Everyone needs a good caramel in their life, right? This is my new favourite dairy free keto caramel sauce – without thickeners or unnecessary sweeteners. It’s made with a new low carb sweetener called allulose, which is hands down the best sweetener for caramel. This sauce is so smooth, it will blow your mind!
Caramel sauce is one of those things that make life just… better. You can pour it over pancakes or waffles, use it in truffles, drizzle over sugar free vanilla ice cream or simply add a teaspoon to your morning yoghurt.
I love caramel so much that this is the SECOND caramel recipe I’m posting on my website. The first one is this sugar free 2 ingredient caramel sauce, which is super easy and delicious. It uses this sugar free fibre syrup (affiliate link) as a sweetener.
I like the taste and texture of fibre syrups and tolerate them well. However, some people can experience raised blood sugar levels with them.
That’s why I wanted to experiment with another sweetener to make a proper dairy free keto caramel sauce!
I’m using allulose in this recipe, which is the new sweetener on the block (read more on it below the recipe steps!). If you cannot get hold of it, you can replace it with erythritol!
How to make a super-smooth vegan keto caramel sauce:
1.) You need only 3 main ingredients – coconut cream, coconut oil and allulose (or another low carb sweetener). The vanilla extract is optional, but I recommend it!
2.) Add all the ingredients to a saucepan. Melt on a medium/ low heat until bubbles start to appear.
3.) Reduce to a simmer and cook for 5 – 8 minutes, stirring regularly with a balloon whisk, until slightly thick and the caramel coats the back of a spoon.
Meanwhile fill a bowl with ice and water.
When the caramel is to your liking (bearing in mind it will thicken more as it cools) take the saucepan off the heat and place in the ice bath for about 10 seconds to stop the caramel cooking.
Transfer the keto caramel to a jar and allow to cool and thicken.
I recommend that you use allulose if you can. You can also make this low carb caramel sauce with erythritol but allulose results in the smoothest caramel you’ll ever try!
Allulose is available in the US here on Amazon or here in the UK via this website (UPDATE May 2020: it’s currently not available).
What is allulose and what are its benefits?
Allulose is a “single sugar”, just like glucose or fructose. However, its structure is different, which means it cannot be absorbed by our bodies. Therefore, it does not raise blood sugar or insulin levels.
Allulose is present naturally in some foods, such as dried fruits and maple syrup. But it can also be manufactured by using enzymes to turn the fructose in corn into allulose.
The texture and taste of allulose is very similar to table sugar. And just like eryhritol, it is about 70% as sweet as sugar.
The benefits of allulose are that it caramelises, browns and dissolves just like sugar. It is great for making baked goods that are supposed to be soft and moist (cakes! muffins!).
It’s also great for sauces. You’ll have no issues with re-crystallisation if you use allulose in this keto caramel!
Runny vs thick keto caramel
Depending on how long you cook the caramel will determine the consistency and colour.
A runnier (ie spoonable) keto caramel takes about 5 – 7 minutes and a thicker, darker caramel takes between 7 – 10 minutes. Just adjust to your liking, but remember it thickens as it cools.
If you find you cook your caramel a bit too much and it goes super thick when cooled, simply pop in the microwave in a heatproof jar/ bowl for 15 – 25 seconds and warm and it goes runnier and spoonable again.
Be careful not to burn or boil it. Just so the first bubbles start appearing.
Can you make this caramel with dairy cream?
Absolutely! Simply use heavy cream (that’s double cream in the UK) instead of the coconut cream and butter instead of the coconut oil.
Flavour Variations
I recommend adding the vanilla extract. It is not essential for the recipe to work, but it adds a wonderful warm note.
Like salted caramel? Simply add a pinch of sea salt!
If you’re making a runny caramel and want a deep caramel colour there’s also the option to add a little blackstrap molasses, which in small amounts like here is totally fine on a keto diet. This will also add more depth to the recipe.
How to store keto caramel
Store it in an airtight sealable glass jar in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
Try this caramel on:
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Vegan Keto Caramel Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp coconut oil
- ½ cup granulated allulose (UK readers check the purchase link for the UK in the recipe notes)
- ½ cup coconut cream (the thick part from a can of coconut milk)
- Optional 1/2 tsp vanilla extract but I recommend it!
Instructions
- Add all the ingredients to a saucepan. Melt on a medium/ low heat until bubbles start to appear. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 5 - 8 minutes, stirring regularly with a balloon whisk, until slightly thick and the caramel coats the back of a spoon.
- Fill a bowl with ice and water.
- When the caramel is to your liking (bearing in mind it will thicken more as it cools) take the sauce-pan off the heat and place in the ice bath for about 10 seconds to stop the caramel cooking.
- Transfer the caramel to a jar and allow to cool and thicken. Store it in an airtight sealable glass jar in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
Notes
Nutrition
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Ann Dossey says
Would Swerve work in place of allulose?
While not new to LC and Keto cooking I don’t wish to have 5 different keto friendly sweeteners on hand.
Katrin Nürnberger says
I haven’t tried Swerve. But I think it works similarly to erythritol. Make sure it’s powdered. And if it’s granulated, powder it in a food processor before using. You may get some re-crystallisation as it cools, but heating it up should solve that.
Jo says
So in love with this caramel. It turned out so well and love the top tip on how to warm cooled caramel. Genius!
Katrin Nürnberger says
So glad you like it!!!
David F says
Hi Katrin,
Love the emails. I’m in the US and cannot get allulose yet; However, I was wondering whether it causes gastric distress like other sweeteners. Once available I would love to try it and this recipe.
Thanks for your time.
Katrin Nürnberger says
Hi David, it supposedly does not, and I’m fine with it. However, I think we’re all different and if most people can tolerate it, that still does not mean your body may like it. I’d always go slow with new sweeteners, especially if you’re sensitive to some.
Marcella Rice says
Amazon has it
Pamela Shorland says
HI Katrin,
The Caramel Sauce sounds delicious though I am cautious about chemical sugars based on my dentist’s Weston Price orientation that they are very bad for gut bacteria.
Are you please able to advise if granulated Monkfruit would be a suitable alternative and if so, what quantity.
I can convert quantities for sugar to Monkfruit though am unsure whether it’s the same as for this new Allulose product.
Katrin Nürnberger says
Hi Pamela, are you talking about pure monkfruit? The only monkfruit products I have used are mixed with erythritol, like the Lakanto products. I’m not sure what the conversion would be with pure monkfruit as it’s much more concentrated. But my recipes can be converted 1:1 with sugar, so if you have a ratio you can just use that 🙂
Patti Weyers says
Do you think Bocha Sweet would work ok? Thanks!!
Katrin Nürnberger says
I’ve never tried this sweetener, so I’m not sure how it behaves in liquids. You’d have to do a test run – let me know here if you do! It helps other readers and is much appreciated.
Patti Weyers says
Thanks!! I know this is a highly recommended sweetener to use when making ice cream so that it doesn’t get so hard.
Katrin Nürnberger says
Yes, I can imagine it would be good for ice cream. I tried to use it in my sugar free custard, and that did not turn out as well as with erythritol, it was much softer. It’s good for cakes that are supposed to be soft. Probably not cookies or anything that is better with a crunch.
Jane Chambers says
Allulose sweetner – The link takes you through to the ‘everyday Erythritol and stevia’ sweetner and not allulose? I understood from a recent enquiry to a UK supplier of sweeteners that it isn’t cleared for use here, by the relevant health authorities. So, is it available in the UK? If not, why is it included in your recipe which is by your very blog name, a UK based blog albeit not exclusively for the UK? Thanks
Katrin Nürnberger says
HI Jane, the link for the UK shop that sells allulose is https://mydiet-shop.co.uk/198-allulose – this is what I linked in the post (it’s currently out of stock by the way but they replenish regularly). If you are in the UK and you click on the link I’ve given for Amazon US, you get whatever Amazon will offer you if they don’t carry that same product instead.
I’m not sure what you mean about my blog name?
Julia says
Unfortunately Allulose is not allowed to be sold in Australia as yet, as far as I can ascertain.
What would you suggest as an up to date alternative, Katrin?
My other half loves caramel sauce, but I have never actually made it; as I do not wish to use a lot of honey or other sugars.
Your input would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you.
Katrin Nürnberger says
Hi Julia, You can absolutely use erythritol in this caramel, which I have done until discovered allulose. You will get a little re-crystallisation if you store it in the fridge. Normally this happens around the edges. The bulk of it stays pretty smooth though. Plus, if you warm it up again, this disappears.
The other option is to use a sugar free syrup, which I have done in the other recipe I linked to in the post.
Nicola says
Hi Katrin, thanks for the recipes. I have just received my allulose order from amazon UK and wanted to know if I can use this, where your recipes state that granulated or powdered sweetener is used? I realise that this is quite a new product and therefore your recipes won’t have this ingredient included. Many thanks
Katrin Nürnberger says
Allulose is good for anything where you want a soft result. So, use it in jams, sauces or cakes that taste good moist. Use erythritol in anything you want crunchy, such as cookies, and firm, such as my sugar free vanilla custard