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This Viral Olive Oil Caramel Recipe is the most exciting food trend to come from TikTok lately. Made with just two ingredients, this recipe takes under 5 minutes and pairs well with countless dishes.
Being a foodie who is constantly scrolling social media for the latest recipe ideas, I came across this new caramel recipe and knew that I had to make it ASAP! And let me tell you, its uses and versatility are crazy. Desserts, salad dressing, chicken marinades, you name it, it can probably go on it. But don’t just take my word for it; give it a shot today and find out for yourself!
Quick Look: The Best Viral Olive Oil Caramel
- 🍯 What it is: A 2-ingredient caramel-like sauce made by whisking extra virgin olive oil into cold pure maple syrup.
- ⭐ Why it works: Whisking cold maple syrup with olive oil emulsifies it into a thick, glossy sauce, no cooking needed.
- 💛 Why you’ll love it: Ready in minutes and just as good on ice cream as on salads and grilled chicken.
- ⚠️ What to watch for: It separates after a few hours, so whisk it again right before serving.
- ❄️ Make ahead: Keeps for at least a week in an airtight container in the fridge.
Table of Contents
- Quick Look: The Best Viral Olive Oil Caramel
- This is the best Viral Olive Oil Caramel Recipe!
- Key Ingredients
- How to make this Viral Olive Oil Caramel Recipe
- Why This Recipe Works
- How to Use Olive Oil Caramel
- Expert Tips
- Olive Oil Caramel FAQs
- More Caramel Recipe Favorites
- 2-Ingredient Viral Olive Oil Caramel Sauce Recipe
This is the best Viral Olive Oil Caramel Recipe!
I know there are plenty of videos out there showing you how to make this recipe; after all, it’s really not that difficult. But do they give serving suggestions, storage tips, or potential substitutions?
This article right here gives you all of that plus more! Continue reading to get a full comprehensive breakdown of everything you need to know about this fun and exciting new caramel.
Key Ingredients
Here are the ingredients you will need to make this delicious olive oil caramel. Scroll down to the recipe card at the bottom of the page for the detailed ingredient measurements.
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil: The higher the quality of the olive oil, the better the flavor. For the best flavor, use the best olive oil you can find. Good olive oil pays off in savory cooking too, it’s the star of my creamy garlic pizza sauce as well.
- Maple Syrup: Like olive oil, maple syrup varies widely in quality. Avoid using artificial “maple-flavored” syrups and use 100% pure maple instead. Make sure that it is really cold too! If you love what pure maple syrup does here, try it in my maple syrup latte too, it’s just as quick to make.
- Sea Salt: helps balance out the sweetness while enhancing the other flavors.
How to make this Viral Olive Oil Caramel Recipe
Here is how to make this maple olive oil caramel. Scroll down to the recipe card at the end of this post for full step-by-step instructions!
- Pour the measured olive oil and maple syrup into a medium-sized mixing bowl.
- Whisk vigorously until the oil emulsifies. You will know it is done when it’s thicker and no longer transparent.
- Put it on your favorite dishes and enjoy!
Why This Recipe Works
- This easy recipe requires only two simple ingredients you can find at the grocery store.
- Use this homemade caramel instead of store-bought syrups and watch what it does to the flavor of your food! For something richer, my Starbucks caramel brulée sauce is another homemade caramel worth keeping in the fridge.
- Make this for special occasions to impress your friends or family! And when the holidays roll around, my salted caramel pretzel bark is another crowd-pleasing treat worth adding to the dessert table.
How to Use Olive Oil Caramel
There are countless ways to incorporate this tasty syrup in your daily meal plan, regardless if you’re craving sweet or savory. Here are just a few ways I’ve been using it lately:
- Salad Dressing: This has been my go-to recently. Once your olive oil and maple syrup are in the mixing bowl, add a splash of apple cider vinegar, lemon juice, or balsamic vinegar, plus a sprinkle of flaky sea salt. Mix it all together, toss with mixed greens, and your mind will be blown.
- Breakfast: foods like pancakes, waffles, or French toast. Instead of reaching for maple syrup on its own, try this instead! Come fall, my Starbucks pumpkin spice sauce is another fun syrup to rotate into the same breakfast spread.
- Desserts: Use it as a topping for vanilla ice cream or frozen yogurt, the same way you’d drizzle a batch of my homemade caramel sauce.
- Marinades: This one is genius to me, since my husband loves grilling chicken with a sugary glaze like teriyaki or BBQ sauce. His personal opinion on this maple olive oil caramel: “game-changer”.
- Coffee: Stir a spoonful into your morning coffee for subtle sweetness, or keep a jar of my Starbucks mocha sauce on hand for days you want something richer and more chocolatey instead.
Expert Tips
- Use maple syrup straight from the fridge. Cold syrup is what helps the olive oil thicken into that glossy caramel texture. Room temperature syrup tends to stay thin and runny.
- Stick with 100% pure maple syrup. Pancake syrup is mostly corn syrup and flavoring, and with only two main ingredients here, you’ll taste the difference right away.
- Use the best olive oil you have. The olive oil flavor really shines through, so a good extra virgin olive oil makes this taste so much better.
- Whisk like you mean it. Keep whisking vigorously until the mixture turns thick and opaque. If it still looks see-through, it isn’t emulsified yet!!
- Finish with flaky sea salt. A pinch balances the sweetness and makes it taste even more like salted caramel.
- Re-whisk before every use. Separation after a few hours is totally normal. A quick whisk brings it right back together.
Olive Oil Caramel FAQs
Store olive oil caramel in a small airtight container in the fridge for at least a week. It naturally separates after a few hours, so whisk it again before serving. If you want a caramel that keeps even longer, my dulce de leche recipe lasts for weeks in the fridge.
For the maple syrup in my olive oil caramel, I use Kirkland pure maple syrup from Costco, but you can find great options on Amazon too. For the olive oil, I love Brightland Olive Oil. It’s a bit pricier, but the quality is worth it.
Not in the traditional sense. Olive oil caramel isn’t cooked at all. Whisking the olive oil into cold maple syrup creates an emulsion that thickens into a glossy, caramel-like sauce.
Olive oil caramel usually stays thin when the maple syrup isn’t cold enough or it hasn’t been whisked long enough. Use maple syrup straight from the fridge and keep whisking vigorously until it’s thick and no longer see-through.
You can, but extra virgin olive oil gives olive oil caramel the best flavor, since the oil is one of only two main ingredients. A light olive oil makes a milder sauce.
More Caramel Recipe Favorites
If you tried this Olive Oil Caramel Recipe or any other recipe on my blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it goes in the comments! I love hearing from you!
2-Ingredient Viral Olive Oil Caramel Sauce
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 1/2 cup maple syrup cold, right out of the fridge.
- a pinch of salt
Instructions
- Whisk everything together in a medium bowl until the mixture thickens1/3 cup olive oil, 1/2 cup maple syrup, a pinch of salt
- Use it with your pancakes, ice cream, or even greek yogurt!
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
yummy
Do you know how long it will last in the fridge? Do you recommend freezing it? Many thanks!
Because it has only two ingredients that are both very stable, it will last for months. I personally still have some in the fridge from when I posted this recipe. They will definitely separate and you will have to re-emulsify before you use it. But it should last for a while.
Thank you so much! Super yummy!
So glad you liked it!