How To Make Homemade Caramel Apples
Homemade caramel apples are a yummy fall treat the whole family will love! Crisp, tart apple covered in homemade caramel and your choice of toppings, they are perfect for Halloween parties, fall festivals, school treats, or a fun afternoon in the kitchen with the kids.
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When caramel apples hit the store, fall feels official.
While the store bought ones are good, sometimes you can tell they have been sitting there for awhile as the apples are a bit soft when you bite into them.
When you make these homemade caramel apples, you know the apples are going to be crisp and tart.
Plus you get to be creative with toppings and it’s a fun project to keep the kids entertained on a rainy fall afternoon.
With their thick coating of chewy caramel and your favorite toppings, everyone will love the results!
Ingredients
To make these you’ll need:
- Apples– Refrigerated Granny Smith apples.
- Sugar– Brown.
- Heavy cream– Don’t substitute lighter cream or dairy here.
- Butter
- Vanilla– Real is best.
- Salt– To balance the sweet.
- Garnish– Like chopped nuts or sprinkles.
You will also need lollipop candy sticks or popsicle sticks.
How to Make
Making homemade caramel apples is a fun project to do during the fall.
Start by washing and drying the apples.
Then push a candy stick into the center of each apple.
Put the apples back in the fridge while you make the caramel.
To make the caramel, cook the brown sugar, heavy cream, corn syrup, and butter in a large pot over medium heat, whisking frequently.
Keep cooking and whisking until the caramel is bubbling and reaches a temperature of 235° F.
Then, take the caramel off the heat and let it cool for 10 minutes.
It will thicken during this time.
Dip each apple into the caramel, letting the excess drip off.
If you are using toppings, dip the caramel apples into them immediately.
Set them down onto a parchment lined baking sheet and let them cool for at least 20 minutes before serving.
Enjoy!
Storing Leftovers
These are best enjoyed within a few days, but you can store them in the refrigerator for up to 1 week if you individually wrap the apples in parchment or wax paper.
Tips and Tricks
- Use a candy thermometer to make sure you heat the caramel to the right temperature.
- Stir, stir, stir! It will help prevent the sugar from burning when you make the caramel.
- Chopped nuts and/or sprinkles are traditional toppings but you could get creative. Crushed Snickers bars, M&Ms, Oreo crumbs, graham cracker crumbs or shredded coconut all make yummy, fun toppings.
- Want to get the kids involved? Make the caramel yourself so the little ones don’t burn themselves, but let them help you dip the apples in toppings of their choice.
Other Fall Treats
Homemade caramel apples are a yummy, fun fall treat to have for a party or just to celebrate autumn.
Make them and enjoy!
Looking for other homemade fall treats?
Try these:
- Pecan Pie Muffins
- Pumpkin Pie Rice Krispie Treats
- Apple Cider Glazed Donuts
- Marshmallow Popcorn Balls
- Pumpkin Sugar Cookies
- Slow Cooker Maple Walnuts
- Caramel Apple Snickers Salad
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How To Make Homemade Caramel Dipped Apples
Ingredients
- 10 granny smith apples fridge-cold
- 10 candy sticks
- 2 cups brown sugar
- 1 ½ cups heavy cream
- ¾ cup corn syrup
- ⅓ cup butter
- 1 tablespoon vanilla
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- Chopped nuts/sprinkles for garnish optional
Instructions
- Wash and dry the apples, push a candy stick into the center of each apple, then return to the fridge while you prepare the caramel.10 granny smith apples, 10 candy sticks
- In a large pot over medium heat, combine the brown sugar, heavy cream, corn syrup, and butter.2 cups brown sugar, 1 ½ cups heavy cream, ¾ cup corn syrup, ⅓ cup butter
- Cook, whisking frequently, until the caramel is bubbling and reaches a temperature of 235 F.
- Remove the pot from heat and immediately whisk in the extract and salt until evenly combined. Allow the caramel to sit and cool and thicken for 10 minutes.1 tablespoon vanilla, ¼ teaspoon salt
- Dip each apple into the caramel, allow excess to drip off, if using toppings dip into toppings immediately before setting down onto a parchment lined baking sheet.Chopped nuts/sprinkles for garnish
- Allow to cool for at least 20 minutes before serving. Store any leftovers in the fridge.
Notes
- Use a candy thermometer to make sure you heat the caramel to the right temperature.
- Stir, stir, stir! It will help prevent the sugar from burning when you make the caramel.
- Chopped nuts and/or sprinkles are traditional toppings but you could get creative. Crushed Snickers bars, M&Ms, Oreo crumbs, graham cracker crumbs or shredded coconut all make yummy, fun toppings.
- Want to get the kids involved? Make the caramel yourself so the little ones don't burn themselves, but let them help you dip the apples in toppings of their choice.
Nutrition
This post may contain affiliate links. As an amazon associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. See my full Disclosure Policy for details. As always, all opinions are my own.
