Salted Coconut Caramels

Salted Coconut Caramels Recipe

photo by recipe author

Servings: 30
Preparation Time: up to 60 minutes

14oz fresh coconut milk*
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup butter
1/2 teaspoon salt or to taste
Course sea salt for sprinkling

Place coconut milk, sugar, butter and salt in saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium high heat, stirring frequently. Continue cooking at a low boil and stirring for 30 minutes for sauce or 45-60 minutes for candies. At around 35-40 minutes the butter fat will separate from caramel, pour off and continue cooking to the desired texture (if more oil forms pour off). Keep an eye as it burns quickly at this point.

For sauce pour into jar and cool. For candies pour onto parchment paper and let cool slight then sprinkle with salt. Cool completely then cut into 1 inch squares.

* For the freshest coconut milk make homemade coconut milk. (See video at this link.)

Recipe submitted by Keith, Fairfield, CA

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Published on February 1, 2013

(2 votes, average: 4.50 out of 5)

14 Comments

Amanda April 7, 2014 at 1:26 pm - Reply

I made these today using xylitol and they turned out like caramel gummies. So they taste good but wrong texture

Rachel November 30, 2013 at 11:24 pm - Reply

I was so excited to make these. My caramels turned out a really light color and I’m trying to figure out what I did wrong.

Amanda C October 13, 2013 at 8:10 pm - Reply

To anyone still wondering, no, you cannot use xylitol. You cannot caramelize xylitol. Caramel is what happens when you cook sugar.

Noodle July 23, 2013 at 10:16 pm - Reply

These are awesome.  Thanks for the fantastic recipe!

Rachel H May 13, 2013 at 12:58 pm - Reply

@Rose L –  use coconut oil instead of butter.

whisperingsage February 19, 2013 at 6:08 pm - Reply

Thanks jj, that helps to know. Considering lactose intolerant people can’t take store bought cow’s milk (12-13 grams of lactose per cup) but often can tolerate goat milk (10-11 grams of lactose per cup) I really have to wonder what the cutoff point of the lactose tolerance is. UNLESS William Douglass is right in The Milk Book,  and he points out the vast differences in raw milk from grass fed cows vs deficient milk from factory farm barn kept cows who aren’t allowed to range in the sun on the grass. Also Weston A Price dot org has a lot to say about that too. Dr. Douglass’ chemistry argument says that the pasteurized proteins (casein) in the milk change the shape into something not too many digest very well.  I suppose the best question would be for Rose L to notice if butter does her harm. It is probably a highly individual matter. I have known lactose intolerant people who could handle cheese and some who could handle yogurt, or at least homemade yorgurt from raw milk sources. Even gluten intolerant folks have been studied and it was found thay could tolerate soured dough breads much better as the bacteria in the souring process had turned much of the gluten into protein. Making it also a much higher protein product.

jj February 15, 2013 at 11:09 pm - Reply

Actually, butter does contain a tiny bit of lactose.  It probably depends on the severity of the intolerance and the amount of butter consumed.  1 tsp of butter has only .03g of lactose as compared to 12g in a cup of whole milk.  This is from Wikipedia:  
Butter

The butter-making process separates the majority of milk’s water components from the fat components. Lactose, being a water soluble molecule, will largely be removed, but will still be present in small quantities in the butter unless it is also fermented to produce cultured butter. Clarified butter, however, contains very little lactose and is safe for most lactose intolerant patients.

whisperingsage February 14, 2013 at 12:19 am - Reply

Rose l, there is only fat in butter, there should be no lactose at all. There are the three basic nutrients- fats, proteins and carbohydrates- sugars are a part of the carbohyfrates section. And lactose is in the sugar category, like fructose, sucrose, maltose, etc. Butter has none of those left, it is simply fat.

tina February 7, 2013 at 8:04 am - Reply

I’ve made caramels using coconut milk and honey in equal parts instead of using sugar.   Watch carefully as it can burn easily.   They turned out beautifully.

Rose L February 5, 2013 at 5:35 pm - Reply

I am Lactose Intolerant. What can I use in place of the butter?

Kathie February 5, 2013 at 2:30 am - Reply

I would also like to cut the use of sugar.  Can xylitol be used?
Thanks.

Glenys February 3, 2013 at 6:13 pm - Reply

This sounds delightful, however I am trying to cut carbs.  Would you be able to use xylitol or erythritol in place of the sugar.

Angela May 2, 2016 at 8:35 am - Reply

Have you tried coconut sugar instead? We use coconut sugar in place of white and brown sugar and it works great.

Admin - Orissa May 4, 2016 at 11:20 am - Reply

Hi Angela, you might find this article interesting: http://www.tropicaltraditions.com/coconut_palm_sugar.htm

Salted Coconut Caramels