Easy candy apple recipe is made with apples and just a few simple ingredients. Candy apples are very easy to make and can be made in different colors or flavors.
Candy apples are a classic fall and Halloween treat! This easy candy apple recipe is made with apples and just a few simple ingredients like granulated sugar, corn syrup, and water.
The look and flavor of homemade candy apples can easily be adjusted the according to your tastes.
What is the difference between candy apples and caramel apples?
Candy apples have a hard candy coating on the outside of the apple. Caramel apples are coated with a melted caramel coating.
Ingredients
- Apples - use sweet or tart apples (like Granny Smith apples). Either will work, so use what you like.
- Granulated sugar - Regular granulated sugar, not raw sugar, works best in this recipe.
- Light corn syrup - The small amount of corn syrup helps to prevent crystallization.
- Food coloring
How to make candy apples
Push a popsicle stick or bamboo stick about halfway into the center through the top of the apple. Set aside.
Line a baking sheet with wax paper, parchment paper, or a nonstick (silicone) baking mat. Generously grease paper or baking mat with nonstick cooking spray.
Add the sugar, corn syrup, and water to a large saucepan. Stir until well-combined.
Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring regularly. When the mixture comes to a boil, reduce the heat to medium.
Stir in the food coloring and flavoring, if using.
Continue to boil until the mixture reaches hard crack stage, 300-310 F, about 15-20 minutes.
Remove from the heat.
Quickly but carefully dip the apples in the hot sugar coating. Let the excess drip back off.
Place on the prepared baking sheet, and let apples cool completely.
Variations
- Color: Candy apples can be made in all sorts of colors. Feel free to use another color of food coloring in place of the red.
- Cinnamon: Add about ½ teaspoon of ground cinnamon or ¼ teaspoon cinnamon flavoring make a cinnamon coating.
- Flavors: Feel free to use other flavorings instead of cinnamon. Mix and match flavor ideas include purple food coloring with grape flavoring or red food coloring with strawberry flavoring.
Top tips
>> Be sure to wash the apples before using them. If the apples have a wax coating, briefly dip the apples in boiling water (after placing the stick in the apple). The boiling water will help the wax to dissolve and help the coating to stick. Let the apple dry completely before continuing.
>>Use a candy thermometer. It's important that the sugar mixture reach hard crack stage. Otherwise, the sugar mixture won't set up properly.
How to eat candy apples
The coating on the candy apples is very hard. It's easiest to eat a candy apple by cutting it into pieces or slices.
Storage
It's best to store any leftover candy apples in the fridge. They will keep for about 2 days when properly stored.
More fall treats!
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Candy Apples
Equipment
- Saucepan
Ingredients
- 4 medium apples
- Popsicle sticks or bamboo apple sticks
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons light corn syrup
- 6 tablespoons water
- ¼ teaspoon red food coloring
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon flavor
Instructions
- Push a popsicle stick or bamboo stick about halfway into the center through the top of the apple. Set aside.
- Line a baking sheet with wax paper, parchment paper, or a nonstick baking mat.
- Generously coat paper or baking mat with nonstick cooking spray.
- Add the sugar, corn syrup, and water to a large saucepan.
- Stir until well-combined.
- Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring regularly.
- When the mixture comes to a boil, reduce the heat to medium.
- Stir in the food coloring and flavoring, if using.
- Continue boiling until the mixture reaches hard crack stage, 300-310 F, about 15-20 minutes.
- Remove from the heat.
- Quickly but carefully dip the apples in the hot sugar coating.
- Place on the prepared baking sheet and let cool completely.
Notes
- Apples - use sweet or tart apples. Either will work, so use what you like.
- Granulated sugar - Regular granulated sugar, not raw sugar, works best in this recipe.
- Light corn syrup - The small amount of corn syrup helps to prevent crystallization.
- Food coloring - Feel free to use different colors. Check out the notes above for changing the color or flavor of the apples.
- Nutrition values are estimates.
Holly
Great recipe! The apples were really easy to make.
Kate
Thank you!
Anien
Very nice