SATURDAY, OCTOBER 12, 2024
Caramel Apples
Published: October 26, 2017 · Modified: Aug 31, 2023 by John Kanell
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This easy caramel apples recipe is a must-try! Coat crisp, tart apples with perfectly sweet, glossy from-scratch caramel for a festive fall treat or gift the whole family will love. (Plus, get ideas for how to decorate your caramel apples!)
A group of caramel apples on a wooden plate.
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It’s fall, and that means apple recipes galore in my house, whether I’m whipping up an apple dessert or decorating delicious caramel apples with the boys! With a few simple ingredients, basic tools, and a little time, you can make gourmet caramel apples right in the comfort of your own kitchen.
Unlike regular salted caramel sauce, the homemade caramel for this easy recipe is thick, buttery, and clings to the apples perfectly. The caramel for caramel apples needs to be sticky enough to hold on to the apple but soft enough to eat, which is why I add corn syrup to the caramel. It cannot be substituted here and is the simple trick for perfect homemade caramel apples. If you’re in the mood for more fall-inspired apple recipes, then try my homemade applesauce recipe, apple bread recipe, or apple turnovers recipe!
What You’ll Need for This Recipe
Ingredients to make caramel apples on a marble counter.
Apples — granny Smith are a popular choice because they are tart apples, which balances the sweetness of the caramel. But any apple you enjoy eating will work!
Brown sugar — light brown sugar is my preferred choice in this recipe, but you can really use whatever brown sugar you have on hand. (I’ve used a mixture of light and dark brown sugar in the past because that’s what was open in the pantry, and my homemade caramel turned out great!)
Heavy cream — heavy cream or whipping cream will work. Do not substitute with milk or half and half.
Light corn syrup — the secret ingredient for caramel that is perfectly sticky! I don’t use corn syrup often, but when I do, it’s because a recipe needs it. Do not skip it in this caramel apple recipe.
Butter — unsalted butter is ideal for this recipe in order to control how salty the caramel tastes. If you use salted butter, reduce the salt you add by about ¼ teaspoon.
Salt — what could be better than salted caramel? Salt enhances the flavor of the caramel, making it richer and more nuanced.
Vanilla extract — Be sure to use vanilla extract instead of essence. Vanilla essence is a synthetic product, while vanilla extract is made with actual vanilla beans.
How to Make Caramel Apples
Set of two photos showing skewer inserted into an apple and ingredients added to a saucepot.
1. Start by prepping your apples. Remove the wax coating on the skin by rubbing the skin vigorously with a kitchen towel dipped in hot water (or a paper towel). You could also dip the apple in hot water and then rub it well with a clean kitchen afterward. Dry each apple. Push a wooden skewer or apple stick through the apple. You can also use popsicle sticks. Try to get it in as straight as you can. Place the skewered apples on a baking sheet and refrigerate them while you make the caramel.
2. In a heavy-bottomed thick-walled saucepan (you need one that is small but relatively tall as the caramel does bubble up a lot), combine brown sugar, heavy cream, corn syrup, butter, and salt.
Set of two photos showing caramel cooking in a pot.
3. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon, until the butter has melted.
4. When the butter has melted, continue to cook the caramel, but do not stir. Wet a pastry brush with water and brush the sides down to prevent crystals from forming and ruining the caramel. You’ll need to do this a few times. Once the caramel reaches the soft ball stage (meaning it has a temperature of between 235°F and 240°F on a candy thermometer), remove it from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract. Let the caramel cool until it reaches 190°F.
Set of two photos showing apples getting dipped in caramel.
5. Now it’s time for the fun part: dipping the apples! Remove the apples from the refrigerator and carefully dip each one into the caramel sauce, letting the excess drip off.
6. At this point, you are basically done if you want plain caramel apples. Simply place the dipped apples on a silicone baking sheet or a piece of parchment paper or wax paper to set. Both options are non-stick, so your caramel apples will slip right off when they’re ready! If you want to decorate the apples (ideas below!), do so right after dipping them, and then place the decorated caramel apples onto the non-stick surface you chose. Slice the apple to make it easier to serve.
Three caramel apples decorated with chocolate nuts and sprinkles.
Pro Tips for Making This Recipe
Choose small to medium apples. Large apples can become a bit too cumbersome to handle, especially if you decorate them.
Refrigerate the apples. Once the apples are prepped, pop them into the fridge. Cold apples make it easier for the caramel to cling.
Gather the tools for making homemade caramel before you start working on it. Once you put the caramel ingredients on the heat, you shouldn’t step away from your stove until it is ready. So, make sure you have a wooden spoon, candy thermometer, pastry brush, and a small bowl of water ready and nearby.
Use a wooden spoon to stir the caramel. Wooden spoons don’t conduct heat well, so it won’t affect the temperature of the caramel or burn your hands while you stir.
Use a heavy-bottomed pot. Pots that are too thin can cause the caramel to burn on the bottom and become bitter.
Invest in a candy thermometer. This inexpensive tool is vital for a perfectly cooked caramel. It removes all the guesswork and makes the whole process a lot less stressful.
Pop bubbles in the caramel coating. While bubbles in the caramel won’t affect the flavor of your caramel apple, they will affect the look. So pop them! It’s really easy to do by lightly blowing hot air over the coating with a hairdryer or heat gun right after dipping.
Don’t waste leftover caramel! Pour it onto parchment paper and shape the caramel into a fairly uniform log. Once the caramel has cooled completely, cut it into smaller pieces and enjoy delicious buttery caramel candies. Or, wrap each one in some parchment paper to eat later.
Gift caramel apples. Homemade gifts are a sweet and thoughtful way to show appreciation for the special people in your life. After the caramel has set, wrap the apple in cellophane and tie it securely with a cute ribbon. Voila! You have a handmade gift ready to deliver!
A caramel apple cut into pieces.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which apples are good for this?
Granny Smith apples are the best apple for caramel apples. They are very tart, which balances out the sweet caramel. Honeycrisp apples also taste really good! No matter the type of apple you use, make sure that it is firm, with no soft spots.
How do you wash apples before making this recipe?
Prepping the apples correctly can make a world of difference to caramel apples. Apples are coated in wax, which is what often causes caramel to slide right off them. To remove the wax, dip your apples into very hot water, and then rub them vigorously with a clean kitchen towel.
How do you get caramel to stick to apples?
Start by cleaning the apples properly to remove the waxy coating from the apple skin (tips right above). Caramel needs to be the right temperature so that it sticks to the apples. If it’s too hot, too much will drip off. If it’s too cool, it won’t be thin enough to coat the apples. Your thermometer is your friend here. Keep it in the pot while cooling and start dipping when it hits 190F.
Can you make homemade caramel ahead of time?
Yes! If you want to make the caramel in advance and save it for a few hours, simply make the caramel and transfer it to a slow cooker on the low setting. This will keep the caramel warm so that it’s ready for apple dipping time! Be sure to stir it every so often so the butter doesn’t separate.
How do you decorate them?
There are so many options for how to decorate caramel apples! Chopped nuts (I like peanuts) are always a crowd-pleaser. You could also use mini M&Ms, crushed cookies, crushed pretzels, sprinkles, shredded coconut, or mini chocolate chips. Another option that is very visually pleasing is to drizzle some melted chocolate over the set caramel apple. Essentially, pick your favorite toppings and have fun!
How long do they last once made?
Homemade caramel apples will last for about two weeks in the refrigerator. I recommend removing them from the fridge and letting them come to room temperature before serving.
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Posted 2:34 PM