Caramel Apple Dip is a sweet, creamy dessert dip perfect for dunking crisp apple slices. Try this easy no-cook treat at your next fall party!
If you like Caramel Apples, this is a great way to turn the iconic treat into a crowd-pleasing Dessert Recipe perfect for a party. For another great sweet party dip, try my Toffee Apple Dip!
Table of Contents
Sabrina’s Caramel Apple Dip Recipe
Crisp apples and caramel are such a classic duo, especially during the fall. It’s tough to beat the flavor combo of sweet caramel and sour apples. Along with that, this recipe also includes a layer of sweetened, fluffy cream cheese. A classic caramel sauce and chopped nuts are layered over the creamy dip, so when you dunk your fresh apple slices in, you’ll get a combination of gooey caramel, fluffy cream cheese, and a crunchy peanut topping all in one scoop.
This amazing apple dip is great for serving at holiday parties, game nights, or a laid-back get-together with friends. It’s an easy recipe to prepare in a matter of minutes and enjoy all night. Along with the apples, serve it graham crackers, cookies, pretzels, and sliced fruit for everyone to dig into.
Ingredients
- 8 Ounces Cream Cheese: This homemade Caramel Apple Dip has a wonderfully fluffy cream cheese base that also adds a bit of tang to the recipe to balance out the sweet caramel and sugar flavors.
- ⅓ Cup Brown Sugar: Although the tangy cream cheese makes a nice contrast with the sweet flavors, you’ll also want to add some brown sugar to sweeten it. This creates a good balance of sweet and tangy flavors so that the layer of cream cheese and caramel work together while also bringing a different flavor profile to the recipe.
- 1 Teaspoon Vanilla extract: Mixing caramel extract into the cream cheese also helps to create a caramel-like flavor with the brown sugar.
- 1 Cup Caramel Sauce: The classic pairing of apples and caramel sauce come together in the sweet caramel layer. You can buy a jar of your favorite sauce at the store, or make it yourself from scratch.
- Peanuts: A classic caramel apple is usually dipped into chopped peanuts so of course my dip needs a layer of nuts too! The salty crunchy peanuts are the perfect finishing touch to this creamy, sweet dip.
Kitchen Tools & Equipment
- Stand Mixer with Paddle Attachment: Use a stand mixer to whip up the softened cream cheese and brown sugar.
- Serving Dish: Grab your favorite shallow serving dish to plate the dip. Don’t forget to wipe the edges clean before setting it out in case some of the caramel or cream cheese splatters on the edges. You can use a small dish that just holds the dip, or a large dish that will hold the dip in the middle with the dippers laid out around the outside.
How to Make Caramel Apple Dip
Time needed: 3 minutes.
- Fluff the Cream Cheese
Add softened cream cheese to your stand mixer, and beat at medium speed until the cream cheese is light and fluffy (about 30 seconds).
- Add Sugar and Vanilla
Then add the brown sugar and vanilla. Beat the cream cheese and brown sugar mixture for another 30 seconds until well combined into a smooth mixture. If you don’t have a stand mixer, then you can use a handheld electric mixer or mix by hand.
- Caramel Layer
Use a rubber spatula to evenly spread the cream cheese mixture over a shallow serving dish. Then cover the cream cheese layer with caramel sauce.
- Peanut Topping
Sprinkle peanuts on top of the dip as a finishing touch.
- Serve
Put the Caramel Apple Dip out with sliced apples, pretzels, graham crackers, and anything else you like dipping in caramel.
Recipe Card
Ingredients
- 8 ounces cream cheese , softened
- 1/3 cup brown sugar , packed
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup caramel sauce
- 1/2 cup peanuts , chopped
Instructions
- To your stand mixer, add the cream cheese on medium speed for 30 seconds until fluffy.
- Add the brown sugar and vanilla, and beat for 30 seconds until well mixed.
- Spread mixture into a low shallow serving dish.
- Cover with caramel sauce and top with peanuts.
- Serve with apples, pretzels, or graham crackers.
Nutrition
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Chef’s Note: What Apples to Use
Although Granny Smith might not be your favorite kind of apple to bite into on its own, when it comes to the perfect apple to go with caramel they can’t be beaten. Granny Smiths have the perfect amount of crunch and tartness that offsets the sweet caramel taste. Their crunchy texture also means they’re firm enough to dip into the thick caramel mixture without breaking. However, if you’re really not a fan of green apples then Honey Crisp and Pink Lady Apples are also good options for this dip recipe.
Can this be made ahead of time?
Yes, you can easily make Caramel Apple Dip ahead of time. Prepare the dip and then seal it in an airtight container for up to 4 weeks. Take the dip out and let it soften up a bit before serving. If you’re making the dip ahead, wait to slice the apples. The apples will start to go brown as soon as you cut them. So, it’s better to leave them unsliced, then cut the delicious apples right before serving the recipe.
Nutritional Facts
Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Soften Cream Cheese
- Make sure to soften cream cheese at room temperature as it will be much easier to mix it into a rich, fluffy consistency for this recipe.
- Homemade Caramel Sauce
- Making your own Caramel Sauce is easy to do with simple ingredients like white sugar, corn syrup, butter, whole milk, vanilla, and sea salt. It only takes about 10 minutes on the stovetop for a creamy, pourable caramel sauce to layer over the cream cheese for the perfect apple dip. Make sure you follow the recipe linked for complete instructions!
How to Store
- Serve: You cannot leave this caramel and cream cheese mixture sitting out at room temperature for more than two 2 hours. It needs to be kept chilled when not serving.
- Store: You can cover the bowl in plastic wrap or transfer the recipe to an airtight container to keep in the fridge for 3-4 weeks.
- Freeze: You could also freeze this recipe for up to 3 months, but it may change the texture slightly.
Ideas to Serve Caramel Apple Dip
Dessert Dips like Cherry Cheesecake Dip, Pumpkin Fluff Dip and this apple dip are a fun change from classic savory dips. Just like more traditional chip dips, they’re easy to serve with a variety of dip-in options and to share with a group. This recipe can be both an appetizer and a dessert. No matter how you serve it though, it’s sure to satisfy everyone’s sweet tooth.
This cream cheese caramel apple dip is made to serve with crisp apple slices, but you can use the sweet dip for a variety of other dippers. If you’re hosting a party or game night, put out the dip with a platter of different dipping options like pretzels, graham crackers, animal crackers, Shortbread Cookies, vanilla wafers, ginger snaps, etc.
Frequent Questions
In its simplest form, caramel is made by cooking sugar, butter, and milk together. As the sugar cooks with the butter, it breaks down and caramelizes into a thick, sweet mixture. Most caramel recipes include ingredients like vanilla and salt for a more nuanced flavor, but they aren’t as necessary.
You’ll want to slice fresh apples into wedges to serve them with this sweet dip recipe. But, as the sliced apples sit out, they’ll start to turn brown, or oxidize. They’re still perfectly fine to eat but don’t look as appetizing. You can slow the oxidation process by brushing lemon juice over the apple slices. Instead of brushing the lemon juice over the apple slices, you could also prep them with a water bath with 1 tablespoon of lemon juice for every 1 cup of water. Let the apple slices soak in the lemon water for 10 minutes before draining and serving.
Variations
- Chocolate Caramel Dip: You can also make this caramel and cream cheese dip with a delicious chocolate layer. There are several options for this like mixing in mini chocolate chips, drizzling melted chocolate over the top, or adding a layer of Hot Fudge Sauce.
- Nut Topping: The original recipe uses chopped peanuts to add some crunch to the creamy dip, but you can do the same thing with any nut options. Chopped almonds, pecans, walnuts, or pistachios would all taste delicious layered on top of this sweet dip.
- More Add-Ins: There are also a variety of mix-ins you could add to make this recipe your own. Stir toffee bits, cinnamon chips, peanut butter chips, candy bar pieces, or mini chocolate chips into the creamy dip.
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