Super easy to make, these apple slices are drizzled with caramel and chocolate and then sprinkled with candy. It's a great project to do with kids for Halloween, Christmas, or a birthday party since you can choose different candies depending on the occasion.
A fun apple treat
I don't do many Halloween treats unless they're very simple (like Halloween brownies or Halloween bark), but this one gets my attention. It's a great way to get the kids involved. And make them eat fruit?
I love a caramel apple as much as anyone, but if I'm honest, there's too much apple and too little caramel.
These apple slices correct that, with flavors and ingredients divided more equally. A lot of candy and not much apple!
It's a great project to make with kids and to take to school or for birthday parties. You can even have a make-your-own candy apple bar set up. The topping can vary with as many types of candy as you choose.
So keep this recipe idea close.
Ingredient list
- Apples: I use Granny Smith, the green ones, because they're sturdy and contrast well with the sweet toppings. If you use another one, it must have firm flesh.
- Soft caramels: use your favorite brand and ensure they're soft so they will melt well.
- Chocolate: you can use chocolate chips or melting chocolate wafers that are great for candy making. Make sure the chips melt well. I like Ghirardelli semisweet chocolate chips.
- M&M: or other candy you like.
- Popsicle or lollipop sticks.
- Coconut oil: if needed. An alternative is paramount crystals that melt easily with chocolate. I have never used them, but they're extensively used in candy-making.
Quantities are listed in the recipe card towards the end of this post. The Ingredients page has more details and lists the brands we use.
How to make candy apples
Use a wooden board and a sharp small or medium kitchen knife.
Cut two slices on each side of the core.
Pierce the middle of each slice to insert the popsicle stick.
Important: blot apple slices with absorbent paper to allow caramel and chocolate to stick well.
Insert a popsicle stick into each slice. You can remove the seeds if needed.
Caramel and chocolate coatings
- Blot the apple slices: this is essential for the coatings to adhere. So don't skip this step.
- Rub lemon juice on the side of the apple that won't be coated if you want to avoid browning (oxidization) as much as possible. Use a small amount.
- Use coconut oil to thin the chocolate, so it drizzles easily. One teaspoon at a time.
- Work quickly: especially when drizzling caramel as it solidifies fast.
You can use both caramel and chocolate, or just one.
And you can coat both sides of the apple, one side at a time. For this, I recommend thicker slices, maybe two per apple. Otherwise, it will be too much coating.
Kitchen notes
- Organization: read the recipe first and ensure you have ingredients at the right temperatures, equipment needed, and enough workspace. This will make the process so much easier!
- Brown apples: after a while, cut apples start to turn brown. To avoid browning, brush lemon juice (a small amount) on the exposed surface (bottom part) after the apple is assembled.
- Excess moisture: be sure to blot the apple slices, or the caramel and chocolate will not stick on the apples.
- Do they keep well? Not really, as the apple slices turn brown. These are best eaten just as they set or within a few hours.
- Variation: use different types of candy according to the occasion. Many of them come in different colors depending on the holiday, green and red for Christmas, pastel colors for Easter, etc.
- Caramel and chocolate: you can use just one. Or vary the type of chocolate.
- How to thin chocolate: as I mentioned before, chocolate sometimes needs to be thinned to drizzle easily. For this, I use coconut oil. Another way is mixing it with paramount crystals after it's melted. It's an ingredient extensively used in the candy-making industry.
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Candy Apple Slices
Ingredients
- 2 large granny smith apples
- 1 cup soft caramels, like Werther's original soft caramels, unwrapped
- 1 cup chocolate chips, semisweet or milk, or melting chocolate wafers
- 1 cup mini M&Ms, I use original m&m's milk chocolate candy
- 12 sticks, like popsicle craft sticks or lollipop plastic sticks
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil, or paramount crystals, if needed to thin the coating
Instructions
- Line a baking sheet with wax paper and set aside.
- Slice granny smith apples into about ½ inch wide slices. You should be able to get between 3-5 slices, depending on how large your apple is.
- Use a paper towel to remove moisture on each side of the apple slices.
- Use a sharp knife to cut a slit into the apple base and slide the popsicle stick into it.
- Remove any exposed seeds and lay down apples onto the baking sheet.
- Melt the soft caramels in a microwave-safe bowl for 30-second increments, stirring between, until melted.
- Work quickly: especially when drizzling caramel as it solidifies fast.
- Use a spoon to spread the caramel on the apples, and let the caramel sit for a minute to set a bit.
- Melt the chocolate chips as you did the caramel.
- Slowly add paramount crystals (or coconut oil) to thin out the chocolate to make it easier to use.
- Spread or drizzle the chocolate on top of the caramel.
- While the chocolate is still hot, drop the M&Ms onto the top of the chocolate.
- Place the pan in the fridge to help the chocolate and caramel set.
Meredith Allen says
These are so fun!! I plan on making them with my nieces and nephews this weekend. Thanks for sharing!!
Paula Montenegro says
Hope they love it Meredith! Have a great day with them.