Milk Stout & Sea-Salt Caramels

In a hurry? Click here to JUMP TO RECIPE!

These beer-infused Milk Stout & Sea Salt Caramels are the right sweet for all your holiday gatherings. Each individually wrapped candy is made with Left Hand Milk Stout.

sea salt caramels

To speak the obvious, the holidays are upon us! We’ve got Thanksgiving and the start of Hannakuh this week. And Christmas is exactly a month from today. Are you ready? Yeah, me neither. So even though I have not got around to getting gifts and roasting a giant tofurkey, at least I won’t come empty handed because I’ve got these caramels!

sea salt caramels

These little candies are the perfect accompaniment for all your holiday gatherings. Going to a Thanksgiving where the host has already agreed to make EVERYTHING? Bring these instead of (or along with) that bottle of wine – it’ll be more personal and they are so perfectly petite that you don’t have to feel guilty about munching a few down before the big feast.

Or these would be wonderful to have on the table during a winter gift wrapping party (am I the only one who has those? It’s really the best excuse to make mulled wine and listen to Christmas records with friends). Or to bring to that ugly sweater party. Or really just to have out on the table all December long while you prep for the holidays.

sea salt caramels

I used Left Hand Brewing Company’s Milk Stout in this recipe to give these little candies a creamy stout punch. However, feel free to use whatever beer or alcohol you prefer. Maybe some brandy or rum (probably not gin or vodka? That just sounds unappetizing – but that’s just me)? Or some hard cider or non-alcoholic apple cider? The options are seriously endless so feel free to get creative with this! I think that, in the end, there is enough delicious sugar and butter in these that you can’t go wrong with the alcohol of your choice.

Milk Stout & Sea Salt Caramels recipe below:

sea salt caramels

 

5 from 1 vote
Milk Stout & Sea-Salt Caramels
These beer-infused Milk Stout & Sea Salt Caramels are the right sweet for all your holiday gatherings. Each individually wrapped candy is made with Left Hand Milk Stout.
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Vegetarian
Author: Shelly Westerhausen
Ingredients
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 1/2 cup light corn syrup
  • 1 14 ounce can sweetened condensed milk
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter , cut into small chunks
  • 2 Tablespoons milk stout beer
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • Thick sea salt for topping
  • Candy thermometer
  • Wax Paper
Instructions
  1. Line an 8x8 inch pan with parchment paper (make the sheet slightly larger than the pan so the paper lines the sides as well) and grease the paper with oil or butter.
  2. Bring sugar, corn syrup, and 1/4 cup water to a boil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir often and let cook for 8-10 minutes or until golden amber. Remove from heat and whisk in the condensed milk and butter (the mixture will bubble and that is a-okay).
  3. Fit your candy thermometer on the saucepan and place pan back on the burner. Turn burner to medium low heat, whisk constantly, and slowly cook until the thermostat reaches 240 degrees. Once at 240, immediately remove from heat and stir in the 1/2 teaspoon salt and beer. Pour into prepared baking sheet and let cool.

 

sea salt caramels

Once cool (this could take several hours or I let mine sit overnight), sprinkle with thick sea salt and cut into 1 inch pieces. Cut 4 inch pieces of wax paper and wrap the candies in the wax paper (I rolled mine in the center and then twisted the two ends in opposite directions). Repeat with the rest of the candies.

Enjoy! They will keep up to 2 weeks in an airtight container.

 

sea salt caramels

 

 

Comment

37 Comments

  • Harriet
    November 25, 2013

    A gift wrapping party sounds like the best idea I’ve heard in a long time! Any excuse for another get together in the festive season! And these caramels looks perfect!

  • becca
    November 26, 2013

    BRILLIANT!

    also, is this a new kind of left hand milk stout? I love it but the packaging looks extra pretty in your photos and I’m slightly confused.

    doesn’t take much 🙂

  • becca
    November 26, 2013

    also, you could do outfit posts secretly in the food posts and I wouldn’t mind at all! two best things.

    • Shellywest
      becca
      November 27, 2013

      Haha – aww that would be amazing! I always try to have my boyfriend take some ‘action shots’ of me while baking but he is, sadly, the worst photographer I know. He always takes like 10 and they are blurry and tilted weird. Haha – ah well…

  • Ash-foodfashionparty
    November 26, 2013

    Awesome, love the idea of the party.
    Love these caramels, what a lovely treat.

  • rikki
    November 27, 2013

    love this! what a great addition.

  • Gintare @Gourmantine
    November 27, 2013

    I’ve just stumbled on your beautiful blog and already loving it.

    These would make such great favors for dinner parties among other uses, though I’ve never ever hear of milk stout before (and I’m from a beer loving country), very curious about the taste.

  • Maria | pink patisserie
    December 1, 2013

    What gorgeous caramels! I would love to give these a go. And your right these would make an amazing gift.

  • Shikha @ Shikha la mode
    December 3, 2013

    LOVE THESE. I’ve been weirdly obsessed with bourbon lately so I feel like I might try it with that! How long did it take to make all these?

  • Amanda
    December 13, 2013

    I just made these and they are DIVINE! I wasn’t sure how many this recipe would make and I needed a bunch so I doubled the recipe. I ended up with 250! Way more than I needed but they’re super tasty and it is the season for giving…

    Thanks for sharing!

    • Shellywest
      Amanda
      December 15, 2013

      Oh no! I should have warned you how many this recipes makes – my batch made around 100. Did you end up wrapping all 250?! I wrapped my 100 while embarking on a mega long Sunday afternoon Seinfeld marathon.

  • Tee
    December 17, 2013

    I made some this weekend, but didn’t have a candy thermometer, so I used an infrared one. Not sure if that was the cause, but they never hardened up 🙁 I let it sit overnight, and when I took it out of the pan, it was really gooey and soft still. Was it like that for you too? Maybe mine was undercooked? I ended up throwing it away–since I couldnt really cut through it. Will try again w/ candy thermometer this weekend.

    • Shellywest
      Tee
      December 18, 2013

      Hmm – I guess it depends on HOW soft they ended up being. These caramels aren’t hard candy (you’d need to let the temperature rise to 250 if you wanted to make hard candy) and should be a little soft. However, they should be able to hold their shape somewhat when cut and hold together enough to roll in wrappers. I tried to make candy without a candy thermometer once awhile back and it was a HUGE failure since only a few temperatures off could make or break the texture of your candy. Hopefully trying with a candy thermometer this weekend helps! Let me know how they come out and hope my comments helped!

  • Jordan
    February 5, 2014

    Beautiful website and photos– this recipe sounds wonderful. I have been looking for an out-of-the-box caramels recipe and this sounds perfect! 🙂

  • Friday Finds | Feast + West
    February 7, 2014

    […] Milk Stout Sea Salt Caramels // Vegetarian Ventures […]

  • found recipe monday | Plated Provisions
    February 10, 2014

    […] first, these caramels have are salted, and have beer in the recipe…enough said.  (https://www.vegetarianventures.com/2013/11/25/milk-stout-sea-salt-caramels/#.UvLwCf16clJ) […]

  • Five For Friday | Quite Bookish
    April 25, 2014

    […] Milk Stout & Sea Salt Caramels @ Vegetarian Adventures. Yum! […]

  • Happy Friday! | Chantelle Grady
    May 16, 2014

    […] Milk stout & sea-salt caramels – umm yes! […]

  • My Five Favorite Pins Of The Week // 03.16.14 - Aida Mollenkamp
    May 28, 2014

    […] by 100 Layer Cakelet, based off of Oh Happy Day! and found on Apartment Therapy; 3. Indulgy; 4. Vegetarian Ventures; 5. A Beautiful […]

  • Sara @ Cake Over Steak
    November 11, 2014

    These sound sooo amazing!!! How can you go wrong with beer + caramel + sea salt? Love it.

  • Let It Be Tuesday! | Tasty Kitchen Ideas
    November 11, 2014

    […]  Milk Stout and Sea Salt Caramels. […]

  • Sue
    November 16, 2014

    I hate using corn syrup, any substitution suggestions? Honey?

    • Shellywest
      Sue
      November 16, 2014

      I totally hear ya Sue and often times feel myself going back and forth on the matter of corn syrup. Unfortunately, (and I had this same problem with caramel corn) there isn’t a substitute that I know of because of the way that the corn syrup hardens when brought to a certain temperature (giving these that chewy texture) that I don’t think can be achieved with honey or agave or maple syrup. I can tell ya that I use karo corn syrup because it doesn’t contain high-fructose corn syrup (if that is at all reassuring): http://www.thekitchn.com/corn-syrup-vs-highfructose-corn-syrup-there-is-a-difference-196819

      I know that wasn’t the answering you were looking for but hope that helped out a little! Thanks for reading. xoxo

  • Sue
    November 18, 2014

    Thank you. I do have a recipe for caramels that uses honey, but I am planning to try yours as well.

    • Shellywest
      Sue
      November 18, 2014

      Great! Please let me know if the honey recipe turns out – I’d love to try it myself!!

      • Sue
        Shellywest
        November 23, 2014

        Flavor with the stout is decent, but the caramels are nowhere near firm enough. I think 240 isn’t a high enough temp, wasn’t sure because I don’t usually use the sweetened milk. I’m going to dip into tempered chocolate and see if that helps them hold their shape.

  • Beer and Sea Salt Caramels
    November 21, 2014

    […] (Oh, yes.)  I just came across this beer and sea salt caramels recipe.  I can’t get over wondering how these will taste.  Anyone up for trying their hand […]

  • Erin S.
    February 15, 2015

    I made this recipe tonight and it is wonderful!

  • FOUR TREATS I WANT TO MAKE - BLEUBIRD
    June 30, 2015

    […] recipes I want to try / Honey Ginger Coconut Popsicles. Plum Blueberry Galette. Milk Stout & Sea Salt Caramels. Chocolate Fudge with Bourbon […]

  • Let It Be Tuesday! | bediva
    September 6, 2015

    […]  Milk Stout and Sea Salt Caramels. […]

  • Natalie
    November 25, 2015

    So with the beer, would this be considered a treat for adults only? I just don’t want to give them as family gifts and have a bunch of drunk kids in the neighborhood. Also, how do you think Rumchata would work in place of the beer?

    • Shellywest
      Natalie
      November 28, 2015

      Hey Natalie! Although the beer isn’t necessarily cooked off in the recipe, there is only about .03 Tablespoon of beer per a piece so even if they ate all 64 candy pieces, they’d only be consuming two tablespoons of beer. Hope that helps!

  • Recipe Round-Up: 5 Ingredient Vegetarian Recipes
    April 14, 2016

    […] Milk Stout & Sea Salt Caramels – a fun project recipe that makes a huge amount of caramels to enjoy over a few weeks or gift to friends to spread the love. […]

  • Yang
    February 25, 2019

    I love salted caramel so much! I crave it a lot these days. These candies would help satisfy my cravings. I will be making these so I can plop one in my mouth anytime. Thank you for this recipe!

  • Kit
    March 7, 2019

    Thank you for the recipe and idea of making this candy. I will be preparing 2 boxes for Easter as part of my giveaways for the kids who will be searching for eggs in our garden.

    • Shellywest
      Kit
      March 7, 2019

      Yay! I hope your kids love them! <3

Leave a Reply

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.