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These Caramel Apple Slices are covered in a homemade caramel sauce that takes only 10 minutes to make. They are perfect for a weeknight snack or a fun fall treat for the family.
Here are a few caramel options to dip your apple slices in: Sea Salted Cajeta and Sea Salted Caramel.
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I've never really been a huge fan of caramel apples. It's probably because I had bad memories of candy apples getting stuck in my teeth, which literally left a bad taste in my mouth.
One day, after working on a new caramel sauce recipe, I forgave my past. I tried dipping my apple slices into some caramel. Let me tell you, I must've stood with the fridge doors open for 10 minutes, playing with dipping the apples in the caramel while dancing and eating them.
I was so blown away that I've been missing out on an incredible and quick tasty treat this whole time.
So, I will teach you how to make caramel apple slices from scratch. I know the convenience of using store-bought caramel squares, caramel bits, or individually wrapped caramels can come in handy, but there's something special about making everything from scratch.
One confession: the only way to keep the caramel on both sides of the apple slices is to place them on a stick and then dry them on a piece of foam.
Other than that, placing them on the baking sheet will keep the caramel from sticking to one side.
Key Ingredients
Here are the ingredients you'll need to make these yummy caramel apple slices. You probably have everything at home already.
Fresh Apples
I love using crisp apples like Granny Smith apples or Honeycrisp, but the great thing about this recipe is you can use any apples for your caramel apple slices.
Granulated Sugar
White granulated sugar is what you'll need for a homemade caramel. Brown sugar makes a divine caramel, too.
Water
Tap water is fine, but use whatever kind you like to drink.
Kosher Salt
A pinch of salt goes a long way to bring out the sweetness of the caramel.
Milk
My go-to is heavy whipping cream, and my second choice is evaporated milk. Heavy cream will give the caramel a smooth, thicker, creamy, and light consistency, but evaporated milk will be just as delicious.
Unsalted Butter
A little butter will give the caramel the perfect finish.
How to Make Caramel Apple Slices Recipe
You can use this recipe for making an entire caramel apple, but it was created to get a mouthful of crisp caramel apples. Let me teach you this easy caramel apple slices recipe.
Caramel Sauce
In a medium pot, add granulated sugar, water, and kosher salt over high heat.
Cook for 5-6 minutes until sugar melts and begins to turn a light caramel color.
Remove the pot from the heat, add heavy cream (caramel will bubble up), bring to a boil over low heat, and stir constantly until the caramel sauce smooths out.
Turn off the heat and stir in cold unsalted butter until smooth. Transfer the sauce into a 2-cup measuring cup or something tall and wide enough to fit the apple slices. The caramel sauce will thicken and turn a lovely golden brown color as it cools.
Chocolate Sauce
In a medium microwave-safe bowl, add dark chocolate chips and oil, microwave for 30 seconds, stir, then repeat stir until the chocolate is completely melted.
Sliced Caramel Apples
While caramel is cooling off. Wash apples and cut the apple's length or into individual apple slices.
Add the apple slices to a medium bowl, pour lemon juice, and toss the apples to cover them. Dry the apple slices on paper towels before dipping them in the caramel.
Place the apple slices on a stick if you're using them. Dip the apple slice slowly into the caramel and let the excess drip off.
Place on a parchment paper lined baking sheet.
After you finish dipping the apples, you can add chopped nuts. Then, use a fork to drizzle melted chocolate or white chocolate over them. Enjoy immediately, or pop in the fridge uncovered until ready to serve.
How to Store Caramel Apples Slices
Caramel sauce can be made days or weeks in advance and will be fresh for 45 days in an airtight container in the fridge.
Reheat in the microwave for 10-15 seconds to loosen the caramel so it's pourable.
Store caramel apple slices in an airtight container with wax or parchment paper for 3 days in the fridge.
Pro Recipe Substitutions, Tips & Tricks
Here are the best practices, techniques, and flavor builders you'll need for making caramel apple slices at home.
- When stirring the sugar, water, and salt mixture, sugar crystals may form on the sides of the pot. To prevent burning, it is necessary to gently brush them down with a damp brush. The key to avoiding this is to be patient and allow the heat to take care of the process.
- The caramel sauce will go from clear to brown in the blink of an eye and begin to turn brown quickly.
- To make a brown sugar caramel sauce, go for dark brown sugar or light brown sugar instead of granulated sugar.
- Use salted butter instead of unsalted butter; omit the salt in the recipe.
- For a thicker caramel sauce, cook the caramel a few minutes longer after you add the heavy cream. Remember, it will thicken more after it cools.
- Hot caramel is something you do not want to get on your skin. If this happens, immediately rinse the spot off with cold running water.
- Replace the heavy cream with whole, evaporated, or almond milk.
- You can use milk chocolate, bittersweet, or semi-sweet chocolate chips instead of dark chocolate for your melted chocolate.
- If you're in a rush, use pre-sliced apples from the grocery store.
- Make caramel apple pops to present an evenly covered apple. Let them dry upright on a piece of foam. Other than that, placing them on the baking sheet will keep the caramel from sticking to one side.
FAQs
Here are the top questions readers have about making homemade caramel apple slices.
Toss your apple slices in a little lemon juice to prevent them from browning. If you don't have any lemon juice, use about ¾ teaspoon of salt in 4 cups of water and soak them for a few minutes, about 5 minutes. No, this will not make it salty.
You can do a couple of things to help your caramel stick to your apple slices. 1) Dry the apple slices on paper towels; any extra moisture will prevent the caramel from sticking to the apple. 2) First, you can make chocolate-covered apple slices, let them dry, then dip them in the caramel sauce; the chocolate coating will give the caramel something to stick to.
Your caramel may not be sticking because of the thickness of your caramel. Making a homemade caramel sauce like the one below will give you the best chance to prevent this problem. However, if using melted caramel candy, its consistency could be too thin to stick.
The difference between caramel apples and candy apples is that candy apples have a hard candy red coating made from corn syrup, red food coloring, and sugar. While homemade caramel apples are coated with sugar, water, butter, and heavy cream.
Since caramel contains sugar, any exposed apple parts can cause bacteria to form if left on the counter for more than 24 hours. Store caramel apple slices in the refrigerator in an airtight container for 3-4 days to preserve freshness.
Dipping your apples in warm or hot caramel will prevent the caramel from clinging to the apples. As caramel sauce cools, it thickens. So once the caramel cools, it's ready for dipping. The ideal temperature is between 175-185°F (74-85°C).
The perfect caramel apple slices come from room temperature apples. Using cold apples will cause them to sweat as they cool, preventing the caramel from sticking.
Soaking your apples in baking soda is the best way to clean them before eating. Mix 1 teaspoon of baking soda in 4 cups of water. Soak the apples for 1 minute, then while you're rinsing them under cold water, rub them or use a nail brush to remove any wax from them.
Tart apples pair exceptionally well with the sweetness of the caramel topping. Plus, the green color looks excellent to the golden brown caramel.
First, spray the wax paper with non-stick cooking spray to keep the apples from sticking, or rub 2 tablespoons of oil over the wax paper.
To prevent your caramel from being grainy, be sure that the sugar is completely dissolved. The recipe below will show you the best way to do this.
More Apple Desserts
This list below should tangle your caramel apple sweet tooth. You can use the caramel sauce as a dip or drizzle it over any of these!
- Apple Pie with Graham Cracker Crust
- Apple Cobbler
- Apple Fritters
- Fried Apple Pies
- Classic Homemade Caramel Apple Pie
- Apple Cinnamon Biscuits
Before You Begin
Before getting started, here are the steps I use to get organized.
Step 1: Get all the ingredients for the sliced caramel apples on the counter.
Step 2: Wash and dry your apples; then measure everything out.
Step 3: Start following the recipe and prepare for the yummiest caramel covered apple slices ever!
Making caramel apple slices is a delightful and tasty twist to regular apples! Why not try this recipe and experience the pure deliciousness of these sweet treats? They're absolutely incredible!
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📖 Recipe
Caramel Apple Slices
Ingredients
Caramel Sauce:
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
- ½ cup water
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¾ cups heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon cold unsalted butter
Melted Chocolate: Optional
- 6 oz. dark chocolate chips
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 6 medium apples washed, sliced
- ½ cup chopped nuts of choice optional
Instructions
Caramel Sauce
- In a medium pot, add granulated sugar, water, and kosher salt over high heat, and cook for 5-6 minutes until sugar melts and begins to turn a light caramel color.
- Remove the pot from the heat, add heavy cream (caramel will bubble up), bring to a boil over low heat, and stir constantly until the caramel sauce smooths out.
- Turn off the heat and stir in cold unsalted butter until smooth. Transfer the sauce into a 2-cup measuring cup or something tall and wide enough to fit the apple slices. The caramel sauce will thicken and turn a lovely golden brown color as it cools.
Chocolate Sauce
- In a medium microwave-safe bowl, add dark chocolate chips and oil, microwave for 30 seconds, stir, then repeat stir until the chocolate is completely melted.
Sliced Caramel Apples
- While caramel is cooling off. Wash apples and cut the apple's length or into individual apple slices. Add the apple slices to a medium bowl, pour lemon juice, and toss the apples to cover them. Dry the apple slices on paper towels before dipping them in the caramel.
- Place the apple slices on a stick if you're using them. Dip the apple slice slowly into the caramel, let the excess drip off, and place on a parchment paper lined baking sheet.
- After you finish dipping the apples, you can add chopped nuts. Then, use a fork to drizzle melted chocolate or white chocolate over them. Enjoy immediately, or pop in the fridge uncovered until ready to serve.
Notes
- When stirring the sugar, water, and salt mixture, sugar crystals may form on the sides of the pot. To prevent burning, it is necessary to gently brush them down with a damp brush. The key to avoiding this is to be patient and allow the heat to take care of the process.
- The caramel sauce will go from clear to brown in the blink of an eye and begin to turn brown quickly.
- To make a brown sugar caramel sauce, go for dark brown sugar or light brown sugar instead of granulated sugar.
- Use salted butter instead of unsalted butter; omit the salt in the recipe.
- For a thicker caramel sauce, cook the caramel a few minutes longer after you add the heavy cream. Remember, it will thicken more after it cools.
- Hot caramel is something you do not want to get on your skin. If this happens, immediately rinse the spot off with cold running water.
- Replace the heavy cream with whole, evaporated, or almond milk.
- You can use milk chocolate, bittersweet, or semi-sweet chocolate chips instead of dark chocolate for your melted chocolate.
- If you're in a rush, use pre-sliced apples from the grocery store.
- Make caramel apple pops to present an evenly covered apple. Let them dry upright on a piece of foam. Other than that, placing them on the baking sheet will keep the caramel from sticking to one side.
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