I love making food gifts for friends and family and a favorite of everyone is this homemade Caramel Sauce with Cinnamon and Rum. Top vanilla ice cream with bananas and this sauce and it’s a quick and easy Bananas Foster.
Early November for me isn’t about shopping lists—it’s about assembling homemade gifts. Each year I prepare baskets for close friends and family, and this year I’m including jars of my Caramel Sauce with Cinnamon and Rum. It’s one of those treats everyone raves about and it transforms simple vanilla ice cream (or crepes) into a special dessert.
I’ve learned to get packages ready and mailed by early December. I prefer recipients enjoy the treats throughout the holidays rather than opening them on Christmas Day. My baskets usually feature long-time favorites like my grandmother Lizette’s Pecan Butter Balls and my Favorite Fruitcake (no bright candied citron here—promise). I also include unscented candles I’ve repurposed with herbs from my garden.
Each basket often contains a recipe that calls for seasonal spices, along with small packets of spices so the recipient can recreate the treat. One year I included Molasses Cookies with little sachets of ginger, cinnamon and cloves so the whole package smelled like the holidays when opened. Another successful gift was homemade Cranberry Liqueur, which set a high bar for subsequent years. This caramel sauce, with its warm cinnamon and a kiss of rum, felt like the perfect new addition.
My love for Bananas Foster goes back years. My first experience was Bananas Foster crepes—vanilla ice cream wrapped in a crepe, topped with bananas sautéed in brown sugar and butter, then flambéed with rum. I was hooked and immediately bought a crepe maker and cookbook. Over time I learned to make crepes without the appliance, but the flavors of that dessert inspired this caramel sauce: all the richness of brown sugar and butter with cinnamon and rum, ready to pour over bananas and vanilla ice cream.
The sauce is simple, decadent and versatile. Gift recipients can slice bananas into the warm sauce and spoon it over vanilla ice cream, or use it to jazz up crepes, pancakes, waffles, or even oatmeal. It keeps refrigerated for a couple of weeks—though in my experience it rarely lasts that long.
Caramel Sauce with Cinnamon and Rum
10 mins
15 mins
25 mins
Dessert, Sauces
American
10 Servings
183 kcal
Ingredients
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup water
- 6 Tablespoons butter
- 1/2 cup half and half (heavy cream also works)
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 3 Tbsp rum (light or dark)
- 1/4 cup walnuts, coarsely chopped and toasted (optional)
Instructions
- Whisk the cinnamon and rum into the half and half; set aside.
- In a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan combine the sugar and water. Bring to a boil over medium heat, whisking constantly until dissolved.
- Once the mixture boils, reduce heat to medium-low and stop whisking; watch the pan carefully.
- Continue to cook until the syrup turns a deep amber color, about 10–15 minutes.
- Remove the pan from the heat and add the butter, whisking as it melts.
- When the butter is incorporated, whisk in the half-and-half mixture. It will bubble vigorously—keep whisking until smooth.
- Let cool. Store in the refrigerator for up to two weeks; it will keep well but often disappears quickly.
Notes
This sauce is excellent warm over vanilla ice cream with sliced bananas for an easy Bananas Foster. You can also use it on crepes, pancakes, French toast, or stirred into coffee or oatmeal. If you prefer a thicker sauce, use heavy cream instead of half and half.