Candy Apples are a traditional fall treat of crisp fresh apples dipped in a red cinnamon candy coating. Make them for your next fall party!
These Candy Apples are a classic carnival treat and a fun fall Dessert. Just like my Caramel Apples, they’re easy and fun to make, and you can add a variety of different toppings depending on what you like. For another fun candy apple treat, be sure to try my Caramel Apple Nachos!
Table of contents
Sabrina’s Candy Apples Recipe
Fall is the prime apple season. Whether you’re going apple picking or just enjoying the fresh produce from your local grocery store, it’s the perfect time to try out this classic Candy Apple recipe. My delicious Candy Apples are easy to make in about an hour and a half with just a few ingredients. The result is a crisp, tart Granny Smith apple covered in sweet, crunchy candy coating with a tasty cinnamon flavor and bright red color. I finished with a coating of chopped peanuts for a bit of extra crunch for a perfect old-fashioned fall treat!
Ingredients
- Apples: This recipe makes enough candy coating for four medium apples. You want to freeze the apples for about 30 minutes before dipping them because this helps cool the hot candy coating so it sets faster and doesn’t run off.
- Sticks: You’ll need four sturdy wooden popsicle sticks or another thick craft stick to pierce the apples and work as the handle. The apples can be heavy so you want a sturdy stick that won’t bend or break.
- Sweeteners: To make the candy coating, you’ll use granulated sugar and light corn syrup. As the sugars dissolve into the hot water, they thicken into a syrupy mixture. The corn syrup helps keep the mixture smoother and makes it harden and dry shiny on the apples.
- Cinnamon: Add ½ teaspoon of ground cinnamon to the candy coating. The warmed, spiced flavor contrasts with the sweet and tart candy apples for a treat with a more seasonal feel.
- Food coloring: While food coloring isn’t required, it gives your candy apple coating that classic bright red color that you see at fairgrounds or in old-timey ads and pictures.
Kitchen Tools & Equipment
- Saucepan: A heavy-bottomed saucepan is crucial when making candy apples because it ensures even heating and helps prevent the candy coating from burning or crystallizing.
- Baking Sheet: You’ll want to line your baking sheet with parchment or wax paper. This prevents the candy coating from sticking to the sheet and ensures easy removal of the apples once they’ve cooled.
- Candy Thermometer: A candy thermometer is essential for making candy apples, as it helps you achieve the precise temperature needed for the candy coating to harden correctly.
How to Make the Perfect Candy Apple
Time needed: 1 hour and 25 minutes.
- Prep Apples
Run the apples under cold water to remove dirt or pesticides. Then, use a clean kitchen towel or paper towel to dry the apples. Twist the stem off each apple and push a popsicle stick ¾ of the way through the apple.
- Freeze the Apples
Put the apples on a rimmed prepared baking sheet and freeze them for 20-30 minutes before dipping. This step is important! The colder you apples are, the quicker the candy coating will set which prevents it from all running off down the sides.
- Melt the Sugar
Add the white sugar, water, and light corn syrup to a medium, heavy saucepan and turn the stovetop to medium heat. Stir as you cook until the sugar mixture dissolves into the hot water. Stop stirring as soon as the sugar is dissolved.
Place the candy thermometer into the mixture but don’t let the tip hit the bottom.
- Cook to Soft Crack Stage
Continue to cook the sugar syrup without stirring until a candy thermometer reads 290 degrees, this is the soft-crack stage. It is vital you do not stir during cooking. Keep an eye on your sugar mixture so it doesn’t burn or go over 290 degrees.
- Color and Flavor
Once it reaches 290 degrees, turn off the heat and add the cinnamon and red food coloring. Don’t worry, it will hit the 300-305 degrees, or hard crack stage, as you are stirring in the coloring and cinnamon.
- Stir until Combined
Continue adding color until the sweet candy coating is bright red.
- Dipping Process
Take the apples out of the freezer. Hold the apples by the wooden stick and dip them in the sugar syrup, spinning to coat them. Allow excess coating to drip off, and add peanuts or any other toppings you’d like.
- Chill to Set
Place on a prepared baking sheet and refrigerate the coated apples on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet for 30 minutes.
Ingredients
- 4 green apples
- 4 wooden craft sticks
- 2 cups sugar
- 1 cup water
- 2/3 cup light corn syrup
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Red food coloring
- 1/4 cup peanuts , chopped (optional)
Instructions
- Twist the stem off each apple and push a craft stick ¾ of the way through the apple.
- Freeze your apples for 20-30 minutes before dipping.
- In a medium saucepan add sugar, water, and light corn syrup on medium heat.
- Cook, stirring, until the sugar is dissolved. Stop stirring as soon as the sugar is dissolved.
- Cook, without stirring, until your candy thermometer reads 290 degrees. This can take anywhere from 9-15 minutes.
- Turn off the heat, and add in the cinnamon and red food coloring until it reaches a bright red color. Do not remove the pan from the heat while you are mixing in the coloring and cinnamon, this way it will continue heating to the 300-305 degree hard crack stage.
- Dip and spin the cold apples to coat them, taking care not to leave the apples in the candy coating for too long, then allow excess coating to drip away and dip or coat in preferred toppings and place on wax paper.
- Harden in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before eating.
Notes
- Do not skip freezing the apples. The super cold apples help the cool the hot sugar mixture so the candy coating sticks better and doesn’t all drip off.
- I cook my sugar mixture to the soft crack stage so that it doesn’t burn when adding the food coloring and cinnamon.
- Leave the pan on the heat while you add the coloring and cinnamon, it will keep boiling and hit that hard-crack stage without burning.
- Never leave boiling sugar unattended. Once it hits the candy making stages, it heats up faster and faster which means it goes from soft ball to hard crack to burnt in minutes and seconds.
Nutrition
Want to save this recipe? Create a free account to easily save your favorite recipes
Chef’s Note: Candy Apples for a Crowd
- This recipe is for four candy apples. However it’s easy to double, triple quadruple for gifting or parties. I would work in batches if you are doing more than twice the amount so that the candy coating doesn’t seize up or get gloopy.
- Another way you could make these a crowd-sized treat is to cut each apple into 6 pieces (first cut in half, then each half in thirds). Insert a wooden skewer into each wedge so it’s like a candy popsicle. Pat the apple flesh as dry as you can so the candy coating sticks better. Either coat the entire wedge in the candy coating or just dip them about halfway.
Can they be made ahead of time?
Yes, you can definitely make candy apples ahead of time! If you plan to make them in advance, here are a few tips to ensure they stay fresh and delicious:
- Let Them Cool Completely: After dipping the apples in the candy coating, let them cool and harden completely before storing them. This helps the candy coating stay intact and prevents it from sticking to other surfaces.
- Store Properly: Place the cooled candy apples in an airtight container. If you’re stacking them, put a piece of parchment or wax paper between layers to avoid sticking.
- Keep in a Cool Place: Store the container in a cool, dry place. Avoid refrigerating them, as the humidity can cause the candy coating to become sticky.
- Serve Fresh: While candy apples can be made ahead, they are best enjoyed within a few days. The apples might start to soften over time, so for the best texture and taste, try to eat them within 2-3 days.
Nutritional Facts
Gifting Candy Apples
Candied Apples make an excellent edible gift! To package them to send to friends, wrap each individual apple in wax paper, followed by plastic wrap. The wax paper helps to stop the cellophane from sticking to the candy coating. You can then add them to a box with plenty of shredded paper or packing peanuts to keep the apples from moving too much and hitting each other when shipped. If you aren’t shipping them, some food-safe colorful cellophane with a pretty ribbon around the stick always looks nice. I like to use clear plastic bands to secure the plastic wrap then use the decorative ribbon to cover it up. That way it looks perfect but I know the wrapping won’t slip off.
How to Store
- Serve: Be sure to refrigerate the Candy Apple recipe for at least 30 minutes so the candy coating can completely harden before serving. You also don’t want to leave the Apples sitting at room temperature for more than a few hours.
- Store: To keep the recipe fresh, you can wrap the apples in plastic wrap or put them in a ziplock bag or another airtight container to store in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- Freeze: To freeze the apples, wrap them individually in wax paper and then in a freezer bag. They can stay good for up to 3 months. Let the apples thaw in the fridge overnight, then place them on the counter about an hour before serving so they can soften enough to bite into and enjoy.
Frequent Questions
Apart from the apples and candy-coating ingredients, you’ll need a few tools to make this recipe. The first is the wooden stick that pierces the apples. Short skewers, regular popsicle sticks, or another sturdy craft stick will work well. You want to ensure the stick is strong enough to pierce the apple and not break under its weight. You’ll also need a candy thermometer to cook the candy coating to the right temperature.
I recommend crisp, green Granny Smith Apples because the tart apple flavor contrasts with the sweet candy coating. Jazz, Fuji, Honeycrisp and Gala apples are also good options for a Candy Apple recipe.
Traditionally, red is the classic coloring for candy apples because it looks great and matches the cinnamon flavor of the candy coating. However, if you want a different color apple, just swap out the red food coloring for another color of your choice.
Although caramel apples are sometimes mistakenly called candy apples, there is a slight difference. The caramel coating stays pretty soft and chewy even after it sets, while the hard candy coating sets like, well, hard candy and is crunchy.
Candied Apples are a classic fall dessert in the US, just like Apple Cider and Apple Pie, but they weren’t originally meant to be eaten. According to Food and Wine, the original red Candy Apples that we know and love today were created by New Jersey candy maker William W. Kolb in 1908. However, he never intended for anyone to eat the apples. He was trying to sell his cinnamon candies and dipped the apples in the red mixture because he thought putting them in the window display would draw people into the store. The unexpected outcome was that people wanted to buy the apples, and they became the beloved treat they are today.
Variations
- Candy flavorings: I used ground cinnamon to flavor the candy coating like cinnamon candies. If you prefer, you could use cinnamon extract to get the same flavor. Or, if you want different flavorings, try using peppermint extract, cherry flavor, strawberry extract, orange extract, or maple extract.
- Toffee Candy Apples: To make a richer, more toffee-like candied coating, you can swap out the white sugar in the syrup for brown sugar. Let the brown sugar dissolve into the hot water as usual, then coat the frozen apples. Let the toffee apples harden completely before serving.
- Toppings: After adding the candy coating, add different toppings to the apples before the coating dries. Add toppings like chopped nuts, sugar crystals, toffee bits, chocolate chips, coconut flakes, M&M’s, or sprinkles to a shallow dish. Then, roll the apples in the mixture before the coating dries so the topping sticks to the candy.
Apple Recipes with Caramel and Candy
