Dairy-Free Caramel Sauce is an easy homemade caramel sauce recipe that’s perfect for your dairy-free ice cream or dairy-free baked goods. And it’s vegan too!

Dairy-free caramel sauce in a glass jar on a flowered background

Dairy-Free Caramel Sauce is a delicious caramel sauce made without milk so you can use it with your dairy-free desserts or in your dairy-free baking.

Everyday pantry essentials (suggested)

As I learned to prepare more and more recipes, I also learned which basics and seasonings are good to have on hand to have the ability to make a dish on short notice and not have to run out to the store or borrow from a neighbor.

While I will admit that I am not always prepared when one of my kids asks for eggplant parmesan or lasagna at the drop of a hat (which they have done), I dislike having to postpone making something just because the ingredients needed to make a reasonable meal were not readily available.

So, I maintain a selection of what I consider “pantry essentials” in my refrigerator and on my shelves at all times.

Initially, many of the herbs and spices were useful to me only on occasion (having been purchased for a particular recipe), and I usually just had them around as leftovers. However, as I began to cook more of a variety, I was really glad to have them (hey, look, I already have that!). And that is how my list began.

While, of course, most of the essentials will not be needed just for any one recipe, at least some of them are needed for most recipes, and you would be surprised how many recipes can be made just with this list. So, if you keep whatever you use regularly on hand, it can really save you time and effort.

Everyone has their favorite recipes, preferred seasonings, and just whatever they like to use to cook. Your own list should certainly reflect your own cooking tastes and style.

Just to give you an idea, the list below is a comprehensive list of what I normally keep on hand (this does not necessarily include what I keep for baking, and there may be some overlap between the two lists as some items are used for both, such as brown sugar), and, of course, it reflects the meals and desserts that I like to make for my own family and guests.

Utensils:

Measuring cups for liquid
Measuring cups for solids (flour, sugar, etc.)
Measuring spoons
Mixing bowls
Kitchen scale

NOTE: When using measuring cups and spoons, make sure that the measurements are comparable to one another (example: that 4 tablespoons equals 1/4 of your measuring cup). You’d be surprised to know that not all measuring cups are the same, and this can throw your measurements off.

Seasoning and flavoring:

salt (my recipes use regular table salt)
ground black or white pepper
granulated garlic or garlic powder (I prefer granulated)
onion powder
sweet paprika and/or sweet pepper flakes (paprika is ground dried red pepper, pepper flakes are crushed dried red pepper)
hot paprika, hot pepper flakes, or cayenne pepper (moderately spicy dried ground chili pepper) for those occasional spicy dishes
ground turmeric
ground cumin
ground cinnamon
ground ginger
ground nutmeg
ground cloves (for pumpkin flavors)
sugar (granulated)
brown sugar
chicken consommé powder / beef bouillon powder (regular or vegetarian)
onion soup mix
onion flakes (substitute for fresh onion—3 tablespoons for 1 medium onion).
various herbs
additional spices to adapt taste to preference

Misc:

oil / margarine / butter / cooking spray
coconut cream as a dairy-free cream substitute
flavorless milk substitute as a dairy-free milk alternative
cornstarch as a thickening agent
flour
baking powder
baking soda
bread crumbs or cornflake crumbs (you can make these with your blender or food processor) for coating
condiments, such as ketchup, mustard, barbecue sauce
tomato sauce/tomato paste/canned tomatoes—diced or crushed/pasta sauce
soy sauce
ready-made pie crusts and dough (to just add filling)

We always have eggs in the fridge and onions, rice, and potatoes on our shelves, as well as pasta.

In addition, having some fresh vegetables in the fridge, such as carrots, celery, tomatoes, bell peppers (various colors), etc., can be very useful when putting together a quick but delicious meal.

It is also a good idea to have some ground meat or chicken (breast, ground, or in parts) in the freezer for anyone who likes meat dishes in a snap.

Weather can have an effect on some of the spices and on the chicken consommé powder, so I keep as many of the seasonings in the refrigerator or freezer as I can, and I keep everything tightly closed in containers (you will be surprised to know just how determined moths are at getting into sealed bags and how hot red pepper powder can attract little black bugs—YUCK!).

Therefore, store your items well.

Why are these pantry essentials beneficial to have on hand?

Personally, having the above ingredients in my kitchen is very advantageous, as I make a variety of dishes and use most of the items on the list regularly enough to warrant storing them. However, I do not store items for dishes that I make seasonally or only on rare occasions or those that spoil easily.

Whether or not it is workable for you depends on your cooking style, the space you have to store, and whether or not you mind running out to the store as needed. Of course, the more you cook and the more varied your recipes, the more you will use and the more you will need.

Dairy-Free Caramel Sauce

Delicious and rich dairy-free caramel sauce.

Ingredients

1 cup white granulated sugar
6 tablespoons unsalted dairy-free margarine or vegan butter, cubed
½ cup coconut cream
¼ cup water
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/8 teaspoon of salt (a pinch)

Instructions

Pour the sugar and water into a heavy-bottomed saucepan or pot that's at least 3-quarts in size.
Shake the pan a bit so that the sugar settles into a flat, even layer on the bottom.
Warm the sugar over a medium heat, mixing occasionally and scraping down the sides as needed, until the sugar starts to bubble.
Mix consistently while the mixture thickens (to prevent it from sticking to the bottom of the pan) and turns a deep amber color (8-12 minutes). Keep scraping the sides as needed.
Add the margarine or vegan butter and mix continuously (to prevent the mixture from boiling over) until it has completely melted.
Remove the saucepan from the heat and slowly pour in the coconut cream, continuing to mix until the cream has become completely incorporated into the mixture.
Add in the vanilla and salt and mix well.
Set aside to cool. The caramel sauce will continue to thicken as it cools, so it's best to pour into a jar (or other mode of storage) while it is still somewhat warm, but no longer hot.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 590Total Fat: 33gSaturated Fat: 12gUnsaturated Fat: 21gCholesterol: 46mgSodium: 359mgCarbohydrates: 69gFiber: 3gSugar: 64gProtein: 7g