This Instant Pot caramel sauce is vegan, paleo, refined sugar free and dairy free, and it’s impossibly rich, sweet, and creamy. This Instant Pot caramel sauce is so quick and easy, totally fool proof, and absolutely delicious. This is my favorite paleo caramel sauce, and the fact that it’s an Instant Pot caramel sauce just makes it so much better! Buy an Instant Pot here. They’re totally life-changing.
Hold my earrings. It’s about to get really really real.
If you’ve followed my blog for any amount of time, like, say… 4 days, you’ll notice how entirely obsessed I am with caramel. I’d caramel absolutely all the things if I could, and, in fact, I pretty much have! From my caramel apple paleo microwave cake (FANNING SELF SO GOOD) to my 5-minute paleo caramel sauce to my vegan salted caramel ice cream, my vegan pumpkin donuts with salted caramel glaze, paleo iced caramel macchiato, raw caramel apples, and paleo raw salted caramel dip, it might be a problem.
But hey, at least I don’t have a nickname yet; that’s my husband. His best friend’s always called him Caramel Thunder, because of his, uh, rich and creamy skin? So, it might not be his obsession with carefully burnt sugar, but I’ll take what I can get. As long as people don’t call me The Caramel Lady, I feel like my obsession is still balanced slash not taking over my life entirely.
That is… until I created the Instant Pot caramel sauce. With coconut cream, coconut oil, and maple syrup. Translation: healthy, quick, and easy. This might become a serious problem, y’all.
So, when my Instant Pot arrived, I searched high and low, caramel obsession in hand, for a proper healthy caramel recipe made in my newfangled cooking machine. No luck. While I wanted something entirely hands-off, made with the pressure cooker part of the Instant Pot, I decided I’d still settle for a sauce made on Sauté mode, considering how beautifully and evenly that cooks such a variety of foods. I grabbed my organic Costco maple syrup, a few cans of Sprouts Coconut Cream, and went to work, all Doctor Finkelstein in the kitchen.
(We’re really into The Nightmare Before Christmas right now. Except Oogie Boogie is positively terrifying to my child, but I let him watch it anyway. I’m a horrible mother.)
And if you’d like a couple Instant Pot caramel sauce absolute fails, I can surely set you up with a pair, free of charge. I was almost completely convinced that a delicious, thick, rich, sweet, and creamy Instant Pot caramel sauce was impossible, until… Until!
Until the winner bubbled up in my stainless steel pot, the scent of complex sweetness wafting through the air, luckily suppressing the leftover smell of straight burnt from my previous attempts. It worked, and you know what? It’s my absolute favorite paleo or vegan caramel sauce I’ve ever had. My Instant Pot caramel sauce. Instant Pot! Like, this could not get any easier, y’all. And the outcome is basically ready for me to launch a Kickstarter page and deliver en masse to the Krogers of the world. It’s that good.
You can’t quite see this, thankfully, but I’m rubbing my palms together over here and giggling menacingly, knowing just how many unbelievable recipes I have in the pipeline using this Instant Pot caramel sauce. Spoiler alert: paleo caramel cups (they’re also vegan for my vegan squad!), caramel apple cider, and paleo caramel apple coffee cake?! It’s almost too much!
If you have an Instant Pot, you’ve GOT to try this Instant Pot caramel sauce. And if you don’t have an Instant Pot, what in the world are you waiting for?! Pick one up ASAP, y’all. Life changing.
Instant Pot Caramel Sauce (Vegan, Paleo, Refined Sugar Free, Dairy Free)
Ingredients
- 1 14- ounce can coconut cream
- 3/4 cup pure maple syrup
- 1/4 cup refined coconut oil
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 Pinch sea salt
Instructions
- Combine coconut cream, maple syrup, and coconut oil in the Instant Pot on Sauté mode at Normal heat. Whisk until smooth as the coconut oil and coconut cream and melt and bring to a boil. Let boil for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, then turn Instant Pot off.
- Stir in pure vanilla extract and pinch of sea salt.
Notes
Nutrition
Cheryl Malik is the recipe developer, writer, and photographer behind the healthy, flavorful, family friendly recipes at 40 Aprons. She’s been a blogger for 10+ years and is known for her delicious recipes and detailed recipe instructions. Cheryl is a mom of three who lives in Memphis, TN.
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Regina says
I made this and added 2 tablespoons of vegan butter and sea salt.. great recipe for vegans
Amelia Camurati says
So glad you loved this Regina!
Eileen Moran says
How long would this last in the fridge (assuming I don’t ear it all in one seating? ?)
Cheryl Malik says
It should be good for up to 2 weeks in the fridge in an airtight container.
Heather says
I have now made this in several variations, using sorghum syrup, maple syrup and honey. I have used canned coconut milk and cream. I have even played with boiling longer to get a thicker consistency. It turns out amazing every time and way I have made this! I love it!!!
Amelia Camurati says
So glad you love it!
Shelly says
Will a tin of coconut milk work & sugar instead of maple syrup?
Cheryl Malik says
I would think so!
Missy says
I’m going to make this and was wondering how it’s stored – does it have to be refrigerated?
Cheryl Malik says
It would be good to refrigerate it, but just make sure to give it a stir as it will separate 🙂
Laura H says
I think I will try this using Monkfruit instead of maple syrup. Has anyone else tried it with a low GI sweetener?
Laurel says
I haven’t made this yet because of two things; a/just found the recipe 5 minutes ago and b/I’ll be much too busy building your altar for the next day or so to do so. Genius!
Diane says
Does it have to be refined coconut oil or can I use un-refined?
Thank you this recipe looks delish
Cheryl Malik says
If you use unrefined, it will likely have a coconutty flavor. If you don’t mind that, you’re totally fine with that ingredient!
Jenny says
This is like magic! I just bought an espresso machine and wanted to make a paleo syrup to make iced lattes. I was using just a little maple syrup, but this is so much better. It turned out perfectly and made my entire house smell amazing in the process. I’m glad I found your page, I will definitely be checking out more recipes!
Allyson Holley says
I was so skeptical that this was going to set up the entire time it was boiling, but I was so wrong! It came out perfect. Even my super picky teenage niece liked it.
Cheryl Malik says
It really is AMAZING! I love this stuff. I’m so glad you both liked it!
Linda J says
What a perfectly timed post as I just was sharing with my hubby the high amount of sugar in Trader Joe’s caramel sauce that he loves so much. We are striving to keep our sugar content as close to 40 grams MAX per day (0 is even better)!
?What is the sugar content per Tablespoon in your recipe? TIA for sharing your successful recipe. It’ll likely be why I go buy the Instant Pot. (My 22 yr old son who doesn’t live with us even has one for cooking rice! He’s open for getting other recipes though.)
Gerry says
Can honey be substituted for maple syrup?
Sandy says
I’m new to instant pot cooking. Are you doing this whole recipe without actually sealing the lid?
Cheryl Malik says
That’s correct!
Alex says
So, we can do it in a regular pot on the stove? Medium heat?
Cheryl Malik says
I would potentially keep the heat a bit lower, maybe medium-low. Be very very careful to keep stirring! I would recommend my 5-minute stovetop caramel if you’re going that route, since the directions are more aimed at higher heat!
https://40aprons.com/5-minute-paleo-caramel-sauce-vegan/
Julie Mather says
I would like to make some of this sauce and put it in a jar as a gift. Would you know how long it will stay fresh for? Thanks
Amelia Camurati says
This can be kept for up to 2 weeks in an air tight container in the refrigerator or up to 3 months frozen.
Pam says
Wow. This is so delicious and easy to make.
I have been looking for a paleo version to go with the paleo/Vegan chocolate sauce I make. My husband goes head over heels for caramel so this just made his night too.
Thank you! ?
Cheryl Malik says
I am SO glad you like it! I’m absolutely wild over this recipe so happy you dig it too 🙂