*Post was updated in October of 2018 with proper instructions. Ignore comments as they were from old post.
6 years ago, right about the time I started this blog, I posted about an evening with friends where we carved pumpkins, made pumpkin bread, and attempted to make caramel apple bites. The recipe was almost as terrible as the pictures I took (the caramel just slid right off the apples), but the whole post took off on Pinterest, and has generated me a ton of blog traffic each fall. This year, I decided to go on a quest to remake these caramel apple bites and after 3 failed attempts, I finally figured out how to make the caramel stick!
What You’ll Need:
Cake Pop Sticks (cut in half)
2 Granny Smith Apples
Melon Baller
1 Package Caramels (any brand will do, but do yourself a favor and use Kraft caramels instead of Brach. The wrapper is SO much easier to remove!)
1 Tbsp Water
Double Boiler
Wax Paper
Must-Do Tips:
These babies tend to want to slide ride off, leaving a huge mess. If you want your candies to hold up, follow these tips.
After you create the apple balls, you must COMPLETELY dry out the apples with paper towels. If you don’t the caramel will not stay out. Dry them out, and then dry them again!
Have an ice bath ready to dip the caramel bites in after they come out of the caramel. The water should be extremely icy. This will help the caramel apples get a quick set.
Dip the apples in hot caramel. It’s more workable.
Make sure you get at least 1/4 inch of caramel on the stick. This will create a seal to keep the water out, when you dip it in the ice.
Assembly:
1. Peel apples.
2. Using a melon baller, create bite size balls.
3. Meanwhile, using a double boiler, melt the caramel. Only use 1 Tbsp of water, not the package recommended 2 Tbsp. You’ll want to be sure to stir frequently, until the caramel has completely melted and you’re ready to start dipping.
4. Begin to dry off the apple bites, using paper towels to remove excess moisture. Remember, you will need to COMPLETELY dry them off. I would dry them once, and then dry them again.
5. Insert the cake pop sticks, into the center of the apple ball.
6. Once the caramel has melted, begin dipping your balls. The ball will need to be completely coated in caramel, making sure the caramel covers about a 1/4 inch up on the stick. (This helps keep water out in the next step.)
7. Immediately dip your caramel apple into the ice bath. (Be sure not to go above where the caramel is on the stick, to avoid getting moisture into your apple.) Hold there for 30 seconds.
8. Remove from ice bath and blot the excess moisture on the bottom of the apple, onto a paper towel.
9. Immediately place caramel apples on wax paper lined pyrex dish, and stick in the freezer. This will help continue the set.
Continue this process until all the apples are done, and then you can enjoy them!
A final note: eat them quickly. I still found the caramel to slide after about an hour of being set out. I’m guessing I didn’t remove enough moisture from the apple before dipping them. If you have any additional tips, I’d love to hear them in the comments below!
Love the caramel apple bites! I love caramel apples, but hate how hard they are to eat….and these are perfect for my dinner party tomorrow. Thanks for the great idea.
Thanks for stopping by, Jen! These definitely make caramel apple eating much more enjoyable 🙂
What kind of caramel did you use? The soft dip are melted hard caramel?
Melted hard caramels 🙂
How did you keep the apples from turning brown?
I didn't have a problem with them browning. They were gobbled up too fast 🙂
What are you soaking the apple bites in the pot?
I actually soaked them in water, prior to dipping them, to keep them from browning. Thanks for stopping by!
Can you tell me exactly how to do the mini caramel apples? We are wanting to do them for my sons wedding on Sat. Wanted to see if you soaked them in salt water,etc first after scooping? What type caramel did you use? And how many days ahead can you make them? We wanted to do them Thurs pm,put on trays n store in a cool room on trays in the mini liners. My email is travis86gt@msn.com or u can inbox me on fbook at Angie Travis in WV
When I made these, the caramel didn't stick to the apples. Is it because the apples were to juicy? Do I just dry them first? Thanks for the idea!
The caramel didn't stick around too long for me either. I kept them in the fridge and only brought a few out at a time. Definitely need to find a better caramel recipe 🙂
Thanks!