Let’s make homemade caramel apples! We’re using a totally from-scratch caramel sauce recipe that is absolutely delicious, coats the apples perfectly, and sets up beautifully. Enjoy the apples as-is or use one of the many ideas for garnishing provided below. This is such a wonderfully festive fall treat and a fun activity to do with kids!
Welcome to the October BEB Bake-Along recipe!
Growing up, I adored caramel apples and although I only ate maybe one per year, I was always excited to try a different flavor.
As an adult, I fell in love with all of the different flavors at Rocky Mountain Fudge Factory (their “apple pie” version became a fast favorite of mine) and while I have made shortcut versions with caramel candies in the past, I was long overdue for a truly homemade, honest-to-goodness, from-scratch recipe.
The wait is over!
What you need to make caramel apples
The list of ingredients and supplies isn’t long at all, which makes this a fairly straightforward project to tackle at home!
Slow cooker if you want to keep the caramel warm (for a caramel apple-dipping party!)
Baking sheet lined with parchment paper
How to prep the apples
The choice of apple is totally up to you! Feel free to use your favorite variety, but tart varieties like Granny Smith, Pink Lady, Braeburn, Cortland, McIntosh, Empire, and Jonathan apples are a great contrast to the sweet caramel.
Whichever you choose, it’s important to wash the apples well (scrub with your fingers) and dry them off. This helps to remove some of the waxy coating that is found on apples, which can cause the caramel coating to slide off the apple.
Once the apples are washed and dried, be sure to refrigerate them until they are thoroughly chilled, at least a few hours, but preferably overnight. Using chilled apples helps the caramel to set quickly once the apple is dipped, again helping to keep it from sliding off the apples.
Making the perfect caramel coating
One of the biggest pitfalls when making homemade caramel apples is getting that caramel coating juuuuuust right. Too thin and it slides right off the apples; too thick and it’s hard to dip, clumpy, and not very attractive!
We already talked about how prepping the apples properly (washing them and chilling them) can go a long way in caramel-dipping success.
Let’s discuss some other keys to making picture-perfect and absolutely delicious caramel:
Temperature is everything: We cook the caramel to 246 degrees F, but 245 to 250 degrees is an acceptable range. This is referred to as “firm ball” stage of candy-making, which means it will hold its shape at this stage, but is still soft and somewhat sticky. This is what we want! It needs to stick to the apple, but set smoothly, and still yet be soft enough to bite into and chew. This temperature range achieves all of that!
You control the caramel flavor! Once the sugar syrup comes to a boil, you will look for it to turn a light golden brown for traditional caramel flavor, but you can let it go a bit darker if you like a more bitter caramel flavor. Once it reaches your desired color, THEN you add the heavy cream and start keeping track of the temperature.
Let it set: As soon as you dip the apples, let the excess caramel drip off then transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Wait for the caramel to set completely before refrigerating for storage or dipping again if you plan to do an extra coating of melted chocolate.
While I do have a separate homemade caramel sauce recipe, it’s not super conducive to coating apples. To get the perfect texture for dipping apples here, we use equal amounts of sugar and heavy cream, no butter, and make sure we get it to that all-important temperature range. So while my homemade salted caramel sauce is awesome for many, MANY things, I don’t recommend it for dipping apples.
Garnishes galore!
While these are absolutely fantastic plain with just the caramel, you can go all-out with extra toppings and decorations! Here are some ideas:
Chopped peanuts
Mini chocolate chips
Mini M&Ms
Chocolate drizzle + sprinkles
White chocolate dip + cinnamon graham cracker crumbs
White chocolate dip + finely crushed Oreo crumbs
Dark chocolate dip + toffee pieces
What is your favorite version?
More delicious recipes with apples + caramel combo
Stick a lollipop stick into the center of each apple and place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Return to the refrigerator while you prepare the caramel.
Affix a candy thermometer to the side of a large, heavy saucepan.
Stir together the sugar, water, and salt in the saucepan. Place over medium heat and whisk constantly until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture comes to a rolling boil, then stop whisking.
Allow the mixture to boil until it turns a light golden brown, swirling the pan occasionally to assess the color, then slowly and carefully add the heavy cream (the mixture will bubble up ferociously).
Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, stirring constantly with a rubber or silicone spatula, until the mixture reaches 246 degrees F. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract.
Dip the apples in the caramel and return to the parchment-lined baking sheet, or roll in desired toppings. Allow the caramel to set completely, about 45 minutes. At this point, you can garnish further or serve. The caramel apples can be kept in the refrigerator for 1 week.
just had a caramel apple for the first time in my life today when one of my classmates brought them to school for everyone! totally love them! might be making them myself soon! :) great job on the pictures too
Do you know I have never had a caramel apple in my life? I’ve had plenty of apples, and in the last 5 years or so I’ve started to really enjoy caramel. But I’ve never had it together. Think as a kid I had a bad apple memory lol, of taking a bite of an apple and then a bite of a Charm’s sucker (together).
But these sure look lovely, and I can’t wait to read about all of the special creations from your readers.
Has anyone tried doing this with sliced apples? I have to make a dessert item for a funeral at our church and thought individual apple slices as the apples I bought recently at a local apple barn are huge. They wouldn’t go through my apple peeler, slicer, corer. But I thought if I quartered and cored the I could get several. I could make them in the morning to take to the funeral and thought of putting nuts on each one and a toothpick. Does anyone think this would work as they would all be eaten within a couple of hours of being made? Thank you. The funeral is tomorrow, October 2, 2020. Otherwise I could just make an apple pie.
I don’t believe that will work, because the interior of the apples will be wet. You need the apple dry for the caramel to stick. Plus, once cut, the apple will brown quickly.
Those look amazing. Mmmm…I love caramel apples. I am not allowed to hand out homemade goods on Halloween though. Against the law around here. I hand out candy and sometimes I put together small bags of special more expensive candies for my sons friends (I didn’t do that this year and only a handful came around). I would make these for me though. I am the only one in the house who would eat them. A few years back I found some of the Mrs Prindibles apples at Marshall’s and bought 2 of them. I gave one as a gift and kept the other for us. Hubby and son wouldn’t eat it. I ate the whole thing myself, within a couple of days.
These are so cute! I love caramel apples, but never think to make them. They had some beautiful caramel apples at my brother’s fiancee’s bridal shower and I have been thinking about making some ever since!
Oh my goodness. I’ve been eating candy and stuff all weekend and these STILL look so GOOD to me. That’s how good these are. I’ve never made caramel apples (although I did make a cake that sort of looked like one!) and I am not a fan of candied apples. The only caramel apple I’ve tried is caramel and peanuts but it wasn’t very good because the peanuts tasted very very stale. I am convinced that they’re not all like that though and I want to make your apple pie caramel apples very badly.
My all-time favorite is Apple Pie caramel apple. I always say I’m going to try something different, like M&Ms or s’mores always look good.. but I never do. Apple pie every time.
One of these days….. :)
All of your caramel apples look divine- I love them all! But I also love the bright red candied apples. They were what I looked forward to every summer when the carnival came to my little town. (And cotton candy of course.) :)
These look great, and I love all of the different toppings you used! Speaking of caramel, I just made and posted about some sea salt caramels today… I think you would really like them! :)
I’m actually having a Caramel Apple Party at my house tonight! We have caramel, mini reese’s pieces (one of my favorites!), chocolate chips, and maybe a few other things to dip them in. I’m very excited!!
What’s the reasoning behind refrigerating the apples overnight? Just curious. I am going to have a caramel apple making party for the kids! What fun!! BTW, love your blog!
I am definitely a caramel anything over a red candy apple! In the town I live in there is an ice cream shop that makes chocolate covered caramel apples with every kind of coating imaginable on the out side…they are absolutely the most delicious I have ever had! Never made any at home…remember the caramel discs that use to be out to wrap around the apple? My mom would buy them for me and I would just eat the caramel disc and never make the caramel apple…lol
just had a caramel apple for the first time in my life today when one of my classmates brought them to school for everyone! totally love them! might be making them myself soon! :) great job on the pictures too
Can I substitute brown sugar?
Do you know I have never had a caramel apple in my life? I’ve had plenty of apples, and in the last 5 years or so I’ve started to really enjoy caramel. But I’ve never had it together. Think as a kid I had a bad apple memory lol, of taking a bite of an apple and then a bite of a Charm’s sucker (together).
But these sure look lovely, and I can’t wait to read about all of the special creations from your readers.
Such a fun recipe to make. The caramel is super delicious !
Has anyone tried doing this with sliced apples? I have to make a dessert item for a funeral at our church and thought individual apple slices as the apples I bought recently at a local apple barn are huge. They wouldn’t go through my apple peeler, slicer, corer. But I thought if I quartered and cored the I could get several. I could make them in the morning to take to the funeral and thought of putting nuts on each one and a toothpick. Does anyone think this would work as they would all be eaten within a couple of hours of being made? Thank you. The funeral is tomorrow, October 2, 2020. Otherwise I could just make an apple pie.
I don’t believe that will work, because the interior of the apples will be wet. You need the apple dry for the caramel to stick. Plus, once cut, the apple will brown quickly.
How long will these apples keep if I wanted to make them ahead of time?
Hi Jeanette, They will keep up to a week in the refrigerator.
Those look amazing. Mmmm…I love caramel apples. I am not allowed to hand out homemade goods on Halloween though. Against the law around here. I hand out candy and sometimes I put together small bags of special more expensive candies for my sons friends (I didn’t do that this year and only a handful came around). I would make these for me though. I am the only one in the house who would eat them. A few years back I found some of the Mrs Prindibles apples at Marshall’s and bought 2 of them. I gave one as a gift and kept the other for us. Hubby and son wouldn’t eat it. I ate the whole thing myself, within a couple of days.
These are so cute! I love caramel apples, but never think to make them. They had some beautiful caramel apples at my brother’s fiancee’s bridal shower and I have been thinking about making some ever since!
Oh my goodness. I’ve been eating candy and stuff all weekend and these STILL look so GOOD to me. That’s how good these are. I’ve never made caramel apples (although I did make a cake that sort of looked like one!) and I am not a fan of candied apples. The only caramel apple I’ve tried is caramel and peanuts but it wasn’t very good because the peanuts tasted very very stale. I am convinced that they’re not all like that though and I want to make your apple pie caramel apples very badly.
This blog post is where it’s at! I have never seen so many different caramel apples.
My all-time favorite is Apple Pie caramel apple. I always say I’m going to try something different, like M&Ms or s’mores always look good.. but I never do. Apple pie every time.
One of these days….. :)
I like the Snickers version of the caramel apple. Don’t really care for the red candied apples.
I want one of each!
They all look SO good!!! Caramel apples make me weak! I got hooked at the rocky mountain chocolate factory while in Utah a couple years ago.
All of your caramel apples look divine- I love them all! But I also love the bright red candied apples. They were what I looked forward to every summer when the carnival came to my little town. (And cotton candy of course.) :)
i’m like 99.9% sure you bought your caramel apple at the rocky mountain chocolate factory across from the hockey hall of fame.
These look great, and I love all of the different toppings you used! Speaking of caramel, I just made and posted about some sea salt caramels today… I think you would really like them! :)
excellent recipe!!! well done!!! :D
oh yum! all the different flavors look fantastic! i havent had a caramel apple in years, but i’m craving one now!
Did you get your Toronto one from “Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory” it’s their speciality. Amazing.
I’m actually having a Caramel Apple Party at my house tonight! We have caramel, mini reese’s pieces (one of my favorites!), chocolate chips, and maybe a few other things to dip them in. I’m very excited!!
To Die For!!! These look amazing! By far my favorite fall treat. Great job!
What’s the reasoning behind refrigerating the apples overnight? Just curious. I am going to have a caramel apple making party for the kids! What fun!! BTW, love your blog!
Hi Nicki, Refrigerating the apples overnight gets them nice and cold, which helps the caramel to adhere better. Enjoy your party!
WOW! These apples look great!
There’s still time to make these… YUM!
This year I made caramel apples dipped in semi-sweet chocolate and rolled in Heath toffee bits. YUM!
ohhhh, reeses caramel apple
I am definitely a caramel anything over a red candy apple! In the town I live in there is an ice cream shop that makes chocolate covered caramel apples with every kind of coating imaginable on the out side…they are absolutely the most delicious I have ever had! Never made any at home…remember the caramel discs that use to be out to wrap around the apple? My mom would buy them for me and I would just eat the caramel disc and never make the caramel apple…lol
I agree with you. Caramel apples beat the red candy apples for awesomeness hands down! All of these apple look amazing.
Reason #314 why it’s a blessing that photos don’t have calories.
Those are sooooo cool! Love them!