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A tray of gourmet caramel apples, each decorated with various toppings such as sprinkles, white icing, and crushed nuts, is displayed. Sticks are inserted into the centers of the apples for easy handling.
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Gourmet Caramel Apples

You can make amazing and gorgeous Gourmet Caramel Apples at home with just a few easy steps! Customize with different drizzles and toppings!
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword Caramel Apples, Gourmet Caramel Apples
Prep Time 45 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Servings 12 caramel apples
Calories 257kcal
Author Katie Cooksey

Ingredients

  • 12 large cold organic apples any kind you like
  • 2-3 tablespoons cold water

homemade caramel sauce-

any desired coatings/toppings such as:

variety of chips such as:

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • Prepare a large baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
    A rectangular baking tray lined with parchment paper rests on a pink textured cloth, ready for gourmet caramel apples. In the background, a small clear jar with wooden skewers awaits its turn in the creation process.
  • Wash cold apples well and dry with a clean kitchen cloth. Remove stems and push craft sticks 1 inch into the apples to secure them into place. Place on the baking sheet and refrigerate until ready to use.
    Red and yellow gourmet caramel apples with wooden sticks inserted at the stems, arranged in a grid pattern on a white perforated tray.

for the homemade caramel sauce-

  • Heat sugar and water in a small saucepan over medium heat to melt the sugar. Continue cooking and swirling the pan until the sugar turns amber in color.
    A hand holding a whisk stirs a bubbling caramel mixture in a dark gray saucepan on a white stovetop, preparing it for gourmet caramel apples.
  • Whisk in heavy cream. The mixture will bubble up violently briefly. Continue whisking until the sauce is smooth.
    A stream of cream is being poured into a dark saucepan containing a reddish-brown mixture, likely gourmet caramel or sauce for making delectable caramel apples, on a stovetop.
  • Whisk in butter and vanilla extract.
    A whisk rests inside a saucepan filled with dark sauce, reminiscent of the rich coatings used for gourmet caramel apples, with a small amount of butter melting into it.

to melt the chips-

  • Place any chocolate (or other flavor) chips into heat-proof containers. Turn crockpot setting to high.
    Three small bowls with pink, brown, and yellow chocolate buttons are placed inside a larger pot, likely for melting—perfect for drizzling over gourmet caramel apples.
  • Bring small pot of water to boil. Pour boiling water into crockpot and reduce temperature to warm.
    Water being poured from a black pan into a silver pot on a stovetop, preparing the base for making gourmet caramel apples.
  • Place containers of chips into hot water to melt and keep warm, stirring occasionally. Place melted chips in a squeeze bottle or piping bag when ready to use.
    Close-up of a small blue-rimmed bowl filled with chocolate mousse placed next to other bowls containing gourmet caramel apples and various sauces.

to make the gourmet apples-

  • Place any desired toppings into shallow dishes.
    Seven small bowls containing different ingredients arranged around a wooden cutting board: sugar, multicolored sprinkles, white sprinkles, chopped nuts, shredded coconut, sliced almonds, and black sesame seeds—perfect for creating gourmet caramel apples.
  • Take a cold, clean and dry apple and dip it into the hot caramel. Turn apple completely around in the caramel sauce to coat evenly. Let the excess drip off the apple for a good 30 seconds. Then immediately dip them into the toppings you’d like. 
    A hand is dipping a shiny red caramel apple into a bowl of crushed cookies, crafting gourmet caramel apples. Two other bowls containing different ingredients are visible in the background.
  • Place the apple onto a baking sheet with parchment paper. Continue dipping and coating apples until all are covered.
    A tray of gourmet caramel apples, some with red skins and others with yellow, topped with various coatings like coconut flakes and seeds, and sticks inserted into the tops for easy handling.
  • Feel free to refrigerate 5-10 minutes to solidify caramel faster. After 3 or 4 apples, you may have to reheat the caramel if you notice it's getting thicker and thus harder to get a thin, even coat on your apples.
    A tray of gourmet caramel apples, some with nut coatings, is being drizzled with white icing from a piping bag.
  • Once the caramel coating has solidified, drizzle melted chocolate (or other melted chips options) over the tops of each apple using a squeeze bottle or piping bag. Top with sprinkles or any other desired toppings.
    A hand sprinkles toppings on colorful gourmet caramel apples with wooden sticks, arranged on a tray.
  • Once the chocolate is set, cut apples into slices and serve. Or, wrap them up in cellophane bags and give them as gifts.
    A gourmet caramel apple topped with sprinkles and sliced in half, served on a white rectangular plate with pink polka dots and a gold-colored spoon beside it.

Video

Notes

Nutritional information depends on what toppings you choose.

Nutrition

Calories: 257kcal | Carbohydrates: 48g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 24mg | Sodium: 29mg | Potassium: 254mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 40g | Vitamin A: 427IU | Vitamin C: 10mg | Calcium: 24mg | Iron: 0.3mg
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