The irresistible duo of chocolate and caramel is combined into these festive candy cups that are perfect for the holidays and beyond. These Christmas Caramel Cups are a no-bake 3 ingredient candy that’s a super simple recipe. You’ll taste the scrumptiousness with that first bite that oozes caramel deliciousness from my homemade recipe.
You’ll love these Christmas Caramel Cups that are easy to make and assemble. Here, I’ve sprinkled them with festive toppings for Christmas, but you can also personalize them for any holiday! Also, these caramel cups make excellent food gifts for friends, family, and co-workers. What’s not to love?
Ingredients Needed
Sugar – Use white granulated sugar.
Heavy Cream – Be sure and use heavy cream, not half and half or milk. It would be best if you had the fat in the heavy cream to produce the right texture for the caramel sauce.
Chocolate Almond Bark – To melt and use to create the chocolate shell that surrounds the caramel sauce.
Holiday Sprinkles – To garnish the top of the cups.
How To Make Christmas Caramel Cups
Note: This is a summary of the steps. For complete instructions, see the recipe card down below.
STEP 1: Prepare the mini cupcake tins with liners. Set aside.
STEP 2: Melt the chocolate almond bark and add to the liners, being sure to coat the bottom and up the sides.
STEP 3: Make the caramel sauce by melting the sugar in a saucepan until it turns an amber color. Remove from the heat and slowly whisk in the heavy cream until combined. Chill it in the fridge for 30 minutes to thicken,
STEP 4: Spoon the chilled caramel sauce into the chocolate-lined muffin liners.
STEP 5: Melt the remaining chocolate almond bark and spoon it over the top of the caramel cups, spreading it to the edges of the liners.
STEP 6: Sprinkle the top of the chocolate caramel cups with holiday sprinkles. Place the cups into the fridge for an hour to completely set and harden.
Can I Make These Into A Salted Caramel Candy Cup?
Absolutely. You can do this in several ways. The first is by stirring in 3/4 teaspoon of regular salt to the caramel mixture after you’ve made it. The second way is to add flaky sea salt to the top of the caramel candy instead of using Christmas sprinkles.
Do I Need To Use A Candy Thermometer?
Good news – no! For my easy caramel sauce recipe, it’s only two ingredients – sugar and heavy cream. Just pay attention to the sugar as it melts in the saucepan so that it doesn’t burn. You’re watching for it to turn an amber color. Once it does, just remove it from the heat and slowly whisk in the heavy cream until it is all combined. No thermometer is needed!
Can I Use Store Bought Caramel Sauce?
Yes. If you’re in a hurry or just don’t want to make the homemade caramel recipe, this is a great option.
Can I Use A Different Filling?
Yes, you can. My recipe calls for homemade caramel sauce, but consider other ideas, such as:
- Peanut butter, or any nut butter, such as almond, cashew, or sun butter.
- Jam: any prepared jam would be amazing. Try spooning in a jam like raspberry, strawberry, or a mixed berry flavor.
- Marshmallow Cream
- Nutella
- Chocolate Mousse
Can I Use A Different Chocolate For The Candy Shell?
Yes! I love using the chocolate almond bark, but melting chocolate wafers, a chocolate baking bar or chocolate chips will work. However, the almond bark and melting wafers will melt easily and quickly in the microwave and once added to the mini liners, will set up and harden well for these candies. Also, consider using white almond bark for a delicious color and flavor change!
What’s The Best Way To Add Chocolate To The Liners?
Just spoon the melted chocolate almond bark into the liners and be sure to coat the bottom and sides with a thin layer, using a spoon or a culinary small paintbrush. Then, repeat for a second thin layer and let it set and harden. You want to be sure you’re creating a shell that’s substantial enough to hold the caramel when you spoon it in. Once the caramel is in, you’ll melt the remaining almond bark and spoon that over the top, covering the caramel. Refrigerate the cups to let them all set up and harden.
Topping Variations
- Sprinkles, to fit any theme or holiday
- Flaky Sea Salt
- Finely Chopped Pecans or Walnuts
- Drizzle of melted white chocolate over the top
Storage
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
More Delicious Caramel Recipes
Salted Caramel Apple Pie Cookies
Christmas Caramel Marshmallow Rice Krispies Balls
Brownie Bottom Salted Caramel Cheesecake
Caramel No-Bake Cookies
Best Caramel Candy Apples
Slow Cooker Caramel Apple Dump Cake
Nettie is a wife and mother who is passionate about cooking and baking. With 5 children, Nettie insists that all meals, snacks, and desserts come together quickly! You will find a wide variety of easy yet scrumptious recipes on her viral website Moore or Less Cooking
Be sure to follow me on Instagram and tag #mooreorlesscooking so I can see all the wonderful recipes that YOU make from this site!
Check out my YOUTUBE with a free email subscription HERE and please share on FACEBOOK and PINTEREST
Christmas Caramel Cups
The irresistible duo of chocolate and caramel is combined into these festive candy cups that are perfect for the holidays and beyond. These Christmas Caramel Cups are a no-bake 3 ingredient candy that's super simple to make. You'll taste the scrumptiousness with that first bite that oozes caramel deliciousness from my homemade caramel recipe.
Ingredients
- 1 cup sugar
- ⅔ cup heavy cream
- 1 pound chocolate almond bark
- Holiday sprinkles
Instructions
- Gather all of the ingredients.
- Place 36 mini cupcake liners in your mini cupcake tin.
- In a large bowl melt half of the chocolate almond bark in 30-second increments in the microwave until melted and smooth.
- Spoon a little of the chocolate into each cupcake liner.
- Using a spoon or even a paintbrush spread the chocolate up the sides of the liners.
- If your chocolate layer seems too thin you can add a bit more chocolate to the cup and spread up the sides some more.
- You want to ensure you cannot see the bottom of the liner.
- Set these aside to harden.
- In a heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat add your sugar.
- Let this slowly melt, stirring as little as possible and very gently.
- You want to let the sugar cook and melt until there are no lumps and it is an amber color. This can burn and become bitter if you let it get too dark.
- Once the sugar has reached the correct color remove it from the heat and slowly whisk in a thin stream of the heavy cream until it is all combined.
- Pour the caramel carefully into a bowl and set in the fridge for 30 minutes to thicken up.
- Once the caramel is thicker you can spoon it into the chocolate-lined muffin liners.
- You want to fill the shells up almost to the top of where the chocolate ends but not over it.
- Melt the remaining chocolate almond bark.
- Spoon chocolate over the top of the caramel cups and gently spread it to the edges of the liners.
- Sprinkle with the holiday sprinkles.
- Place the cups into the fridge for another hour to completely set.
- Serve!
Notes
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week.
- You can serve these cold or let them come to room temp before serving. Just make sure to refrigerate the leftovers.
- You can use white almond bark as well.
Recommended Products
As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.
-
Wilton Holiday Sprinkles Assortment, 6.8 oz. -
3 Quart Sauce Pan -
Wilton 5-Piece Decorating Brush Set - Food Safe Decorating Brushes for Dusting Edible Glitter and Painting with Edible Color on Treats, Synthetic Bristles -
Ifuerte 10-Piece Stainless Steel Measuring Cups and Spoons Set -
Mixing Bowls -
Mini Cupcake Liners 500 pcs Natural Muffin Liners No Smell,Food&Grade,Greaseproof Paper Baking Cups, Cupcake Wrappers for Party,Christmas by GoldenBakeryFamily -
Great Value Chocolate Almond Bark, 24 oz -
Natural By Nature, 100% Organic Heavy Cream, 16 Oz -
Domino Sugar, Granulated, 4LB Canister
Nutrition Information
Yield
36Serving Size
1Amount Per Serving Calories 112Total Fat 8gSaturated Fat 3gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 4gCholesterol 5mgSodium 3mgCarbohydrates 9gFiber 2gSugar 6gProtein 2g
