Homemade Caramel Apples are easy to make and are the perfect fall and winter treat. Dip Granny Smith apples in homemade caramel, chocolate, and roll in crushed candies.
Fall is the perfect time of year to make homemade goodness. Each holiday season, we made roughly 200 of these homemade Caramel apples to give out to friends and customers as little thank you’s. Happy recipients include the mail carrier, UPS driver, teachers, principal, vice principal and of course the bus driver. Pretty much anyone that you can think of that helps make our lives easier. Let me say that most everyone really appreciates things you make from scratch. They are almost shocked when you bring them something handmade or you baked from scratch. Probably because many busy parents have gotten away from making things at home. So when you do, it’s so special.
To melt the chocolate I use these Stainless steel double boiler melting pots. I have two. One for dark chocolate and one for white chocolate. They are so easy to use and fit in most of the saucepans you already own!
How to make Caramel Apples:
Step 1: Make homemade caramel. While it cooks, do NOT walk away from the pot, or it may burn! Use a wooden spoon to occasionally stir the caramel. Once it becomes caramel, keep the pot over low heat, just to keep it warm enough to dip apples.
Step 2: Twist the stem off of each apple. Make sure apples are room temperature.
Step 3: Push wooden apple sticks (7-inch wooden apple sticks) into straight into each apple. Use a kitchen towel to protect the palm of your hand, or you will eventually bruise.
These apples are dipped in homemade caramel, let dry and then dip in melted chocolate. While the chocolate is wet, roll the apples in anything you want. Dig through your kitchen cabinets and see what you have. We love toasted coconut, granola, chopped candy pieces (toffee, mints, candy canes, Reese’s peanut butter cups, etc.), M&M’s, chopped nuts or even a cinnamon-sugar mix to create an apple pie version.
Step 4: While the caramel is hot, dip each apple in and shake off any excess. Set each dipped apple onto a prepared half sheet pan, lined with parchment paper.
I love pre-cut sheets of parchment paper. That way I’m not messing around with it rolling up and tearing it off. You’ll love these and probably never buy a roll of parchment again!
Step 5: Let the caramel set before dipping into melted chocolate. Shake off excess melted chocolate and roll in crushed candies, nuts, or toasted coconut. Sit back on a clean piece of parchment paper and let the chocolate set. Drizzle with melted white chocolate for added detail if desired.
Pro Tip:
There are so many options for decorating and making these Caramel Apples. I love making them in the fall and winter, so I can use the outdoors or our garage as a cooler. Because when you make a bunch of these delicious babies, you won’t be able to stick them in your fridge.
When done, you can package them up in food safe plastic bags and tie with a piece of twine or ribbon. Store them in a cool and dark place for up to two-weeks. Bring to room temperature for about 20 minutes, before using a chef’s knife to slice them. This makes them easy to enjoy.
For more great apple recipes:
Southern Fried Apple Hand Pies
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Caramel Apples
Ingredients
- 2 cups brown sugar packed
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
- 1 cup corn syrup
- 1 can sweetened condensed milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 12 Granny Smith apples
- 1 pound semisweet chocolate chips
- various toppings
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan, over medium heat combine the brown sugar, butter and corn syrup. Once they are melted, add the can of sweetened condensed milk and stir. Heat until it comes to 245 degrees F. Stir continuously with a wooden spoon. Be careful not to burn. Remove from heat and add the vanilla. Let cool slightly before dipping apples.
- Place caramel dipped apples on half sheet pans lined with parchment paper. Let the caramel harden in a cool place. Then dip in melted chocolate. While the chocolate is still wet, roll the apples in your desired toppings.
- If you are doing a topping such as candy pieces (such as M&M's), let the chocolate harden slightly before pressing on the candy. Otherwise it will slide off.
Let the apples dry in a cool location. If it's winter, I often times will store them in our garage on a folding table. Once the chocolate is set package up the caramel apples in food safe bags and tie up with a twist tie.
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Thank-you Jessica, for the reminder of taking time in our lives to do something for yourself or someone else. This is often forgotten, since we are all “so busy”.
Thanks for this delicious recipe, Jessica! It looks delicious! I am so excited to try. Perfect for this time of year 🙂 I love the step by step photos.
This looks delicious and yummy. I would like to try this recipe. Thanks for sharing.
Yummy yummy to my tummy. I have not eaten a caramel apple since I was a kid. I love them though. I need to do this and have a project with my daughter. She LOVES to do things with mommy and she loves making messes, so this would be a double win.
Look so yummy! Great idea to give away as a gift to teachers, bus drivers, etc.! Love it!
Anything handmade is extra special. I bet people who received this had a huge smile on their face. Looks yummy and easy to prepare.
aww, I can’t eat apples unfortunately but these look so yummy almost like candy!
Oh wow! This looks yummy and so easy to make. My nephews will love this. I will try this on weekend!
Ohhh these look so good, great for parties. They look super festive too!
Oh gosh! These caramel apples look so mouthwatering!!! Yum!
Thanks for this post! These caramel apples look so good. I’m going apple picking on Sunday and will have a bunch of apples perfect for dipping!
Now I am feeling hungry. Caramel Apples looks amazing. Rare to find green apples here but whenever I find some will definitely going try this recipe for sure.
These look delicious and so easy to make! My daughters would have so much fun helping in the kitchen and even more fun delivering them to our neighbors!
Oooh! Caramel and chocolate!! Those two are my favorites! Plus the juicyness of the apple, yum! This look delish!
Such a great treat too!
What kind of chocolate did you use for the dipping? They look amazing!!!
Hi Stacy,
I like to use dark chocolate or semisweet chocolate. I used Ghirardelli semisweet chocolate chips this time. They had them in a large package at BJ’s and they taste amazing!