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Made with granulated sugar, warm autumn spices, apple juice, cream, and real pumpkin purée, this easy-to-make pumpkin spice caramels recipe captures all of the best flavors of fall.
Why Make This Pumpkin Spice Caramels Recipe?
It’s that time of the year when I find myself craving recipes which highlight all of the best flavors of fall. Pumpkin spice, of course, but also maple, cinnamon, ginger, chai, coffee, sage, brown butter, apple, and pear. And caramel, which is probably my favorite unsung hero of autumn baking.
So, as the air turns crisp and the leaves change colors, why not embrace the season with a batch of pumpkin caramels? Infused with real pumpkin purée (not pumpkin pie filling) and warm spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger (rather than an extract or flavor oil), this pumpkin spice caramels recipe offers a cozy autumn twist on a classic candy. These really do remind me of chewy little squares of pumpkin pie!
Wrapped in parchment wrappers and packaged in a cute cello bag or fall-inspired treat box, homemade pumpkin caramels also make a wonderful gift for friends and family. These keep well at room temperature for several weeks, so they’re ideal for mailing to out-of-town relatives, too.
Ingredients for Making Pumpkin Caramels
To make these pumpkin spice caramels, begin by gathering the following ingredients:
- Whipping Cream – Or heavy cream. (You’ll need the real thing here—don’t substitute plant milk.)
- Unsalted Butter – For a rich, thick, buttery caramel.
- Pumpkin Purée – Be sure to use real pumpkin purée for this recipe, rather than pie filling. Pumpkin pie filling contains added spices, which aren’t necessary since you’ll be adding your own.
- Spices – You’ll need pumpkin pie spice, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, and ground ginger, plus fine sea salt. If you don’t have fine sea salt, kosher salt will work equally well. (If you’re in the UK and cannot find pumpkin pie spice, you can substitute mixed spice instead.)
- Granulated Sugar – Granulated sugar forms the base for your homemade caramels.
- Apple Juice – Choose a pure apple juice (not a blend) and one without too much added sugar.
- Corn Syrup – You can use corn syrup, light Karo syrup, or glucose syrup. All of these will serve the same purpose, which is to prevent the caramels from crystallizing.
Pumpkin Caramel Tools and Equipment
You’ll need an 8×8-inch square tin to make these caramels. I suggest cutting 8 rows each way for 64 small square caramels, but you can cut larger squares or rectangles if desired.
Pre-cut parchment candy wrappers are readily available on Amazon, or from a local craft store or cake decorating supplier. Although you can cut your own squares from a roll of parchment, the pre-cut wrappers are worth buying. They’re inexpensive and will save you so much time and effort!
Do not attempt this recipe without a candy thermometer! When working with candies, you need to be precise with your temperatures. Undercooking will make caramel sauce, while overcooking produces crunchy toffee or brittle. Monitoring your temps with a digital thermometer guarantees a chewy caramel suitable for slicing and wrapping.
Choose a good quality, heavy-bottomed saucepan to ensure that the caramel cooks evenly. Do not use a nonstick pan. And use a pan slightly bigger than you think you’ll need—the caramel will burble and bubble when you pour in the cream!
Pumpkin Spice Caramel Tips and Tricks
While making the caramel, keep a pastry brush and a small dish of water nearby to brush down the sides of the pan. Brushing with water helps to prevent the caramel from crystallizing.
250° F / 120° C is a good temperature benchmark for caramels. I cooked this batch of caramels to 253° F, which produces a caramel firm enough to hold its shape, yet still soft enough to chew easily. You can cook to a slightly lower temperature for a softer caramel. Or, choose a slightly higher temp for very firm caramels. It may take a bit of experimenting to decide on the exact temperature that works best for you.
Make-Ahead and Storage Suggestions
These pumpkin spice caramels are nice for autumn gifting. When individually wrapped in squares of parchment and stored in an airtight container, they will last for at least two weeks.
Other pumpkin recipes you might enjoy:
Spiced Pumpkin Seed Brittle
Pumpkin Hand Pies
Homemade Pumpkin Butter
And if you do make these, or any of my recipes, don’t forget to tag me @bastecutfold or use the hashtag #bastecutfold on Instagram. I always love to see what you’re making!
Pumpkin Spice Caramels
- Total Time: 30 minutes, plus time for setting, cutting, and wrapping
- Yield: 64 1-inch square caramels 1x
Description
Chewy pumpkin spice caramels made with granulated sugar, apple juice, warm autumn spices, and real pumpkin purée.
Ingredients
180 milliliters whipping cream (3/4 cup)
75 grams unsalted butter (5 tablespoons)
60 grams pumpkin purée (3 tablespoons)
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
380 grams granulated sugar (1 3/4 cups + 1 tablespoon)
120 milliliters apple juice (1/2 cup)
60 grams corn syrup or liquid glucose (3 tablespoons)
Nonstick spray, for greasing tin and knife
Instructions
Line an 8 x 8-inch square baking tin with parchment. Spray with nonstick spray.
In a small saucepan, warm cream, butter, pumpkin purée, sea salt, and spices over medium heat. Do not boil.
Meanwhile, combine granulated sugar, corn syrup, and apple juice in a separate medium saucepan. Cook, without stirring, until mixture resembles honey, and temperature reaches 365° F / 185° C on a candy thermometer. If necessary, swirl the pan occasionally to keep the caramel moving.
Remove from heat. Pour in the warmed cream mixture, then wait a minute for the bubbles to subside.
Return to heat. Cook until temperature reaches 250° F / 120° C* on a candy thermometer.
Immediately pour into prepared tin. Allow caramel to set, uncovered, for 6-8 hours, or overnight.
Lifting by the parchment edges, remove the caramel slab and place on a large cutting board. Peel away the parchment. With a sharp, well-oiled chef’s knife, cut caramel into squares or rectangles.
Wrap caramels in squares of parchment. Store wrapped caramels in an airtight container at room temperature for up to two weeks.
Notes
*I cooked my caramels to 253° F, a temperature which produces caramel firm enough to hold its shape, yet still soft enough to chew easily.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Setting time: 6-8 hours
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Candy and Confectionery
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Sweets