Homemade Caramel Apples

Why you’ll love it

• Real homemade caramel with just 5 ingredients.
• Fun to make with kids for Halloween parties.
• Endless toppings to match any theme.

Quick facts

Ingredients

• 8 small Granny Smith or Honeycrisp apples, cold
• 8 wooden sticks
• 1 cup (200 g) packed light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup (115 g) unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup (120 ml) light corn syrup
• 1 can (14 oz / 397 g) sweetened condensed milk
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• Toppings: chopped peanuts, melted chocolate, sprinkles, crushed cookies

Step-by-step method

1. Prep the apples. Dip the apples in boiling water for 5 seconds, then wipe them hard with a towel to remove the wax. Dry completely. Remove stems and push a stick into each top. Refrigerate while you make the caramel.

2. Start the caramel. In a heavy saucepan, combine the brown sugar, butter, corn syrup, condensed milk and salt. Stir over medium heat until melted and smooth.

3. Cook to temperature. Cook, stirring constantly, until it reaches 235–240°F (113–116°C) on a candy thermometer, about 12–15 minutes. It should be thick and deep golden.

4. Cool slightly. Remove from the heat, stir in the vanilla and let it cool 5–10 minutes, until it thickens enough to coat a spoon heavily.

5. Dip. Tilt the pan and dip each cold apple, twisting to coat. Let excess drip off, then scrape the bottom against the pan edge.

6. Add toppings. Roll in toppings right away and place on buttered parchment. Let set 30 minutes. Drizzle with melted chocolate if you like.

Tips for the best result

• Removing the wax is essential: otherwise the caramel slides right off.
• Cold apples help the caramel set faster and stay put.
• Slice and serve with a knife: it’s much easier to eat.

Storage

Refrigerate uncovered or loosely wrapped up to 1 week. Let them sit 15 minutes before eating.