I saw a really yummy recipe that I'd love to try making SBD friendly but it calls for melting caramel squares. I think caramel is really just water and sugar, with maybe some vanilla, cooked. Can you use splenda in the same way, does anyone know?

Jenn, I've got some sugar free caramel syrup. I guess you could try boiling it down, but I think it would probably just recrystallize rather than thicken, and would also probably get way too sweet. If you could mix it with some thickener though, it might work - maybe with softened cream cheese with a little milk in it. Or you could try NSA caramel pudding. Jello has a dulce de leche flavor.

Hmmm. All great ideas but not for this particular recipe. It's supposed to be "candy-like." I've just never seen SF caramel but know they do it because it's in those SF Russel Stover candies. Oh well. No Easter dessert for me

There are sugar free caramels. I've seen them in the candy aisle in Walgreen's and I think Walmart.

The splenda website says you can't make candy with 100% splenda, they recommend substituting no more than 1/3 of the sugar with splenda in a candy recipe. You may be able substitute for more, but the results are unpredictable.

Kraft makes a sugar-free caramel syrup, and Milk Maid makes caramels with Splenda. I've seen them readily available in most stores. Would either of these work for you?

Jen, the one thing Splenda doesn't do is caramelize. Sadly. I don't know if any other sugar sub does (I'm thinking erythritol or xylitol, possibly), but I doubt it. Most SF caramel is made with malatol, but I have no idea if they caramelize it or just use flavoring.

Therefore, the best options are to use pre-made products. Cottage mentioned the two I'm most familiar with. I can't find Milk Maid caramels here, so when I do find them (usually in Wisconsin), I hoard bags of them! They work just like the sugar ones in terms of melting and stuff--I made caramel sauce with them before I found the one in the ice cream aisle. Sounds like it'd be perfect for this recipe (the Milk Maid ones, that is).

Good luck!

I've never seen the caramels ladies! So weird. I searched to no avail. I had a SF Jello Rice Pudding as my treat (on yet a little off) and it worked for me.
THANKS!

Jenn, they may not sell them in your area. Might find them online, though.

I've seen the caramel sauce (made by Smuckers) everywhere, though. Should be easy to find. If you're looking for pudding, try the SF Jell-O brand "Dulce de Leche" one. It's vanilla pudding with a layer of caramel on top. Delish!