How Long Is Homemade Butterscotch Good For?

The rich, extra-caramelly flavor of homemade butterscotch sauce is worth the comparatively paltry amount of work it takes to make it. However, every recipe you can find for this syrupy partner to homemade vanilla ice cream makes way more than you can use at one time (unless you're cooking for a whole football team). That's because you need a certain amount of sugar in the pan to control the heat efficiently, and temperature control is of paramount importance when you're creating any sugar-based treat.

Fortunately, a sufficient quantity of sugar also acts as a natural preservative, so butterscotch syrup, which is primarily sugar, can easily last for up to eight weeks when it's stored properly in the refrigerator and up to six months in the freezer. Exactly how long it lasts depends on a number of factors, including the ingredients you use and how well you prepare it for storage.

When your butterscotch syrup is ready, allow it to cool slightly on the counter before transferring it to an airtight container. Once it is cool enough to comfortably touch, you can pop it in the refrigerator for up to eight weeks, depending on the original freshness of the other ingredients. You can tell if your butterscotch has gone bad because the cream and butter will separate and develop off flavors.

If you don't think you'll use the sauce in the next couple of weeks, it's time to freeze it. It's best to avoid freezing it in glass containers, since they can crack in the freezer when the food inside freezes and expands. But, do put the sauce in a freezer-safe container and leave some headspace for the expansion. You can freeze it for up to six months. 

It's handy to freeze the sauce in quantities small enough that you can use everything you defrost, since the texture worsens each time you refreeze it. Besides, smaller packages defrost quicker. Do your defrosting in the refrigerator for safety's sake. Stir it well before using it, since dairy can separate when frozen.

Once your butterscotch sauce thaws, you can reheat it in the microwave by blasting it in 30-second intervals, stirring between each session. Or, you can pour it into a small pot and heat it gently over low heat while stirring frequently.

When you're done, you can store it in the fridge for whatever time is left on the refrigerator clock or until it goes bad. For example, if you froze it after two weeks in the fridge, you have six weeks left. But, there's no way to be exact because it depends on all of the same factors it did before, so keep an eye on the color and texture. If anything looks off, chuck it. It's cheap and easy to replace (hospital bills, not so much).

You can then use the sauce just as you did before. Drizzle it on ice cream or baked goods, use it as a fruit dip, make butterscotch popcorn, or stir it into hot coffee. Or, add a tipple of booze to create whiskey-butterscotch sauce, aka butter-scotch sauce. You can also just enjoy it by the spoonful. You made it — eat it your way.