How to Make Caramel Apples
This recipe teaches how to make caramel apples from scratch and customize them with chocolate, candy bar crumbles, crushed Oreos, chopped nuts, sea salt and more!
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Servings: 12 apples
Calories: 335kcal
Equipment
- Popsicle Sticks
- Stainless Steel Pot
- Silicone Spatula
- Instant-Read Thermometer
- Heat-Proof Bowl
- Baking Sheet
- parchment paper
Ingredients
- 12 apples medium-size
- ¾ cup water filtered
- 2 cups sugar granulated or light brown
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 ⅔ cups heavy cream chilled
- toppings chocolate chips, chopped nuts, shredded coconut, cookie crumbles, dye-free sprinkles, etc.
Instructions
Prepare the Apples
- Wash and dry the apples thoroughly. Homesteading Hack: If you use store-bought apples, dip them in boiling water and wipe them with a paper towel to remove the wax.
- Skewer the apples with the sticks so the sticks can work as handles.
- Place apples on sticks into the refrigerator to chill.
- Prepare a baking sheet by lining it with parchment and set it aside.
Make the Caramel
- Combine sugar, salt, and water in a large stainless steel pot. Whisk together over medium heat until boiling.
- Once the sugar water is boiling, allow it to cook without stirring until golden brown (this takes 8-10 minutes). A light golden color will give a traditional caramel flavor, but you can cook it a moment or two longer for a richer taste.
- When the sugar reaches your desired color, add the cream. It will bubble up and spit significantly! Reduce the heat to medium-low and stir constantly with a silicone spatula until the temperature reaches 248℉.
- Scrape the caramel into your heat-proof bowl and cool briefly (but not below 215°F).
Decorate the Apples
- Take your skewered apples out of the refrigerator and dip them one at a time into the caramel to coat the top and sides. The cold of the apples should cause the caramel to harden quickly around the apple so it won’t drip much.
- Roll the freshly dipped apples in toppings or place dipped apples onto the parchment-lined baking sheet and sprinkle with toppings as desired.
- Return the dipped apples to the refrigerator for about half an hour to allow the caramel to set completely. Store caramel apples for up to a week in the fridge.
Notes
- Nutrition Facts do not include the added toppings, only the apple and the caramel.
- This caramel apple recipe was featured in issue No. 26 of In the Homestead Kitchen Magazine. You can subscribe to start each month with new ideas and inspiration to bring your family together in your homestead kitchen.
Nutrition
Serving: 1apple | Calories: 335kcal | Carbohydrates: 59g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 37mg | Sodium: 206mg | Potassium: 227mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 53g | Vitamin A: 584IU | Vitamin C: 9mg | Calcium: 34mg | Iron: 0.3mg
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