One of my family’s favorite apple desserts is this delicious homemade caramel apple recipe. We make it every year in the fall, and the kids look forward to that night all year. I love how pretty these caramel apples turn out…they look like those fancy gourmet caramel apples you can find in boutiques and candy stores! Caramel apples make great gifts that you can personalize to lots of different personalities and taste preferences.
WHAT APPLES ARE BEST FOR MAKING CARAMEL APPLES?
I have found that some of the best apples you can use to make delicious homemade caramel apples are apples that are a bit sweet with some tartness to them. I also like to use apples that are nice and crispy! Here are my favorite apples to use for homemade caramel apples.
- granny smith apples
- honeycrisp apples
- fuji apples
- Johnathon apples
- johnagold apples
- cosmic crisp
- gala apples
CARAMEL APPLE TOPPINGS AND ADD ONS
- Nuts (pecans, walnuts, almonds, peanuts)
- melted chocolate drizzle
- white chocolate drizzle
- mini chocolate chips
- dipped in melted milk chocolate
- dipped in melted white chocolate
- toffee bits
- sprinkles
- crushed candy bars (butterfinger, heath, snickers)
- cinnamon
- shredded coconut
- crushed Oreo cookies
- crushed pretzels
- mini m&m pieces
WHAT CAN I DIP INTO CARAMEL SAUCE?
If you are NOT going to be making dipped caramel apples with this caramel sauce, you can serve it in a bowl and dip your favorite items into the caramel sauce or serve it over ice cream! I also use this caramel recipe to make our Homemade Turtles for Christmas! Some of our favorite items to dip in the caramel sauce are shared below:
- apple slices
- pear slices
- pretzels
- graham crackers
- strawberries
- nilla wafers
- serve with apple pie
- serve with ice cream
- serve with waffles or pancakes
HOW TO GET CARAMEL TO STICK TO APPLES
There are generally two reasons your caramel doesn’t stick to your apples.
- wax coating on the apples
- apples are not cold enough
- caramel not cooked long enough or thickened
I share how to prepare your apples before dipping them in caramel so you get the best results possible.
PREPARE YOUR APPLES FOR DIPPING IN CARAMEL
REMOVE WAXY COATING FROM APPLES
Your apples from the grocery store will most often have a wax coating on them. You will need to remove this wax coating so that the caramel will be able to stick to your apples well without sliding off. You can remove this wax coating pretty easily with a little bit of extra effort.
Simply fill a bowl or a sink with the apples with hot water. Let the apples soak in the water for a couple of minutes. Remove them one at a time and wipe the entire apple with a paper towel to remove the waxy coat. If you need a little extra help you can add a little bit of vinegar to the hot water to give you a little more scrubbing power. Let the apples dry completely before dipping in the caramel.
USE COLD APPLES TO DIP IN CARAMEL
Yes! You will also want to refrigerate your apples after washing them as a cold apple will help the caramel to harden more quickly and will help prevent the caramel from running off of the dipped apple.
INSERT STICKS
You will want to lay out some wax paper on a cookie sheet and get your apples ready for dipping. Make sure they are washed according to the instructions above and completely dry and cold. Then insert a wooden popsicle stick (or sucker stick) into the TOP of the apple before making your caramel. You can remove the apple stem if you want. I usually like to remove the apple stems. Then set them aside so that they are all ready to go.
Set up your toppings in separate dishes so you can roll them in the toppings as soon as your caramel is ready.
HOW LONG WILL A CARAMEL APPLE LAST?
Caramel apples can last up to two weeks if they are stored properly and kept refrigerated. I wouldn’t wrap them with cellophane until I am ready to gift them or use them. But, I prefer to use them as soon as possible as you can get a little sweating from the apple under the caramel.
DO CARAMEL APPLES NEED TO BE STORED IN THE FRIDGE?
Caramel apples are perishable so yes, they will need to be kept in the fridge. This will keep them nice and fresh and extra crispy for when you are able to eat them.
HOW DO YOU SAVE A CUT CARAMEL APPLE?
Sometimes the caramel apples are hard to eat. So we will sometimes just make the caramel apples and then slice them up to share with everyone. Or, you can just slice the apples into apple slices and just dip the individual slices into the caramel and the different toppings. Serving the apples as slices also allows you to get a few different toppings and try different combinations!
HOW TO STORE LEFT OVER CARAMEL SAUCE
Finally, if you have leftover or excess caramel sauce, it can be kept for up to two weeks in the fridge in an airtight container. If the sauce thickens after being refrigerated, gently reheat it before serving in the microwave or reheat the sauce back up in a saucepan on the stove.
SUPPLIES NEEDED FOR CARAMEL APPLES
- large saucepan
- wooden spoon
- apples
- toppings
- wax paper or parchment paper
- jelly roll pan or baking sheet
- wooden popsicle sticks
- cellophane wrap
- candy thermometer (optional)
- dishes for toppings to dip or roll apples in
INGREDIENTS FOR CARAMEL APPLE SAUCE
- butter
- brown sugar
- light corn syrup
- sweet and condensed milk
- pinch of salt
- vanilla extract
- toppings (see above for ideas)
HOW TO MAKE CARAMEL APPLE SAUCE
- In a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium heat.
- Add the packed brown sugar, corn syrup and sweetened condensed milk and stir together until creamy and smooth.
- While stirring constantly, bring the mixture to a light boil over medium heat. The bubbles should pop to the surface but should not be a really heavy rolling boil. Cook for a couple minutes. You will see the color start to brown slightly and thicken.
- Remove from heat immediately (don’t leave on too long or you can cause the caramel to harden or even scorch on the pan).
- Stir in the vanilla extract.
- Serve warm or at room temperature with apples and other items to dip in the caramel…OR use to dip your caramel apples into.
Caramel Apple Sauce Recipe
Delicious and creamy caramel apple sauce that is perfect for making caramel apples, or dipping sliced apples into. You can also drizzle it over your favorite apple pie or ice cream!
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1 1/2 cup brown sugar packed
- 3/4 cup corn syrup light
- 1 14 oz can sweetened condensed milk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 pinch salt
Instructions
-
In a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium heat.
-
Add the packed brown sugar, corn syrup and sweetened condensed milk and stir together until creamy and smooth.
-
While stirring constantly, bring the mixture to a light boil over medium heat. The bubbles should pop to the surface but should not be a really heavy rolling boil.
-
Cook for a couple minutes. You will see the color start to brown slightly and thicken.
-
Remove from heat immediately (don't leave on too long or you can cause the caramel to harden or even scorch on the pan).
-
Stir in the vanilla extract.
-
Serve warm or at room temperature with apples and other items to dip in the caramel…OR use to dip your caramel apples into.
MORE FAVORITE RECIPES TO PAIR WITH CARAMEL SAUCE TO CHECK OUT
- Homemade Ice Cream
- Apple Pie Recipe
- Mini Pies
- Peach Cobbler
- Peach Crisp Recipe
- French Toast Dippers
- Waffles Recipe
- Cinnamon Roll Pancakes
- Buttermilk Syrup
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