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Cinnamon Caramels

4.4 from 70 votes
Soft and chewy, with the bold color and flavor of red hot cinnamon, these caramels are the perfect treat for the cinnamon lover in your life.
photo of Danelle, author of Let's Dish
Published on , Updated October 22, 2025
4.4 from 70 votes

Soft and chewy, with the bold color and flavor of red hot cinnamon, these caramels are the perfect treat for the cinnamon lover in your life.

Cinnamon Caramels

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

I’m a huge fan of all things cinnamon, and these Cinnamon Caramels are probably one of my favorite homemade candy recipes on the blog!

I’m talking cinnamon bears, Hot Tamales, Red Hots, Big Red gum. I love all of it. So as far as I’m concerned, these amazing caramels are well worth the time and effort.

If you love cinnamon as much as I do, especially soft and chewy cinnamon treats, you are going to love these.  I couldn’t stop eating them! Okay, that may not be a good thing, but the point is, they’re irresistible.

If you don’t love cinnamon quite as much as I do, and you don’t want your caramels to be too hot, you can always cut back a bit on the cinnamon oil.

Just note that when it comes to candy flavorings, there’s a difference between oils and extracts. Be sure you’re using whichever one the recipe calls for. I usually order my cinnamon oil from Amazon.

Cinnamon Caramels

Honestly, I’m not a big candy maker, mostly because of all that waiting and stirring.  These do require a bit of patience and a strong stirring arm, but they are well worth it. 

Speaking of cinnamon candy, if you’ve never tried a chocolate covered cinnamon bear, you must! One day I’m going to cover these caramels in chocolate. I’m pretty sure they’ll be out of this world!

Keep in mind that not all candy thermometers are the same, but to help with that, check out this great tutorial on calibrating your candy thermometer.

With their pretty red color and intense cinnamon flavor, these Cinnamon Caramels are the perfect addition to your holiday candy making list. I hope you love them as much as I do.

Be sure to save this recipe to your favorite Pinterest board for later.

Cinnamon Caramels

Ingredients

  • Granulated sugar
  • Corn syrup
  • Heavy cream
  • Butter
  • Cinnamon oil
  • Red food coloring gel
Cinnamon Caramels

Cinnamon Caramels

Soft and chewy, with the bold color and flavor of red hot cinnamon, these caramels are the perfect treat for the cinnamon lover in your life.
4.41 from 70 votes
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Course: Desserts
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Servings: 12 servings
Calories: 498kcal
Author: Danelle

Ingredients 

  • 2 cups white sugar
  • 1 1/2 cups light corn syrup
  • 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
  • 1 cup butter plus some for buttering the pan
  • 2 teaspoons cinnamon oil
  • 1 teaspoon red food color gel

Instructions

  • Butter a 9×13 pan and set aside.
  • In a large saucepan over medium heat, combine the sugar, corn syrup, cream and butter. Cook, stirring almost constantly, until the mixture reaches 240 degrees. This may take up to 30 minutes.
  • Remove caramel mixture from heat and stir in the cinnamon oil and red food coloring.
  • Pour into buttered pan. Let cool to room temperature, then refrigerate to set.
  • Let caramel sit for 10-15 minutes at room temperature before cutting.
  • Wrap individual pieces in wax paper for storing or giving away.

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 498kcal | Carbohydrates: 67g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 27g | Saturated Fat: 17g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 74mg | Sodium: 156mg | Sugar: 67g
Keep scrolling for tips, ingredient substitutions, answers to frequently asked questions and more!

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29 comments

  • Does anyone have a recommendation for what I can sub the corn syrup for? I’m trying to make these for someone who loves hot tamales but just found out he’s allergic to corn

    • 5 stars
      In my pins I have a diy corn syrup recipe and it works good.

    • 5 stars
      You can use honey. That’s what I use and they turn out perfect

  • Barbara

    How long will these last out of the refrigerator if you want to gift them??

    • A
      Danelle

      I’d say at least a week. You can also freeze them if you want to make them sooner.

  • I can’t get it to set. Any suggestions on how to save it?

4.41 from 70 votes (68 ratings without comment)

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photo of Danelle, author of Let's Dish

Hello! I’m Danelle. Thanks for visiting.

At Let's Dish, I'm bringing a taste of uptown foodie to real-life, everyday meals! Here, I share simple, reliable recipes that make mealtime easy.
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