391931/

This caramel treat is a unique alternative to traditional chocolate fudge and gives all the flavors of apple cider with swirls of caramel throughout. Additionally, the combination of sweet and tart flavors makes these quick caramel desserts a fun Fall treat that all ages can enjoy. 

28. Soft Caramel Snickerdoodles

This recipe takes the classic cinnamon sugar flavors of snickerdoodles to the next level. Soft caramels fill the inside of these chewy cookies, granting whoever bites in a particularly decadent surprise. This rich tasting treat is perfect for those who want to try a new twist on a traditional recipe. 

29. Salted Caramel Crunch Sugar Cookies

Nothing complements caramel quite like flaky sea salt. This dessert melds together those sweet and salty flavors for a soft and chewy cookie. Toffee is used alongside caramel for both a complementary flavor and a delicious crunch. These cookies make for a quick caramel dessert that doesn’t take a lot of time to whip up as a weekday treat.

30. Chocolate Caramel Pecan Turtles

Chocolate turtles are a sweet candy treat that is so simple to make at home. With just a few ingredients, you can make your own easy caramel that complements the flavors of the pecans and the chocolate. Taking only about 20 minutes to make, these candies also serve as the perfect homemade gift for loved ones.

31. Bananas Foster Pull Apart Bread

This fluffy cinnamon bread has all the flavor of Bananas Foster, just without the flambé. This dessert is made completely from scratch, which makes for an amazingly fresh taste throughout. As an added bonus, both mashed and sliced bananas give this tender bread its bold banana flavor. 

Caramel Desserts FAQs

Related Caramel Dessert Recipes