These Homemade Rum Caramels are soft, chewy, and deliciously creamy with a hint of rum flavoring. Best of all, they’re individually wrapped and perfect for holiday gifting!

One of my favorite memories from childhood is of grocery shopping with my mom. It was something we did with her often, and something we actually looked forward to. Not because of the shopping, per se, but because of the constant hope we had that she would let us stop at the Brach’s Pick-a-Mix station.

If you don’t know what Pick-a-Mix is, it’s basically a candy station that used to be set up right in the middle of grocery stores. There were bins of all different kinds of candies, from peppermints to butterscotch discs to nougats and more, and you could either pay for a sample or buy it by the pound. And you could pick whichever kinds you liked!

My personal favorite was always the Butter Rum flavored Royals, which were deliciously soft, chewy caramels flavored like buttered rum. They were SO GOOD… I still dream about them to this day! Which is exactly why I knew I needed to recreate them.

And so… after trying 3 different recipes, 2 different candy thermometers, 4 different pans, and about 18 different ways of staying calm, I’m happy to report SUCCESS. These homemade rum caramels turned out soft and chewy and amazingly delicious…..just the way I remember them.

Homemade Rum Caramels - Lemon Tree Dwelling

what you’ll need for this recipe

Sugar – As with all caramel recipes, sugar is the main ingredient in these rum caramels. I used a combination of 2 cups granulated + 1 cup packed brown sugar. Although some recipes call for only granulated sugar, I prefer using both for more depth of flavor.

Butter – The second key ingredient in caramel is butter. I used 2 sticks of salted butter in this recipe.

Milk – I also added 1 cup of milk. For the creamiest caramels I would recommend whole milk, but 2% would also work.

Heavy whipping cream – In addition to the milk I added 1 cup of heavy whipping cream, which gives these caramels a rich, velvety texture.

Corn syrup – I used 1 cup of corn syrup, which helps keep the sugar from crystalizing and creating a grainy texture.

Rum extract – Finally, 1 teaspoon of rum extract gives these caramels just the right amount of butter rum flavor! I would not recommend substituting real rum for the rum extract in this recipe.

how to make rum caramels

Prepare a 9×13 inch pan. Line a 9×13 inch pan with foil, then butter it and set aside.

Combine sugars, butter, milk, heavy cream, and corn syrup. In a large (4 quart) saucepan, combine the granulated sugar, brown sugar, milk, heavy cream, and corn syrup. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, 15-20 minutes or until butter is melted and mixture comes to a boil. Attach a candy thermometer to the side of the pan. Continue cooking, without stirring, 25-30 minutes or until candy thermometer reaches 244 degrees (firm ball stage).

Stir in rum extract. Remove pan from heat and stir in the rum extract.

Cool completely. Pour into prepared pan and cool completely.

Cut and wrap. Cut into small pieces; wrap in wax paper. Store caramels in the refrigerator.

Tips for success

I found it VERY helpful to test my candy thermometer for accuracy – it made ALL the difference! To test: boil water in a large pot. Thermometer should register at 212 degrees when water starts to boil. When I did this (after 3 failed attempts) I discovered that my thermometer registered at only 200 degrees…meaning I needed to adjust accordingly!

more homemade treats for holiday gifting