Food & Cooking Recipes Dessert & Treats Recipes Caramel Crunch Topping 5.0 (1) Use this two-ingredient topping on ice cream, cakes, and more. Close Cook Time: 15 mins Total Time: 30 mins Servings: 24 Yield: 1/2 cup Jump to recipe Our recipe for a simple Caramel Crunch topping calls for only two ingredients: sugar and water. You'll combine them in a saucepan and cook until the mixture transforms into a deep amber caramel. From there, it's just a quick trip onto a baking sheet to cool before the real fun begins: Crack it into pieces, then transfer it to a bag and crush with a rolling pin into tiny, crunchy bits. You can use this topping in so many ways. Sprinkle it onto ice cream sundaes or milkshakes; use it to garnish cakes, pies, and cupcakes; add it to a pear or apple crisp; or toss some into homemade granola or snack mixes for extra crunch. 20 Easy Candy Recipes Perfect for Beginners Tips for Making Caramel Crunch Don't Rush the Process It can take some time for the sugar and water to transform into a deep-brown caramel. At first, it'll look like wet sand and may not come together within the first five to 10 minutes. Resist the urge to increase the heat or fuss with the mixture too much—eventually, it will begin to melt and deepen in color. Prepare Your Pan Ahead of Time Don't wait until the caramel is finished cooking to line a baking sheet with a nonstick mat or parchment paper. Once the mixture reaches the right color, you will want to pull it off the heat immediately and get it out of the hot pan; otherwise, the sugar can become too dark and begin to taste bitter and acrid. Directions Prepare baking sheet: Line a rimmed baking sheet with a nonstick baking mat; set aside. If you don't have a nonstick baking mat, you can line the pan with parchment paper instead. Cook sugar mixture: In a small saucepan, combine sugar and 1 1/2 tablespoons water; mixture should look like wet sand. Place saucepan over medium-high heat and cook until sugar is dark amber in color. Transfer to baking sheet: Immediately pour caramel onto prepared baking sheet; let cool completely. Break into pieces, then finely crush: Crack cooled caramel into large pieces and place in a resealable plastic bag. Crush into tiny pieces using a rolling pin; you should have a scant 1/2 cup of caramel crunch. Storage: Caramel crunch can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. 10 More Caramel Recipes to Try: Caramel Candies 101 Salted Caramel Six-Layer Chocolate Cake Quick Caramel Sauce Salted Caramel-Pecan Shake Coffee Crème Caramel Apple Sundaes With Cider Caramel Sauce Banana-Caramel Ice Cream Caramel-Nougat Swirls Lemon-Caramel Sauce Crunchy Caramel Corn Updated by Esther Reynolds Esther Reynolds Esther Reynolds is an experienced recipe developer, recipe tester, food editor, and writer with over a decade of experience in the food and media industries.