You’re going to love this coffee butterscotch sauce recipe, you guys. A rich, creamy ice cream sauce that is equally at home drizzled on cake or just eaten off a spoon!
Another fun dessert sauce to try is stout toffee sauce.
Don’t miss my other dessert sauce recipes and my butterscotch recipes all in one place. Thanks for stopping by!
[NOTE: The video in this post is for butterscotch creme brulee, but in it, I make butterscotch so you can see how it’s done.
If you have never had true homemade butterscotch sauce, you owe it to yourself to try it.
It’s deeply flavorful with a chewy texture that is irresistable. Let me tell you all about it!
Why Make This Particular Recipe?
This is real butterscotch sauce, friends.
By that, I mean you cook butter, sugar, and molasses together until the butter browns and the sugar caramelizes. That’s real butterscotch.
You’ll be able to taste it in the depth of flavor and see it in the thick, chewiness of the sauce.
And the butterscotch is perfectly complemented by the coffee flavor.
If you’d rather, you can also leave out the coffee extract and just have a delicious plain butterscotch sauce.
PRO TIP: This is a very molassesy butterscotch sauce. If you want a less molassesy flavor, either substitute dark brown sugar for the sugar and molasses or cut back on the amount of molasses you use.
How to Make This Sauce
First, you’ll make butterscotch.
Then, stop the cooking by adding cream. Boil for a few minutes, and then add the coffee flavor.
Here’s what you’ll need:
- butter: use unsalted here and then add your own salt. Use fresh butter, because it’s an integral part of the flavor of butterscotch. Make sure it’s a tasty part!
- sugar: If you prefer, you can use dark brown sugar in place of the sugar + molasses
- molasses: As written, this sauce is molasses heavy. You can cut back on the amount by up to half or use brown sugar as mentioned above
- salt: this recipe is salt-heavy. Salt is also an integral part of the butterscotch flavor profile. I used Morton’s brand kosher salt in this recipe
- heavy cream: stops the cooking process, and mellows the flavor a bit
- coffee extract: this is technically optional, but not if you’re making coffee butterscotch sauce! Leave it out and use vanilla to make a more classic butterscotch sauce
How to Make the Butterscotch
Making the butterscotch is the most important part of the process.
- First, melt the butter and add the sugar and molasses (or brown sugar) and salt
- Stir to moisten all the sugar
- Cook and stir until the sugar is mostly dissolved. The butter won’t cleanly mix in with the sugar at this point
- Keep stirring and heating until the butter and sugar come together
- Watch carefully and stir contantly. As the butterscotch cooks, it may break and separate again and then come together.
- You will know it’s ready when the mixture darkens a bit in color and starts to smell like caramelized sugar. It may smoke just a bit.
Once the butterscotch is done, pour in the cream and stir over low heat until smooth.
Take the mixture’s temperature. If it’s below 230F, cook until you reach that temp.
If you don’t have an instant-read thermometer, I strongly recommend you get one. I use mine for everything from taking the temps of cakes and custards to making candy.
Then stir in your coffee extract (or vanilla extract if making a classic butterscotch sauce)
Tips for Success
It’s easier to accidentally burn butterscotch than it is to burn caramel, because the molasses color can mask the caramelization.
At least until you’ve done this a few times, consider erring on the side of less cooking rather than accidental burning
Once you add the cream, make sure the temp gets up to 230F, and you’ll have a great sauce.
If you can take it all the way to “the edge,” the flavor will be deeper, but it will still be delicious if you add the cream a bit early.
If you’re still concerned, please watch the video I’ve included with this recipe. It’s for my butterscotch creme brulee, but the procedure for making the butterscotch is exactly the same.
Q & A
I have never tried to veganize this coffee butterscotch sauce, but I think you absolutely could by using vegan butter–the stick kind rather than the tub kind–and using full fat coconut milk rather than cream.
Keep the cooled sauce in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
You can reheat the whole container in the microwave. You could also spoon out a portion and heat it on the stove over medium heat. A third choice would be to place the container in a pot of very hot water for a few minutes, stirring occasionally until the sauce is loose enough to pour.
Sure. Stir in some chocolate chips or chopped chocolate for a chocolate butterscotch sauce. Add some orange zest or a very few drops of orange oil for an orange butterscotch. If you like nuts, some finely chopped toasted almonds would be a lovely addition as well.
Questions?
If you have a question/questions about this or any other post, whether recipe or technique, don’t hesitate to get in touch. I’m happy to help.
You can leave a comment on the post, and I will respond within 24 hours. If you need an answer more urgently, please email me, and I will respond within about 4 hours (unless I’m sleeping) and often much more quickly than that.
Either way, I will answer as completely as I can. That’s why I’m here!
A Note About Measurements
NOTE: Most of my recipes are written by weight and not volume, even the liquids.
Even though I try to provide you with volume measurements as well, I encourage you to buy a kitchen scale for ease of measuring, accuracy, and consistency.
This is the scale I use, love, and recommend. If you’re unsure, please read my post about how to use a food scale.
Final Thoughts
Y’all, this sauce is a dream.
If you are a fan of deeply flavorful toffee-ish sauces, then this coffee butterscotch sauce has your name written all over it.
What are you waiting for? Hie thee to the kitchen, people!
Once you taste this sauce, you’ll see that you don’t dislike butterscotch sauce. You just dislike bad butterscotch sauce.
If you make this recipe and/or have enjoyed or learned from reading this post, I’d appreciate it if you could share this!
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Reviews really help sell the recipe, and negative reviews help me tune into what people really want to have explained better, so any ratings and reviews are helpful!
Also feel free to tag me on Instagram at @onlinepastrychef with #pcorecipe so I can find your creation. Thank you!
Real Coffee Butterscotch Sauce Recipe
Rich, creamy and perfect over ice cream, cake or any number of desserts, this coffee butterscotch dessert sauce(made with, among other things, sugar, butter, molasses, and salt) is the real deal.
No shortcuts, not that you need any since it only takes about 10 minutes to make!
Ingredients
- 2 oz unsalted butter
- 8 oz granulated sugar*
- 1.5 oz molasses, (I recommend Grandma's. Do not use blackstrap)*
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, (I will let you use only 3/4 teaspoon if you must, but no less)
- 6 oz heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon good quality vanilla
- coffee extract, to taste (1-3 teaspoons)
Instructions
- Melt the butter over medium heat.
- Stir in the sugar, molasses and kosher salt. The mixture will look like wet brown sugar. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes.
- Add the heavy cream and bring the mixture to a boil.
- Cook, stirring frequently, until mixture reaches 230F, about five minutes.
- Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla and coffee extracts. Taste and adjust seasonings as necessary.
- Serve warm over ice cream. Or whatever.
- Enjoy!
Notes
*For a milder molasses flavor, you can substitute dark brown sugar for the granulated sugar and molasses. For an even lighter molasses flavor, use light brown sugar.
If you can't find coffee extract, use espresso powder or freeze-dried coffee dissolved in a tablespoon of hot water. You may have to play around with how much you add, so start small, taste, and add more if necessary.
Substitute a small amount of almond extract for the coffee extract. You could also add a tablespoon of Amaretto or even Frangelico rather than--or in addition to--the coffee flavor.
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Nutrition Information
Yield 10 Serving Size 2 TablespoonsAmount Per Serving Calories 203Total Fat 11gSaturated Fat 7gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 3gCholesterol 32mgSodium 220mgCarbohydrates 26gFiber 0gSugar 26gProtein 1g
The stated nutritional information is provided as a courtesy. It is calculated through third party software and is intended as a guideline only.
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Cassandra says
I’m a die-hard chocolate fudge sauce fan but you have me craving butterscotch today!
Jennifer Field says
I am telling you, you won’t miss the fudge! =) I have an excellent chocolate fudge sauce recipe too, though, in case you need it, Cassandra!
Brooks says
Gee willikers, I don’t know how I missed this post but I’m glad you brought it out on Fearless Friends. I need this in my life!
Jennifer Field says
Haha!! I know I miss so much, so I figure other folks do too! Glad you like it, Brooks–let me know how the Walkers enjoy it! =)
Abdul Hanees says
Hi, Jenni. I’m really eager to try your recipe since it is so distinct from loads of butterscotch recipe out there. However, I do notice that your recipe required molasses which something that is hard to find at my place. Could you suggest me substitution for that?
Tq
Jennifer Field says
Hi, Abdul! Can you get dark treacle where you live? I’m pretty sure that is the same as molasses but under another name. If you tell me where you are, I can do some research and see what else might work for you!
Betty Ann Quirino says
Oh my goodness. I just got weak in the knees reading this post. I love butterscotch, probably more than chocolate. I’m bookmarking this one because I know when it’s your recipe, it is the real deal, Jenni. Thanks for sharing!
Jennifer Field says
Oh, yay, BA! Thanks so much–I hope you love it. It is Really Good! =) xo
EJ says
Hi, Jenni! I stumbled upon your recipe when I was searching “butterscotch bs. Caramel”, and I’m so jazzed about this. Question: you show the sauce in a Mason jar…is there a way that this can be canned in a water bath to make it shelf stable?
Jennifer Field says
That is a great question. Unfortunately I know next to nothing about canning. I will refer you to my friend Sara who is a master canner. I’m sure she can help. You can reach her through her blog at https://myimperfectkitchen.com
Jules says
This is the bum diggity of sauces! I made the hot fudge sauce, loved it so much much I decided to make the coffee butterscotch. Oh my goodness, this is unbelievable! Thank for for this great recipe! This is a keeper. Can this be doubled? Also, can I make this on a rainy day- my sister says “no” that it will crystallize.
Jennifer Field says
Hooray, Jules! I’m so glad you love the butterscotch–it’s one of my favorites! This sauce has a tendency to crystallize anyway when in the fridge, but it smooths out when you rewarm it. A few seconds at a time in the microwave and stirring in between should smooth it out no matter the weather when you make it. And yes, double away!
Rebecca Compton says
Hi, Jenni! Just curious, could I use my newly acquired sorghum instead of molasses? Can’t wait to try this one!
Jennifer Field says
Oh yes, do it! It won’t be truly butterscotch but it will be truly delicious!