Gourmet Homemade Caramel Apples are easy and fun to make! The sweet, buttery caramel is perfect with crisp, tart Granny Smith apples, and you can decorate them with as many crunchy, chewy, nutty or crispy toppings as you want!
- What are the best apples for caramel apples?
- How to Make Caramel Apples
- Recipe FAQ’s
- Tips for Success
- How to Store Caramel Apples
- Decorating Caramel Apples
- More Caramel Recipes
- Homemade Caramel Apples Recipe Recipe
You know those huge, fabulous gourmet caramel apples at Disneyland? Those stunning orbs of caramel & chocolate with nuts & candy never fail to lure me in when I’m walking past the candy shop on Main Street.
The scent of that fresh caramel is possibly the most incredible aroma on earth. They are one of my favorite Disney treats along with the Jolly Holiday Raspberry Rose Macarons .
When Paul and I were dating back in college, one of our favorite things to do was go to Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory and buy a caramel apple to share. It was a splurge for us because we were broke undergrads, but totally worth it!
But even a delicious gourmet caramel apple is nothing compared to a fresh, made-from-scratch homemade caramel apple. Plus, you can make an entire batch of this easy caramel apples recipe for the price of just one apple from a candy shop!
Love all things caramel? Be sure not to miss our Easy Caramel Pecan Brownies and Homemade Caramel Pecan Sticky Buns !
What are the best apples for caramel apples?
Since the caramel itself is so sweet, we think the best apple for caramel apples are tart, firm Granny Smith apples. Not only do tart apples have great flavor and texture, but the color makes for the prettiest presentation with the vibrant green peeking through robes of thick caramel. Envy and Honeycrisp apples are good second choices.
Look for apples that are small to medium size rather than the biggest apples you can find. By the time the apples are covered in caramel and other toppings, they will be massive! Plus, smaller apples gives a better apple to caramel ratio.
How to Make Caramel Apples
Before you start making your caramel, go ahead and get your apples set up by washing them well.
Stick sturdy candy sticks (not the thin ones but the really substantial, thick ones), tongue depressors, popsicle or wooden craft sticks, or even sturdy, cleaned twigs for a really rustic look, into each apple, right down through the core.
Then set your apples on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and set them in the freezer to chill while you make the caramel.
Using cold apples is super helpful because it will allow the hot caramel to set faster and adhere to the apple when you go to dip them.
Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the brown sugar, corn syrup, and sweetened condensed milk, then continue to cook and stir until combined.
Remove the caramel from the heat and immediately stir in the vanilla extract.
Then dip each cold apple into the hot caramel, rotating quickly to coat all sides and letting the excess caramel drip off before transferring the dipped apples to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
The best technique for dipping is to plunge the apple in and out quickly, rolling it around if necessary but not letting it linger in the hot caramel.
As the apple warms up from the heat of the caramel, it makes it so that the caramel has a harder time setting up and it tends to slump down the sides of the apple.
A quick in-and-out approach works best because the apple stays cold, letting the caramel have a better grip to set up more quickly.
It’s not totally necessary to chill the apples in the freezer or fridge before dipping them in the homemade caramel, but using cold apples does help the hot caramel stick and set faster.
Waxy apples can make the caramel slide off. To remove the wax, place the apples in very hot water for a few seconds to remove the wax, then rinse in cool tap water. If the wax is particularly stubborn, you can also scrubbing the apples with a little apple cider vinegar using a vegetable brush or paper towel, then rinsing well.
The biggest issue to watch for (and this really is a big problem if it happens) is if the butter in the caramel separates, which usually happens because you have finished the caramel but let it sit too long without stirring or transfer it to a crockpot and leave it on low for a long time. None of the caramel will stick to the apples if there is a thin layer of separated butter on the top of the caramel. If that starts to happen, it’s going to take some elbow grease and a really strong wooden spoon to bring the caramel back together, but it can be done. Just turn the heat off and let the caramel cool down for a while, then stir, stir, stir, until it comes back together.
Tips for Success
- Don’t use wax paper or aluminum foil. It has a tendency to melt from the heat of the caramel and stick to the bottom of the apple. Use parchment paper instead.
- Invest in an inexpensive candy thermometer (affiliate link) . Yes, there are tests you can do by dropping small amounts of your cooked caramel in a bowl of water to determine what stage it is at, but it is so, so much easier and far more reliable to just use a thermometer.
- Stick close by your caramel while it is cooking. It is going to take about 12-15 minutes for the caramel to come up to temperature and you will want to stir it almost constantly to make sure it isn’t burning on the bottom and that the ingredients are combining well to create the caramel.
How to Store Caramel Apples
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!)
Decorating Caramel Apples
After dipping your apples into the caramel, you can top them with as many toppings as your heart desires! You can go as simple or crazy as you like.
I tend to favor simpler caramel apple toppings like just pecans or toasted coconut.
But Paul loves an apple pie version of a homemade caramel apple (I’ve included additional instructions in the recipe below on how to make those), and kids always seem to go for the Oreos, pretzels or M&Ms (or whatever spare Halloween candy you may still have around).
And melting some dark or milk chocolate to drizzle over the apples makes for a really fancy (but super easy) presentation.
Here are some of our favorite caramel apple toppings:
- chopped nuts (pecans, peanuts, or sliced almonds are always popular)
- mini M&M’s (the regular size ones are too big and will just pull the caramel off the apple)
- candy corn
- toasted coconut
- crushed cookies like Oreos, graham crackers, and Biscoff
- pretzels
- melted white, milk, or dark chocolate
- cinnamon sugar mixture
- crushed butterfingers, snickers, or other candy bars
More Caramel Recipes
- Easy Homemade Cream Caramels
- Carmelitas (Oatmeal, Chocolate, Caramel Bars)
- Caramel Oreo Fudge Ripple Ice Cream
- Salted Caramel Cheesecake Bars
Candy
Chocolate Caramel Pretzel Bark
Pie
Caramel Apple Pie
Brownies and bars
Caramel Cornflake Brownies
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Homemade Caramel Apples Recipe
Ingredients123
- ▢ 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.
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. 10-15 Granny Smith apples
- 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 (affiliate link) (about 12-15 minutes but you definitely want to use a candy thermometer (affiliate link) for this step!). You will want to stir almost constantly to avoid burning the caramel on the bottom of the pan. 1 cup salted butter, 2 cups light brown sugar, 1 cup light corn syrup, 14 ounces sweetened condensed milk
- 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. 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 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!
Video
Notes
- 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
I took a triple batch of caramel to my daughter’s Kindergarten class and kept it warm in the slow cooker. We dipped and decorated apples for their Halloween party, which was so much fun! Everybody got to take their apple home and eat it there.
This is my cute little witch at her Kindergarten class party with her Jack-O-Lantern caramel apple. I cannot believe she is in 8th grade now!
This post was originally published in November, 2016. The photos and content were updated in September, 2022.
Recipe originally from Jamie Cooks It Up .
Homemade Caramel Apples Recipe
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.
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. 10-15 Granny Smith apples
- 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. 1 cup salted butter, 2 cups light brown sugar, 1 cup light corn syrup, 14 ounces sweetened condensed milk
- 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. 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 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!
Video
Notes
- 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
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