Soft, chewy, buttery, and perfectly spiced, these Pumpkin Spice Caramels are impossible to resist. A fabulous addition to your holiday festivities!
PIN IT NOW!
And here I am with another “pumpkin” recipe that doesn’t actually contain any pumpkin…#donthateme. Trust me, these caramels will have you thinking “pumpkin pie” anyways. It’s kind of funny how recipes that have pumpkin pie spice in them totally make you think of pumpkin – without any pumpkin being used. It’s tricky like that.
So you guys may have noticed that the photos look a little different, totally not my style, I get that. I thought I would try something a little different, outside my comfort zone. If you hate them – no problem. Just lie to me in the comments telling me you like it. That works for me. I don’t deal with criticism very well.
So one of the questions that I think most people have about caramels is – are they hard or soft? And the answer to that question is – it’s up to you! It depends on the temperature that you cook them to. I make my caramels soft. I think they taste better, are easier to eat, and definitely easier to wrap up. I like being able to smush them in my fingers and so do the boys.
So that may be my favorite shot above. I love how you an see all the spice in the caramels and see how wonderfully soft and gooey the caramels are. Love. These babies just melt in your mouth
One thing to note about these caramels is that it’s super important to test your candy thermometer before you get started. You’re looking for that magic 248 °F. Make sure you let the caramel rest for at least 12 hours, 24 is even better, before cutting into pieces.
You can cut into squares or logs or whatever shape you desire. Wrap them up in waxed paper and hand out to your friends and family. The good news is that this recipe makes LOTS of caramels so you can make a lot of people very happy.
How To Make Pumpkin Spice Caramels
Pumpkin Spice Caramels
Ingredients
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 cups heavy whipping cream
- 1 cup light corn syrup
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
Instructions
- Lightly spray 8x8 baking dish with cooking spray and line with parchment paper. Leave an overhang so you can pull the caramel out easily. Set aside.
- Combine first four ingredients in a large heavy bottomed pot. Go bigger than you think you need.
- Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally to dissolve the sugar. It's super important to scrape off all the sugar from the sides of the pot - all of it.
- Reduce heat to medium and continue cooking WITHOUT stirring until it reaches 248 °F. This can take anywhere for 20 minutes to an hour, just be patient. (Make sure you check the accuracy of your candy thermometer beforehand.)
- Remove from heat and stir in salt and pumpkin pie spice.
- Pour mixture into prepared baking dish. Let it rest for 12-24 hours before cutting into pieces.
- Wrap caramels in waxed paper to store. Can be stored in the fridge or at room temperature.
Notes
Nutrition
More pumpkin treats:
Baked Pumpkin Spice Donuts with Maple Glaze
For all pumpkin recipes, go HERE.
For all dessert recipes, go HERE.
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Cookie Ann says
Have you tried dropping one of these in a cup of coffee or sweeten a latte with one? I will whip up a batch this weekend and let you know if this fall treat is as yummy as I imagine.
marcie says
Trish, these caramels look like perfection! They’re the perfect color and I can almost taste them! Pinning. 🙂
Kelly - Life Made Sweeter says
Oh my gosh Trish, I love the photos, they’re so gorgeous!! I’m dying over that soft melty caramel shot over the cast iron and dark colors – it’s just perfect and totally making me wish I had some in front of me:)
Julianne @ Beyond Frosting says
Some pretty gorgeous photos ya got here! I am afraid to make these because I might eat too many!
Ilona @ Ilona's Passion says
I will definitely make them, they look soo delicious!
Mir says
The smushy caramel pic is my favorite, too! Why anybody likes hard caramel is beyond me.
And I love the photo style! It’s fantastic! I can see little flecks of pumpkin spice, and it makes me very happy and eager to try these!
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
Thank you SO much Mir! You’re such a sweetheart 🙂
Amy @ Amy's Healthy Baking says
Girl, I LOVE your photos!! You totally rocked it! (And no, this isn’t a lie. I seriously love love LOVE them!!) The dark colors… The cast iron pan… So gorgeous and classy. And these caramels… I’m hoping to move close to you and Amy really soon, and I would do anything to get a taste of these! 😉 Pinned!
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
I got you out of spam Amy – thanks for the email. Hopefully that doesn’t happen anymore 🙂 And thank you so much for your sweet words. It was fun to try something new. And yes, get up here in Sac ASAP!
Ashley @ Kitchen Meets Girl says
I don’t even know what to say about these other than O.M.G. And also: why don’t you live next door to me???
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
Ashley you have no idea how many times I’ve wished for the very same thing 🙂 Thank you!
Dorothy @ Crazy for Crust says
Oh my gosh. GORGEOUS photos!!
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
Thanks Dorothy!
Melanie @ Carmel Moments says
Oh my goodness! They look perfect. I’ve got to give them a try. They would be so perfect as a garnish on cupcakes too.
Have a great day!
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
Great idea Melanie! My boys can’t get enough of them 🙂 Thanks for stopping by!
Stephanie @ Back For Seconds says
I think the photos are fantastic, Trish! And I can only eat the soft caramels. My teeth can’t handle the hard ones. These sound like the perfect fall treat!
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
Thank you so much Stephanie!
Gwen @SimplyHealthyFamily says
Good Lord! These look so perfect. Time to get a candy thermometer!
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
Thank you Gwen!
Cathy Perez says
Pumpkin Spice Caramels they sound like something I want to try. Pinned!
Glory/ Glorious Treats says
These look utterly amazing!!
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
Thank you so much Glory!
Amy @Very Culinary says
I can attest to how good these are. The 4 I tried were not nearly enough!
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
Haha! Thanks Amy!