Caramelization: what really happens when sugar browns

Temperatures (approximate)

• Fructose starts caramelizing around 110°C (230°F).
• Sucrose (table sugar) around 160-170°C (320-338°F).
• Darker caramel gets more bitter; past roughly 200°C it burns quickly.

Exact numbers vary with heating rate, moisture and impurities.

Wet vs dry caramel

Wet caramel (sugar + water) is easier to control; dry caramel is faster. Add hot cream carefully: it steams and spatters violently. Wear long sleeves and keep kids away.

"Caramelized" onions

Mostly Maillard plus some caramelization, over 30-60 minutes on medium-low. A splash of water deglazes the fond; a tiny pinch of baking soda speeds it but softens texture.

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Where these facts come from

• American Chemical Society: Reactions, food chemistry explainers
• Exploratorium: Science of Cooking
• USDA FSIS: Safe temperature chart
• FoodSafety.gov: Safe minimum internal temperatures
• Harold McGee, On Food and Cooking (Scribner, 2004): the standard reference on kitchen chemistry

Checked Oct 29, 2026. Temperatures given for reactions are typical ranges, not sharp switches; they shift with moisture, pH and time. Food-safety numbers always come from USDA/FoodSafety.gov.