Caramel Dipped Candy Apples (Printable)

Crisp apples enveloped in buttery caramel and topped with a touch of flaky sea salt.

# What You Need:

→ Apples

01 - 8 small to medium crisp apples (Granny Smith or Honeycrisp), washed and dried
02 - 8 wooden sticks

→ Caramel

03 - 1 cup unsalted butter
04 - 2 cups packed light brown sugar
05 - 1 cup light corn syrup
06 - 1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk
07 - 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
08 - 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

→ Topping

09 - 2 to 3 teaspoons flaky sea salt for sprinkling

# How-To Steps:

01 - Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and lightly grease. Insert wooden sticks firmly into each apple through the stem end. Set aside.
02 - In a large heavy-bottomed saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Stir in brown sugar, corn syrup, sweetened condensed milk, and fine sea salt.
03 - Stir constantly with a heatproof spatula or wooden spoon until the mixture comes to a boil.
04 - Attach a candy thermometer to the pan. Continue stirring and cook until caramel reaches 240°F (10 to 15 minutes).
05 - Remove from heat immediately. Stir in vanilla extract.
06 - Allow caramel to cool for 2 to 3 minutes so it thickens slightly but remains pourable.
07 - Dip each apple into the caramel, turning to coat evenly. Let excess drip off, then place on the prepared baking sheet.
08 - While caramel is still tacky, sprinkle each apple lightly with flaky sea salt.
09 - Let apples set at room temperature for at least 30 minutes until caramel is firm.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • The contrast of buttery caramel against crisp apple with that salty finish tastes like autumn wrapped around a stick.
  • You can make a batch in under an hour, which means homemade candy apples without the stress.
  • They're naturally vegetarian and gluten-free, so almost everyone at your table can enjoy one.
02 -
  • The candy thermometer is non-negotiable—eyeballing the temperature will give you inconsistent results, and I've had batches turn out rock-hard because I thought I could guess the soft-ball stage.
  • If your apples have any waxy coating, briefly dip them in boiling water and dry them thoroughly, otherwise the caramel won't stick no matter how carefully you work.
03 -
  • Room temperature apples work better than cold ones—cold fruit causes the caramel to set too quickly and unevenly, creating bare patches.
  • If your caramel becomes too thick before you finish dipping, gently reheat it over low heat for a minute or two rather than adding liquid, which will throw off your whole batch.
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