If you love drizzling rich, creamy sauces over your favorite desserts, this homemade bourbon butterscotch sauce is about to become a staple in your kitchen. It is thick, gooey, and loaded with deep caramel flavor from brown sugar and bourbon; with no heavy cream required. Best of all, it comes together in under 15 minutes using just 5 ingredients!
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This sweet, gooey, thick, and creamy bourbon butterscotch sauce is the only topping you’ll need for ice cream, brownies, cakes, pies, and anything else you can think to top. This thick and creamy butterscotch sauce is so good that it’s almost worth eating with a spoon!
Butterscotch sounds like it should be complicated, right? You won’t believe how easy it is to make for yourself.
I love the simplicity of this homemade bourbon butterscotch sauce recipe because it has only 5 ingredients and is ready in under 10 minutes. Drizzle it on this Gluten-Free Apple Galette or this Creamy Chocolate Custard recipe.
A Note From My Kitchen
I love that this recipe is easy to adapt for dairy-free needs without sacrificing richness. I tested it with vegan butter and full-fat canned coconut milk, and the results were thick, smooth, and perfect for drizzling.
Bourbon adds complexity and depth while most of the alcohol cooks off after simmering. If you are serving this to kids, you can use a bourbon-flavored extract. I link my favorite below to get the same flavor. This sauce is a favorite in our house and we use it over everything from bread pudding to vanilla ice cream!
Ingredient Notes:
For the full list of ingredients and amounts, please go to the recipe card below.
- Butter – Use vegan butter if you are dairy-free. I tested this recipe with Earth Balance.
- Brown Sugar – You can use light or dark brown sugar. Dark brown sugar gives a deeper molasses flavor.
- Pure Vanilla Extract – Pure vanilla gives the best flavor so skip imitation
- Coconut Milk – Use full-fat canned coconut milk (not boxed or low-fat).
- Bourbon – Adds an awesome flavor to the sauce! If you do not want to include alcohol, use this bourbon extract.
How to Make a Bourbon Butterscotch Sauce (Step-By-Step)
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Step 1: Combine all of the ingredients in a saucepan. Yup, dump them in! Bring them to a boil, then reduce the heat to simmer.
Step 2: Whisk frequently as the butterscotch sauce simmers until the mixture thickens. It should thicken in approximately 10 minutes.
👀 Sandi Says: Keep whisking gently to prevent burning, especially once it begins to bubble.
Butterscotch and caramel have a very similar cooking process. Besides the scotch or bourbon, one of the main differences is the type of sugar used. Caramel is made with white sugar. This easy butterscotch sauce is made with brown sugar, giving it a deep, caramelized flavor.
Storage and Freezing Tips:
- Store the sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 7 days. Reheat gently in the microwave or on the stove before serving.
- Yes! Freeze in a freezer-safe container for up to 4 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight and reheat before using. I like to freeze it in 2 tablespoon-sized Soup Cubes. This is the perfect amount for individual portions. Thaw in the microwave oven.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Keep the heat low and whisk frequently. Avoid walking away while the sauce simmers; it only takes a few seconds for it to scorch if left unattended.
Butterscotch gets its signature flavor from brown sugar, butter, and a splash of bourbon or scotch. The bourbon adds depth, and the brown sugar gives it that molasses-rich, caramel-like flavor.
This sauce will keep fresh for up to 7 days in an airtight container or up to 4 months in the freezer.
Most of the alcohol cooks off during the boil and simmer process, but not all. If you want this to be alcohol-free, use bourbon extract. (I share my favorite in the ingredient notes section above.)
Ways to use this creamy bourbon butterscotch sauce:
- Serve it over this delicious Gluten-Free Eggnog Bread Pudding.
- Tapioca Pudding – the creaminess of the tapioca pudding and the butterscotch work so well together. It is a party in your mouth!
- Gluten-Free Chocolate Brownies – Who doesn’t love a crazy moist and chocolaty brownie?
- Gluten-Free Bread Pudding – This is our favorite way to use up the crusts from gluten free bread!
Love This Recipe?
If you made and enjoyed this recipe, I would be incredibly grateful if you could leave a comment below. Please include which flour blend you used. This will help others know this recipe is delicious. Thank you!
5 Ingredient Bourbon Butterscotch Sauce
Ingredients
- ½ cup salted butter
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ½ cup full fat coconut milk
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon bourbon Add 2 tsp if you love a stronger bourbon flavor.
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Instructions
- Combine 1/2 cup salted butter, 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1/2 cup full fat coconut milk, 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract, and 1 teaspoon bourbon in a saucepan.
- Bring the mixture to a gentle boil on medium heat.
- Reduce heat to low when it starts to boil. Whisk frequently to prevent burning.
- Reduce the heat to low and whisk frequently for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the sauce thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon.
- Allow to cool.
Notes
- Use vegan butter to make this creamy bourbon butterscotch sauce dairy-free.
- Use bourbon extract if you prefer to keep this creamy sauce alcohol free.
- Pour this sauce over bread pudding, ice cream, pie, cocktails, and rice pudding.
- This sauce will keep fresh for up to 7 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator or freeze it for up to 4 months in the freezer.
SPECIAL NOTE
Please know that every gluten free flour blend has a different starch to grain ratio. If you use a blend I didn’t test, my rule of thumb is to add more flour if your dough or batter is wet and add more liquid if the dough or batter is too dry!
Nutrition
Nutrition Disclaimer
Nutritional information is an estimate provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the actual nutritional information with the products and brands you are using with your preferred nutritional calculator.
I truly hope you enjoy this recipe. I have been testing and creating gluten-free recipes for over 15 years. Creating gluten-free recipes that do not taste gluten-free is my goal for every recipe. Sometimes I only have to test a new recipe a couple of times, and others it takes multiple times. I do this so you get reliable, delicious results every time!
I made this sauce to use with Sandi’s bread pudding & absolutely love it!! I substituted heavy cream for the coconut cream because that’s what I had on hand. I could eat this sauce by itself – it is so so so delicious!!!
I am thrilled you loved this sauce. I adore it and have often gifted it for the holidays.
If you don’t eat it all with a spoon or a straw, ( ? ) should it be refrigerated? Thinking of making this for my Dad to top his nightly ice cream treat! Thanks!
You definitely should keep it in the refrigerator because it has no preservatives. Enjoy 🙂