caramelize

verb

car·​a·​mel·​ize ˈkär-mə-ˌlīz 

ˈker-ə-mə-,

ˈka-rə-mə-

caramelized; caramelizing

1

transitive : to subject (sugar or the sugar content of a food) to caramelization : to change into caramel (see caramel sense 1) by heating at high temperature

… flan bathed in caramelized sugar and topped with whipped cream …

—Penelope Casas

At a restaurant, some unlucky prep cook gets to peel, slice, and caramelize bags of onions in the morning.

—Stephanie Alleyne

2

intransitive : to change to caramel

Fructose begins to rapidly caramelize at around 200 degrees …

—Matthew Card

: to undergo caramelization

These sweet potatoes caramelize slightly in the oven, which gives them a sweet crunch as their flesh remains creamy.

—Lesley Porcelli

Examples of caramelize in a Sentence

The onions will take five minutes to caramelize.

Caramelize two cups of sugar.

Continue stirring until the sugar caramelizes.

Recent Examples on the Web

To really take your onion jam to the next level in the flavor department, cook the onions until caramelized before adding additional ingredients. —Cameron Beall, Southern Living, 12 Jan. 2025

Basically, instant espresso powder mimics those bitter, sweet, chocolatey, rich, caramelized notes that chocolate does. —Bon Appétit, 9 Jan. 2025

Then make sure to serve this with some bread for mopping up the complex, caramelized pan sauce. —Melissa Clark, New York Times, 6 Jan. 2025

The classic Portuguese egg tart — a layered puff pastry with a creamy, delicately sweet egg custard and caramelized top — showcases chef Siobhan Speirits' craft. —Meira Gebel, Axios, 17 Dec. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1837, in the meaning defined at sense 1