Homemade Caramel Apples are a fun fall treat that the whole family will love! Granny Smith apples are dipped into gooey caramel then rolled in toffee bits and drizzled with chocolate or your other favorite toppings!
Easy Homemade Caramel Apples Recipe
Making homemade caramel apples doesn’t need to be complicated. This simple recipe is made with just 5 ingredients and results in perfect caramel apples every time.
Thanks to the use of caramel bits, there’s no need for a candy thermometer or to carefully watch caramel cooking on the stove. Just melt the caramel bits, dip the apples, and add your desired toppings. We went with toffee bits and drizzles of both white and dark chocolate but part of the fun of the recipe is the ability to switch it up!
These make a great after-school family activity and are perfect for fall parties too.
Why You’ll Love Making Caramel Apples
Here are a few reasons to love this homemade caramel apple recipe.
- Quick and easy. Unlike other recipes that make the caramel from scratch, this recipe is quick and easy with no special tools or skills required. They’ll need to chill for just 30 minutes before you can dive in and enjoy.
- Only 5 ingredients. You’ll need just a handful of ingredients like apples, caramel, and chocolate for this recipe.
- Versatile. While I love the combination of toffee + caramel, you can feel free to adjust this recipe as desired and swap the toffee bits for any topping of your choosing. M&Ms are always a popular choice!
What You’ll Need
These homemade caramel apples are made with just a handful of ingredients. Be sure to check the recipe card below for measurements.
- Apples – I like to use green Granny Smith apples for making caramel apples, as they’re slightly tart, which helps to balance out the sweetness.
- Caramel – See notes below.
- Chocolate – I used Ghirardelli brand white vanilla and dark chocolate melting wafers. I prefer the flavor of Ghirardelli and recommend melting wafers over chocolate chips as they will have a smoother consistency when melted and be easier to drizzle over the apples.
- Toffee – I used Heath’s English toffee bits for additional crunch and flavor.
- Wooden apple sticks – If you can’t find these at the grocery store, most craft stores also sell them.
What Type of Caramel is Best for Caramel Apples?
You want to use caramel bits or candies, such as those offered by the Kraft brand. Personally, I use the Kraft Caramel Bits, to avoid unwrapping individual caramel candies.
Caramel sauce, like what you may drizzle over ice cream, will not work as it is too thin and will not harden or stick to the apples.
Caramel Apple Topping Ideas
For the caramel apples in the photos, I went with toffee bits and white and dark chocolate drizzle over the caramel. However, there are many more options! Here are a few:
- Sprinkles
- Crushed M&Ms
- Mini chocolate chips
- Crushed peanuts
- Reese’s pieces
- Pretzels
- Crushed Butterfingers
- Candy corn
- Cinnamon sugar
- Graham crackers or Biscoff cookies
How to Make Caramel Apples
Making caramel apples at home is quite easy. You’ll just need to account for extra time for them to chill before enjoying.
- Prepare the apples. Dip the apples in hot water then rub off the shiny wax layer. Push the wooden sticks in the top of the apples.
- Melt the caramel. Melt the caramel in the microwave or using a double boiler, stirring frequently, until fully melted.
- Dip the apples. Dip the apples into the melted caramel, allowing the excess to drip off.
- Add the toffee. Add the toffee pieces to a bowl and dip in the bottom of the apples. Place on wax paper and refrigerate for a few minutes.
- Add the chocolate. Melt the white and dark chocolate. Drizzle over the apples as desired.
- Chill. Chill for at least 30 minutes so the caramel and chocolate set fully. .
Tips for Success
Here are a few tips to help you make these caramel apples with toffee and chocolate.
- Always rinse the apples first. Removing the shiny wax on the apples is very important as it can prevent the caramel from properly adhering to the apple. The easiest way to remove it is to quickly dunk the apples into warm water then dry them off.
- Use firm, medium-sized apples. When selecting your apples for this recipe, whether you opt for Granny Smith or any other variety, be sure to use fresh apples that are firm to the touch and not mushy or soft.
- Stir the caramel frequently. Whether you opt for the double boiler or the microwave, it’s important to stir the caramel frequently to prevent it from scorching.
- Add the toppings immediately. If you choose to dip the caramel apples into toffee or another topping like sprinkles or M&Ms, be sure to do it while the caramel is still soft so they stick to the apples.
Serving Suggestions
These caramel apples are the perfect fall treat! They’re also fun at parties and you can even offer up a caramel apple bar where guests can make their own, by melting the caramel, dipping the apples, and letting them choose their toppings. This is a huge hit with older kids and teens as well as adults!
How to Store Homemade Caramel Apples
Caramel apples can be stored in the fridge for about 5 days. It’s best to individually wrap each one with plastic or cellophane paper if you have it.
These also make cute edible gifts. I like to wrap them in clear cellophane and tie them with a nice ribbon for a gift-worthy presentation.
More Fall Apple Recipes To Try
Caramel Apples
Ingredients
- 6 Apples Granny Smith is usually the preferred apple
- 22 ounces Caramel Bits I used 2 11 oz. bags of ‘Krafts Caramel Bits’ as this saves time on unwrapping individual caramels.
- 10 ounces White chocolate I used the 10 oz. Ghirardelli white vanilla flavored melting wafers – Ghirardelli seems to be one of the better melting chocolates that I have found.
- 10 ounces Dark chocolate I used the 10 oz. Ghirardelli dark chocolate flavored melting wafers.
- 8 ounces Toffee I used the Heath’s 8 oz. English Toffee Bits
- Wooden Apple Sticks These are generally available in the craft store or grocery store.
Instructions
- Dip the apples in hot water and rub off the shiny wax layer. This will enable the caramel to better coat the apple.
- Place the sticks into the top of the apples.
- Melt the caramel in a double broiler or in a microwave-safe bowl and heat for 30 seconds at a time, mixing between, until the caramel is fully melted.
- Coat the apples in the melted caramel.
- Prepare a bowl of toffee. Coat the bottom of the apples in the toffee.
- Place the apples on wax paper and put in the refrigerator to cool for a few minutes.
- Melt the chocolate of your choice in a double broiler or in a microwave-safe bowl and heat for 30 seconds at a time, mixing between, until the chocolate is fully melted.
- Drizzle chocolate on the apples and allow them to chill for approximately 30 minutes.
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