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.
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
- White Chocolate Cranberry Macadamia Bark
- Christmas Crack
- Chocolate Dipped Peanut Butter Pretzels
- Oreo Peppermint Bark
- Rocky Road Candy
- Caramel Cashew Haystacks
- Snickerdoodle Fudge
- English Toffee Haystacks
Homemade Rum Caramels
Ingredients
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 cup packed brown sugar
- 1 cup salted butter
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1 cup light corn syrup
- 1 teaspoon rum extract
Instructions
- Line a 9×13 inch pan with foil; butter and set aside.
- Combine all ingredients except rum extract in a large (4 quart) saucepan.
- 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).
- Remove from heat; stir in rum extract.
- Pour into prepared pan and cool completely.
- Cut into small pieces; wrap in wax paper.
- Store in the refrigerator.
Notes
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!Nutrition
i really like the sound of this… caramels are delicious! and what a nice little gift to take to someone… yum!
I need to have some of these very soon. ☺
These look delicious – like the kind I used to get at the penny candy store when I stayed at my Grandparents house when I was five! YUM! I can also tell you that I completely relate to the feelings when the hubby travels – never, ever easy – such a stressful week! AND YOUR 4th batch! I think I will leave this recipe to you my dear friend – I think I would have just drank the bottle of rum instead (I know you can’t, just saying 😉 Hope you guys have a restful weekend. Ours is 6 hours in the car and a baby shower. Not really looking forward to that “FUN” weekend. Love babies but the carride is a little much!
hoping you have a relaxing weekend 🙂 this batch looks prefect
Rum and caramel together? Sounds wonderful. 🙂
Blessings,
Sinea
Ducks ‘n a Row
Thank you for doing all the hard work for us! Caramels are so intimidating to me (but I want to make them so badly!) These look perfect!
These sound so amazing! Making candy can be very difficult, but it is a fun process (most of the time).
These would make a great gift for Christmas for my mother, she loves caramels!
Wow. These look SO GOOD Cathy! My Grandma used to make the best caramels and I’ve always been bummed I never got her recipe and had her teach me. I seriously might have to give these a try even though the whole candy thermometer thing kinda freaks me out! Where did you buy yours? Thanks for sharing this recipe!
This sounds delicious! I was planning on making caramels next month, but had not thought about adding any extra flavors. Thanks for the tip on testing the candy thermometer. I’ve had mine for about 3 years, but it’s still new in the package 🙂 Hope you and your family have a great week!
Visiting from Super Saturday Show & Tell
Shirley @ Intelligent Domestications
I have got to try making those Rum Flavored Caramels, they look wonderful! I also use Watkins extracts! I came across you from Pinterest, glad to have found all these great recipes to share!
I just came across this recipe, and I’d very much like to try it, in fact, I definitely plan to do it soon because I have all the ingredients on hand. However, it would be helpful to have a yield listed, and include the approximate size of the pieces as you cut them, plus the size of the waxed paper pieces in order to get them ready in advance. I realize that I can cut them however I’d like, and I might decide to adjust it, but for the first time I’d like to shoot for your yield. Will you kindly help me with this? Thank you!
My mother made the Best homemade Carmels that were always soft. She insisted that the only days we could make them was a Sunny warming day which in South Dakota in the winter are not all that often.
Wondering if I could use a splash of Honeyed Rum instead of the Rum Extract?
I would think so, but I haven’t tried it with actual rum! I need to experiment and report back since so many people have the same question.
Why rum extract vs rum?
Just for consistency and intensity of flavor (rum extract has more intense flavor with a small amount of liquid). I’m sure these could be made with rum but I haven’t tried to know how that changes the amounts or directions.
Bonjour, pour la quantité des ingrédients des caramels au rhum, je ne comprends pas les quantités ?
2c. représente 2cup??
Yes, 2 cups represents 2 cups
These need to be made Iremember as a kid in dimestores when candy was Penny candy so will try if you send to me
Omg, these are so good!!!! I will definitely make again! I poured them in a silicone candy mold, and they are going to be perfect as gifts!