Easiest Gourmet Caramel Apples You’re Sure to Love!

Nothing says fall like caramel apples. They were always our best seller for every fall festival we did in our earlier years. I still make a batch every year to put everyones’s favorites by their Thanksgiving place setting. Come along as we make a batch of the easiest gourmet caramel apples ever!

Caramel apples are just the very essence of fall, aren’t they??? I simply cannot imagine letting the season go by without having at least one. With that in mind, I decided to share my favorite recipe for easy gourmet caramel apples with you today.

For years, we worked a fall festival with our food cart. There were a few other vendors besides us and the farm itself had a treat trailer onsite. I was surprised to learn that the only thing offered was cotton candy, popcorn, and shaved ice.

Granted, early in the season here in Colorado, temperatures were high and the shaved ice was a welcome treat for most visitors. But…no caramel apples? That just seemed inconceivable to me. So I decided to make my own and sell them there. After trying several recipes and suffering many fails, a friend gave me her favorite and with a few tweaks, it became my favorite too.

Choosing Your Apples

As far as I’m concerned, this is totally a matter of preference. The suggested apple for most recipes is the Granny Smith. This is because they are tart and offset the sweetness of the caramel. Jonathan and Honeycrisp are also good choices if you prefer a tart apple.

My go to has always been Fuji. I like a sweeter apple and they are firm which makes for easier dipping. I have used Gala as well without a problem. For the most part, if you like the apple to eat raw, chances are you will love it covered with caramel as well.

Preparation

Making the caramel, however, is only a fraction of the work. Unless you can pick your own apples, or at the very least visit a farmers market, you have some prep work to do. Store bought apples are waxed to make them look more appealing and extend life. Dipping a waxed apple in hot caramel will result in a pool of caramel with very little actually on the apple itself. It will slide right off. I’ve tried several methods to stop that from happening. Some worked and some were epic fails.

My favorite way to prep the apples is to dunk them in boiling water for 10-12 seconds. Dry them off and refrigerate for an hour. A cold apple holds the caramel better.

Since once you begin the process, you must stir the caramel often to avoid burning, it’s best to have everything you need ready to go. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper to place the dipped apples on. Remove the stem and poke your stick into each apple halfway down. I use cake pop sticks and they work very well.

Assemble all toppings. Once the apple is coated in caramel, you will need to quickly roll it in your toppings before the caramel sets. If you are using multiple toppings, it’s best to have them close by in bowls for easy dipping.

Making the Caramel

Topping Your Apples

There are so many toppings you can use on your gourmet caramel apples. Of course peanuts are the old standby. But if nuts are your choice, try walnut and pecan bits as well.

For sweetness overload candy is the bomb. M & M’s, Reeses, Heath bits, Butterfinger, or any other candy bits you can find in the baking aisle. Crushed Oreos also make a great topping. A little harder to find, Hershey Cinnamon Chips are my very favorite. Fall sprinkles make a gorgeous apple as well.

For Chocolate drizzled apples, Wilton chocolate melts are the best. Make sure the caramel is completely set. Refrigerating for 30 minutes will accomplish that. Melt your chocolate, hold over parchment paper and drizzle the chocolate with a fork. Return to the refrigerator for 15 minutes and wrap.

Not as hard as you thought right? I usually make them around this time each year to share with friends and family. It’s not only a fun and tasty treat but I think it brings back happy memories for most. I know it does for me!

We are a week into the fall season already! Is your home decorated to the max? If not, be sure to check out my Fall Home Tour while you’re here. Maybe there’s an idea or two you’ll want to use. The library is full of printable art for the season and free to members so be sure to stop there too. If you haven’t joined us yet I hope you will! Sign up below for complete access to the Printable Library and all the latest trends in seasonal decor.

Hope to see you again soon!