Homemade Caramel Apples Recipe
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4.9
312 reviews
Excellent
Homemade Caramel Apples Recipe
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Gourmet Homemade Caramel Apples are so easy and fun to make! When the sweet, buttery caramel gets paired with crisp, tart apples, and then topped with as many crunchy, chewy, nutty or crispy toppings as you want, you will have confection perfection!
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Ingredients
- 10-15 Granny Smith apples
Caramel for dipping
- 1 cup salted butter
- 2 cups light brown sugar
- 1 cup light corn syrup
- 14 ounces sweetened condensed milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Optional Toppings
- White candy melts, cinnamon-sugar, crushed pretzels, chopped pecans, chopped peanuts, mini M&M's, crushed Oreos, toasted coconut, melted dark, milk, or white chocolate, chopped mini Reese's peanut butter cups, chopped Butterfingers, graham cracker crumbs, marshmallows, etc.
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Instructions
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Prepare the apples by washing the well to get any waxy residue off. Dry completely and stick a tongue depressor right into the apple from the top, jamming it in deep enough to hold firmly. Place the skewered apples on the prepared baking sheet and stick them in the freezer for 20 minutes while preparing your caramel.
- Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir in the brown sugar, corn syrup and sweetened condensed milk with a wooden spoon. Continue cooking and stirring over medium-high heat until the temperature of the caramel reaches 235-240°F on a candy thermometer (about 12-15 minutes but you definitely want to use a candy thermometer for this step!). You will want to stir almost constantly to avoid burning the caramel on the bottom of the pan.
- Remove the pan from the heat and immediately stir in the vanilla. Don't worry about the caramel bubbling a bit when the vanilla gets stirred in. Just keep stirring and it will all come together.
- Pull the (now-chilled) apples out of the freezer and dip them into the caramel, one at a time, letting excess caramel drip off the apple. Give the apple a quick flip upside down and hold it like that for 20 seconds or so to give the hot caramel a chance to set up on the cold apple before turning it right side up and setting the dipped apple down on the parchment paper. Repeat with remaining apples, then transfer to the fridge for 15 minutes to set completely.
- If you want to go beyond a traditional caramel apple, you can roll your caramel dipped apple into any of the toppings listed above (or whatever else you can think of that sounds good!) just after dipping the apple but before the caramel completely sets up.
- Once your apples have set completely, they can be loosely wrapped in cellophane and tied with a ribbon for a sweet gift!
Notes
- In a small bowl, mix together 1 cup sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon. Melt white candy melts or 2 cups white chocolate chips with 1 tablespoon shortening in the microwave in short 30 second bursts, stirring well between each burst, until melted. After dipping an apple in the caramel, let it set up for a few minutes in the fridge. Then dip the caramel apple into the melted white chocolate, scraping off any excess white chocolate so it is not too thick (or else it will start to slide off the caramel, especially once you add additional toppings). Immediately (before the white chocolate starts to set) roll the chocolate-covered apple in the cinnamon sugar mixture to coat. Return the dipped apple to the pan and allow it to set completely.
- Melt 2 cups milk chocolate chips with 1 tablespoon shortening in the microwave in short 30 second bursts, stirring well between each burst, until melted. After dipping an apple in the caramel, let it set up for a few minutes in the fridge. Then dip the caramel apple into the melted chocolate, scraping off any excess chocolate. Immediately roll the chocolate-covered apple in graham cracker crumbs to coat. Press marshmallows into the caramel, then drizzle with additional melted chocolate. Return the dipped apple to the pan and allow it to set completely.
- Storage: Refrigerate your caramel apples to keep them fresh. They will stay fresh weeks in the fridge (at least in theory - ours never make it that long because we eat them first!).
- Apple Pie Caramel Apples: In a small bowl, mix together 1 cup sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon. Melt white candy melts or 2 cups white chocolate chips with 1 tablespoon shortening in the microwave in short 30 second bursts, stirring well between each burst, until melted. After dipping an apple in the caramel, let it set up for a few minutes in the fridge. Then dip the caramel apple into the melted white chocolate, scraping off any excess white chocolate so it is not too thick (or else it will start to slide off the caramel, especially once you add additional toppings). Immediately (before the white chocolate starts to set) roll the chocolate-covered apple in the cinnamon sugar mixture to coat. Return the dipped apple to the pan and allow it to set completely.
- S'mores Caramel Apple: Melt 2 cups milk chocolate chips with 1 tablespoon shortening in the microwave in short 30 second bursts, stirring well between each burst, until melted. After dipping an apple in the caramel, let it set up for a few minutes in the fridge. Then dip the caramel apple into the melted chocolate, scraping off any excess chocolate. Immediately roll the chocolate-covered apple in graham cracker crumbs to coat. Press marshmallows into the caramel, then drizzle with additional melted chocolate. Return the dipped apple to the pan and allow it to set completely.
- Make-Ahead: You can cook the caramel up to 1 week in advance and keep it in the fridge. I have done this and then reheated it on the stove before transferring to the slow cooker and keeping it warm for up to 2-3 hours on the "low" setting by stirring every 10 minutes so the butter doesn't separate.
Nutrition Information
Show Details
Calories
650kcal
(33%)
Carbohydrates
116g
(39%)
Protein
4g
(8%)
Fat
22g
(34%)
Saturated Fat
14g
(70%)
Polyunsaturated Fat
1g
Monounsaturated Fat
6g
Trans Fat
1g
Cholesterol
62mg
(21%)
Sodium
248mg
(10%)
Potassium
407mg
(12%)
Fiber
4g
(16%)
Sugar
109g
(218%)
Vitamin A
772IU
(15%)
Vitamin C
9mg
(10%)
Calcium
170mg
(17%)
Iron
1mg
(6%)
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 10apples
Amount Per Serving
Calories 650 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 650kcal | 33% |
| Carbohydrates | 116g | 39% |
| Protein | 4g | 8% |
| Fat | 22g | 34% |
| Saturated Fat | 14g | 70% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 1g | 6% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 6g | 30% |
| Trans Fat | 1g | 50% |
| Cholesterol | 62mg | 21% |
| Sodium | 248mg | 10% |
| Potassium | 407mg | 9% |
| Fiber | 4g | 16% |
| Sugar | 109g | 218% |
| Vitamin A | 772IU | 15% |
| Vitamin C | 9mg | 10% |
| Calcium | 170mg | 17% |
| Iron | 1mg | 6% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
Genuine Reviews
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.9
312 reviews
Excellent
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