Easy homemade caramel apples

Nothing brings out autumn vibes like a caramel apple. But caramel is notoriously fussy, so I wanted to make an easy caramel apple recipe.

I worked alongside a pastry chef to make caramel apples and then spent countless hours testing methods at home. I made a lot of mistakes, which helped me make this recipe easier for you to make at home too.

This recipe uses corn syrup to ensure a smooth consistency and brown sugar for a richer flavor. It's also an easy method to use for beginners.

Jump to:

• How to make caramel apples
• Why I use corn syrup to make caramel apples
• The best apples are tart and small
• Ingredients & equipment to make the recipe easy
• Prepare the apples by removing the wax, even for homegrown apples
• Make the caramel with a thermometer
• Dipping the apples
• Recipe
• Caramel apple toppings
• Store caramel apples in the fridge
• Other recipes & resources

How to make caramel apples

If you're wondering how to make caramel apples, the concept is easy:

• Dip apples in boiling water for 5 seconds to remove wax. This is still required for farmers market and home grown apples, since apples naturally have a waxy finish.
• Make the caramel dipping sauce, which requires precise temperature monitoring. Boil until it reaches 245°F.
• Let the caramel cool to 200°F (or 185°F if it's too thin). Dip cold apples in the caramel, and then toppings.

It's the execution that's a bit challenging. A lot can go wrong when making the caramel - it might not caramelize enough (causing a bland flavor), burn, turn grainy, fully crystallize, not be stiff enough, be too stiff, not stick to the apple, fall off the apple, or totally harden on the apple.

Why I use corn syrup to make caramel apples

I made caramel with and without corn syrup three separate times. When I used corn syrup, the caramel apples turned out perfectly every time.

But when I tried to make it the pastry-chef way, something went wrong each time.

Chef level caramel is very finicky

Traditional caramel recipes rely on caramelizing sugar to develop a deep, complex flavor without using corn syrup. I made caramel like this alongside Sweet Bee's Jessica Ellington in her caramel apple cooking class.

It seems simple enough, but making caramel this way is incredibly difficult to get right.

A lot can go wrong. I know this from making it three times in a row, on my own at home. I managed to mess each one up a different way:

• The first batch completely crystallized without turning into caramel
• The second batch didn't caramelize enough and had very little flavor. It looked light golden in the finished product but after drying on the apples it was cloudy-off white.
• The third batch turned grainy.

I thought I was doing all of the right things: I didn't stir the sugar as it cooked (which causes graininess), I cooked it on the right heat levels (so it didn't burn), and I was checking the temperature with both a candy thermometer and instant read thermometer.

But each time, I must have done one little thing wrong. For example, I did turn the heat up on the one that fully crystallized because after 20 minutes it wasn't turning golden, at all!

Since the 3rd time wasn't a charm, I decided to try a more foolproof method: use corn syrup.

Why adding corn syrup to caramel is easier

A caramel apple recipe with corn syrup is easy, even for beginners. I made my recipe using corn syrup because I wanted a reliable version that you could repeat at home.

I don't use corn syrup very often, but in this case, it's worth it. Corn syrup helps keep the caramel consistency smooth, instead of grainy, and is much more forgiving.

I've made this type of caramel 3 times and it worked every single time. This is the recipe I'm sharing for making easy caramel apples.

The best apples are tart and small

Good homemade caramel apples start with choosing the right apples. Technically, any apple will work, but some end up much better than others.

Consider the following characteristics when choosing your apples:

• Size: small apples are easier to eat and have a better caramel-to-apple ratio
• Texture: any crisp eating apple will have a good texture for making caramel apples. Avoid soft apples like Mcintosh.
• Sweet vs tart: I highly recommend buying tart apples to balance out the super sweet caramel coating.
• Flat bottoms: once you choose your type of apple, look for ones with flat bottoms that naturally balance to sit upright on a table.

The absolute best apples for caramel apples are Jonathan, if you can find them. They are small, crisp, and more tart than sweet. If you can't find them, the next best varieties are any of the following:

• Jonagold: medium and tart
• Pink Lady: large but tart
• Granny Smith: large, but very tart, and the green color is really fun for Halloween

This apple variety guide lists out sweet vs tart apples, and then don't forget to check out when each apple variety is in season.

Ingredients & equipment to make the recipe easy

There aren't many ingredients, but since making caramel is a science (and a lot can go wrong), an overview seemed like a good idea. For some ingredients (like salt), the brand actually matters, and for others it's just worth knowing what role they play.

Salt brand matters: choose Diamond Crystal if possible

Diamond Crystal salt is known to work well. Other brands might also be just fine. But avoid Morton's salt as it can cause graininess.

Stella Parks from Serious Eats was troubleshooting caramel apple problems in the comment section, advising: "Do take care with Morton's if continue your candy making adventures; it contains an anti-caking agent that interferes with the structure of candies like fudge and toffee."

Butter helps the consistency

I use unsalted butter to control the salt in the mixture (but I have made a batch with salted butter and it still turned out).

Butter makes this recipe even more foolproof, as it helps maintain a smooth consistency. Martin Earl from ThermoBlog explains, "Fats and proteins that are added to the caramels get between the sugar molecules, preventing them from clumping and crystallizing."

Heavy cream is the default, but whipping cream is also okay

I use Horizon heavy cream, which Stella Parks from Serious Eats also approves of. The pastry chef, Jessica Ellington, mentioned in her class that heavy whipping cream is ok to use, even though it has stabilizers in it.

It's also worth noting that changing the amount of heavy cream will affect the final thickness of the caramel (along with the temperature you cook it to). My recipe should produce a thick, but pliable caramel. If you want it a little softer, you can add up to ¼ cup more heavy cream at the start.

Sugar & corn syrup brands aren't as critical

I found the sugar to be very forgiving. I use generic brand white sugar, organic white sugar, light brown sugar, and dark brown sugar. I didn't notice consistency differences, although the dark brown sugar had the best flavor in my opinion.

I used light Karo corn syrup with great success. I didn't try other brands, but I wouldn't use dark corn syrup as it would change the flavor too much.

Heat resistant utensils & cup/bowl are a requirement

The pot of caramel sauce gets much hotter than anything you boil (water boils at 212°F). Don't use plastic spoons or spatulas. Instead, use a wooden, metal, or silicone spoon.

Professionals don't agree on which type of heat proof utensil to use. Some swear by metal because it is least likely to introduce impurities, while others note that metal will pull heat away, potentially causing localized crystallization.

Those nuances are more important when making caramel completely from scratch, but this version with corn syrup is much more forgiving.

You will also need a heat resistant glass measuring cup or deep, narrow bowl to pour the caramel into. You will dip your apples in that cup or bowl. I use a 2-cup pyrex measuring cup, filling it with half of the caramel at a time.

Some people use a metal bowl, but that has one major drawback in my opinion. One way to use leftover caramel is reheated and poured over ice cream or drizzles on spare apple slices. The best way to reheat it is in the microwave, which you can't do if it's in a metal bowl.

How to clean your pan & utensils

Caramel makes a sticky mess, and the hotter it gets, the harder it dries. This can make cleaning the pan you used to make the caramel a challenge to clean.

But there's an easy solution: boil water in the pan on the stovetop.

Once the water starts to boil, most of the caramel will dissolve. Add in your heat-proof utensils and those should be cleaned quickly as well.

Pour out the water and clean everything like you normally would to remove the oils. Just take note that any gooey caramel will stick to your dish-scrubber and be a pain to get out.

Prepare the apples by removing the wax, even for homegrown apples

Apples from the grocery store are almost always coated in an extra wax to give them a longer shelf life. This wax needs to be removed or the caramel will slide off and puddle at the bottom.

But it might also surprise you to learn that all apples have a natural waxy coating, even from the farmers market or your own back yard. Each variety of apple will differ in how waxy their skin is.

I know this because I tried a batch with a bunch of different varieties that I gathered from home growers and the caramel had a tough time sticking to the waxy skin. I dipped the rest in boiling water and the caramel stuck just fine!

Dip each apple in boiling water for 5 seconds, then wipe it well with a kitchen towel. Don't use a nice towel, as some apples will bleed a little bit of red dye. Also be careful where you set them down, and the clothes you wear, for the same reason. I may have a cutting board with some red apple stains now.

After you remove the waxy coating, put the apples in the fridge. Caramel sticks to cold apples better while also helping it set faster.

Make the caramel with a thermometer

Making caramel can be frustrating. There are two main things to set you up for success:

• Don't stir the caramel while it boils
• Keep a vigilant eye on the temperature

Thermometer: Clip on vs Instant-read

The best thermometer to use is a clip-on candy thermometer. It allows you to continually monitor the temperature without taking it in and out.

An instant read thermometer that you dip in the pot, has to be wiped off each time you test the temperature. This is a big problem because you will be wiping hot caramel off it each time, something you can't do simply with a paper towel as it will burn your fingers.

Stella Parks from Serious Eats addressed this issue in the comments section of her caramel apple recipe, "For candy making, it's best to use a clip-on digital thermometer that can continually monitor the syrup in real time because the candy's temperature will rise faster than the 3-4 second lag of a pocket thermometer. The lag is longer the higher the temp, so pocket thermometers do great when it comes to spot checking meat (it's a short jump from room temp at 70ish to, say, 140F) but they take ages to climb from up to 230."

Target the right temperature

Caramel gets thicker the hotter it is heated to. While it might still seem fairly thin while warm, it will thicken as it cools depending on how high the temperature got.

• Caramel sauce: runny sauce for ice cream, etc, heats to 220-235°F
• Caramel for apples and soft candies: 240-249°F
• Firm caramel, like this milk dud recipe: 250-267°F

Cooking caramel falls under general candy making temperature stages, like "thread," "soft ball," and "hard ball." They describe what happens to the sugar mixture at different temperatures.

I found that cooking the caramel to 245°F is just right. The caramel on the apples is chewy without being gooey or so hard it sticks to your teeth.

Let caramel cool for dipping

You'll notice that the caramel is very thin and runny when it finally reaches 245°F. It's best to let that cool a little so it thickens up and you get a better caramel coating on your apple.

I found the best temperature range is 185-200°F. I start at 200°F, which will coat the apples slightly thinner. But by the time I've gotten to my 10th or 12th apple, it's cooled closer down to 185°F, which coats the apples slightly thicker.

Dipping the apples

After you make the caramel, pour it into a heat resistant glass measuring cup or shallow bowl. Ideally the container is deep and just a little wider than the apples. This allows you to easily coat the entire apple in one easy dip.

How to dip the apples in the caramel:

1. Dip into slightly cooled caramel: Let the caramel cool to 200°F or even down to 185°F so that it's thicker and sticks better to the apples.
2. Remove excess caramel: Run the bottom of the apple over the edge of the container to remove excess caramel (otherwise there will be a large puddle on the bottom). You might see the skin of the apple after wiping it off and that's okay - it will soon be coated with more caramel as it sits.
3. Redistribute caramel: Turn the apple upside down for 5 seconds, rolling it around if needed. This helps the caramel set evenly and not immediately pool at the bottom.
4. Add toppings: Quickly dip into the toppings while the caramel is still sticky.
5. Set on greased plate or tray: Lightly grease a tray or plate to set the apples on. I found they can stick to parchment or waxed paper.
6. Cool in fridge: Place in the fridge for 15 minutes to continue to help set the caramel.
7. Serve or refrigerate: Serve within 2 hours at room temperature or store in the fridge for up to a week.

I found the caramel stays warm for a long time, so I don't feel rushed to dip all of the apples. You can take your time.

Recipe

Caramel apple toppings

Get your toppings ready before you start dipping, as the caramel will only remain sticky for a short amount of time.

• Chop larger pieces so they're easy to roll apples in
• Arrange each set of toppings on a plate or shallow dish for rolling the apples

For a sweet & salty apple, choose toasted nuts or crushed pretzels. Dark chocolate and cacao nibs have a bitterness that counters the sweet caramel. Here's a list of toppings to try:

• Toasted nuts (chopped) - even better if they are salted, to provide a salted caramel apple flavor
• Pretzels (chopped) - these also add a nice salted caramel flavor
• Granola - use your favorite granola brand for a unique twist
• Chocolate (chopped) - try dark chocolate, which isn't as sweet, to balance out the sweet caramel topping. You can also use mini chocolate chips without chopping.
• Cacao nibs - these are often bitter, but depending on your palate, might be the perfect balance to an otherwise sweet treat
• Candy - try M&Ms, chopped candy corn, or chopped heath bars (for sweet-on-sweet!)
• Cereal - crushed cornflakes, captain crunch, or even fruity pebbles
• Raw or toasted coconut - try mixing this with chocolate or nuts as well
• Oreos - use chopped or pulverized (like an oreo pie crust)
• S'mores - mix crushed graham crackers with chopped chocolate and mini marshmallows
• Popcorn - crush popcorn (salted or unsalted)
• Sprinkles - use orange and chocolate sprinkles for a halloween twist
• Sea salt - simply sprinkle with a little sea salt or vanilla sea salt (don't roll the apple in the salt!)

Store caramel apples in the fridge

Your homemade caramel apples should be refrigerated to prevent bacteria growth, specifically listeria.

Separately, both caramel and apples are safe at room temperature: caramel has enough sugar and apples have enough acid to inhibit bacteria growth.

However, a problem arises when moisture gets trapped under the caramel - this creates a hotbed for bacterial growth. Two things cause this to happen: natural moisture loss from the apple and juice that escapes from pushing in the sticks.

A listeria outbreak from commercially produced caramel apples (stored at room temperature) hospitalized 35 people and caused 3 deaths, as reported in the study by Kathleen A. Glass, et al. The study continues to say, "The outbreak took producers, public health officials, and food safety experts by surprise: caramel-coated apples are not a food on which Listeria monocytogenes should grow."

The study's findings are summarized nicely on TIME Magazine, "The temperatures-and sticks-seemed to play a role in listeria growth." Room temperature caramel apples with sticks grew exponentially, whereas refrigerated caramel apples without sticks had no listeria growth.

Based on the results of the study, caramel apples with sticks should be stored in the fridge and last for 2-3 weeks.

Other recipes & resources

For the adventurous (and brave!) cook, check out the caramel apple recipes below for something different. I might be trying the brown butter bourbon or cider caramel apple recipes soon!

More apple recipes