How to make Gourmet Caramel Apples

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When the leaves fall from the trees and there is a crispness in the air, there’s nothing that says “fall” more than a delicious gourmet caramel apple! This post is for all of you out there who want to make a sweet and delicious gourmet caramel apple that will delight your friends, family, and anyone else you happen to share it with. I’m going to teach you how to make gourmet caramel apples!

Here you will find different gourmet caramel apple topping ideas plus tips and tricks on how to make the perfect caramel apple! With a little trial and error, you will find your perfect topping or be inspired to come up with your own delightful creation.

Let’s face it there is nothing better on a crisp fall day than an ooey-gooey, crispy, sticky sweet, gourmet caramel apple topped with yummy goodness! Makes my mouth water just thinking about it. Okay, let’s get started!

(I got this recipe from Yoli (a relative), she is an amazing cook. If you want to see what she’s cooking up check out her YouTube channel. Unfortunately, she doesn’t have a video of her making caramel apples posted on youtube, maybe I can talk her into making one.)

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What you Will Need to Make Gourmet Caramel Apples

• Apples– I like to use honeycrisp and Granny Smith apples. Just pick your favorite apple.

• Caramel– Peter’s Caramel, this is yummy and easy to work with. If you want the best caramel apples then splurge on this caramel. I promise you won’t regret it! I purchase the five pound block and cut off what I need. Fun fact: Disneyland uses Peter’s caramel!

• Sticks– I use the 5.25” sticks. You can buy them at most hobby/craft stores.

• Toppings– See topping ideas below.

• Cellophane bags, and ribbon– If giving as gifts you’ll want to cellophane bags or boxes to wrap your caramel apple in and don’t forget to add ribbon and gift tags.

Tips Before you Get Started

• First, make sure your apples are cold. This allows the warm caramel to stick to them and not pool at the bottom. Don’t skip this step!
• Secondly, when heating up your carmel, you want it to be the consistensy of creamy peanut butter. If it’s runny it will just slide off the apple.
• Above all, spread that creamy caramel goodnes all over the apple. It doesn’t have to be perfect, just make sure it’s covered. 

Topping Ideas for your Gourmet Caramel Apples

Here are just a few examples of toppings you can use to top your gourmet caramel apples.

• Nuts– Chopped Pecans, walnuts, almonds

• Candy-Mini m&m’s, chopped Reese’s cups (I like the small ones), butterfingers, skors, snickers, heath bar, Crushed almond bark pretzels, etc.

• Almond Bark– White or Chocolate

• Cookies– Chopped oreos, gingersnaps, graham crackers

• Sprinkles– you can find some really cute seasonal sprinkles for valentines, easter, spring, fall and Christmas and of course confetti sprinkles. I love these Fancy Sprinkles they even have edible glitter. You can purchase them here!

• Salt– kosher gourmet salt, this is my favorite! Simple and delicious.

Gourmet Carmel Apple Combinations

• More Sprinkles, Please– My grandson loves sprinkles, (I named this one after him, it is what he always tells me when he wants more sprinkles). Drizzle with white or chocolate almond bark and add sprinkles of your choice. Here are some cute classic sprinkles, halloween sprinkles, christmas sprinkles,

• S’mores– Small or mini marshmallows, crumbled graham crackers, mini chocolate chips or chopped Hershey bar and chocolate almond bark to drizzle.

• Oreo Delight– Drizzle with melted almond bark, I use white and then sprinkle or roll in crushed oreos. After that, I like to drizzle more white almond bark on the Oreos for some extra flair.

• Apple Pie– Mix cinnamon, sugar and a dash of nutmeg. You could also mix apple pie spice with sugar if you don’t want to make your own. After spreading the apple with caramel, drizzle with melted white almond bark and sprinkle with the cinnamon sugar mixture. For a twist try this cinnamon maple sugar!

• Turtle Caramel Apples– Spread apple with caramel and while caramel is still warm press chopped pecans into the caramel. After that, drizzle with melted chocolate almond bark and sprinkle more chopped pecans and chopped or mini chocolate chips.

As you can see, the possibilities are endless when it comes to what toppings you can choose for your gourmet caramel apples. Above all, be creative and experiment. Think outside of the box. You never know what delicious creation you will make.

These gourmet caramel apples are great for…

• Gifts giving– For instance, you can place them in cellophane bags or a box and tie them with a cute bow. These would make great gifts for your neighbors, teachers, co-workers, friends and loved ones.

• Bake sale or Fundraiser– I made a batch of these for a fundraiser for my niece and they were a big hit. Consequently, there were people that purchased the caramel apples at the fundraiser that contacted me wanting to purchase more.

• Sale them for a profit– Some people don’t have time or the desire to make gourmet caramel apples but if you are up to it why not sale them. For instance, you can sell these for at least $15-$30 or more depending on the size, topping choice and how decorative you get with packagaing them. If you are looking for a side hustle it’d be a great way to earn some extra cash.

• Birthday Parties & Events– These would be great at a birthday party or event. Kid’s love them…especially if they have sprinkles!

Let’s do this…

Wash and dry your apples. Make sure they are nice and cold. Cold apples help the warm caramel to stick to the apple and not puddle at the bottom.

Put the sticks in either the top or bottom. You can use a small hammer for this. I’ve used the flat side of a meat tenderizer. Whatever works for you. Just be careful and don’t drive the stick through the other side of the apple or smash your finger.

Cut off a chunk of Peter’s caramel. I like to work in small batches and I’ll warm more caramel as I need it. Warm the caramel in a microwave-safe bowl until it is the consistency of creamy peanut butter. I typically, start out at 45-second intervals and stir. Do not overheat the caramel.

Spread the caramel onto the cold apples, making sure to cover the entire apple. I use a frosting spatula like this to spread mine. The caramel doesn’t have to be perfectly smooth. After you spread the caramel on the apples, place them on a piece of wax paper or parchment paper. (Note: If I’m making the Turtle gourmet caramel apple I will take my chopped pecans and press them onto the caramel after I’ve spread it on the apple. This allows the pecans to stick to it better.)

Now comes the fun part, the toppings! I like to have all my toppings ready before I start. You don’t want your caramel to cool off while you chop pecans or crush graham crackers. Use the melted almond bark (white or chocolate, depending on what you choose) like glue for your toppings to stick. Drizzle it on and sprinkle your toppings of choice. Don’t be stingy with the toppings. Pile them on and finish them off with a drizzle of almond bark of choice.

Once you have created your scrumptious gourmet caramel apple, place them on parchment paper and allow it to set up. After that, wrap them in a cellophane bag and decorate them with ribbons or a cute bow. Store them in the refrigerator. I like to remove them from the refrigerator a few hours before eating to allow the caramel to soften up a bit, it makes them easier to eat. Gourmet caramel apples can be stored in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.

Whether you’re looking for a new twist on the classic caramel apple, or just want to avoid paying a small fortune for gourmet caramel apples during the holidays, this recipe is perfect. Who doesn’t love making their own gourmet confection? A little bit of time and effort goes into these homemade apples but it’s worth it when they turn out so much better than anything from the store! Give them a try I promise that you won’t regret it.

Enjoy!

P.S. What are your favorite toppings? Tell us in the comments below. Happy caramel apple making!

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