Honey Caramel Apples
Fall is the perfect season for sweet treats, and honey caramel apples bring a delightful twist to a classic favorite. This easy recipe combines crisp fresh apples with a chewy homemade caramel coating made with honey instead of corn syrup or tons of white sugar. You don’t have to wait for the fair to come to town to enjoy caramel apples. Make your own today!
Honey is a sugar, but it brings its own special flavor to recipes. I love using honey in my recipes, and you will too. It is a good idea to keep a jar of honey on hand—you will be amazed at what it can do!
Homemade Caramel Apples Sweetened With Honey
Caramel apples just seem to scream Fall to many people. This is the time when the apple harvest is coming in from many regions. It is a favorite time to create unique apple dishes.
Honey adds a depth of flavor to caramel that sugar alone can’t achieve. Unlike traditional caramel made with granulated sugar and corn syrup, honey caramel relies on a natural sweetener.
The combination of sweet, chewy caramel and a crisp apple makes this a fun treat for Fall—or anytime you happen to have a few extra apples on hand.
Ingredients
- apples
- heavy cream
- honey
- nuts – chopped (optional)
- wooden sticks
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Apples
Most people use and recommend green apples for making candy or caramel apple treats. This is to provide the contrast in taste between the tangy apple and sweet caramel.
Granny Smith apples are a popular choice, but you certainly don’t have to use them.
In my family, we love Gala apples, so I used those instead. I also love Fuji apples, and they taste delicious with caramel.
Medium-sized apples seem to work best. Make sure they are clean and completely dry before you begin.
Heavy Cream
You need a small amount of heavy cream to give your honey caramel apple coating the right consistency.
You need heavy cream to give your honey caramel apple coating the right consistency. You will find it in the refrigerated dairy section at most grocery stores.
Honey
You can use any honey variety. But, I always use and recommend raw honey in recipes. You can find it for sale online but if you have a local beekeeper – it’s a great time to share a little local love.
Properly stored pure honey never spoils – keep a jar in your pantry.
Nuts
Adding chopped nuts of your choice are optional. I used pecans (because that is what I have on hand). But, other nuts work just as well. If no one in your family is allergic – chopped peanuts are an inexpensive choice.
Wooden Sticks
To make a traditional caramel apple you need a stick. You can find round pointed sticks in the baking section of most local stores. However, if that proves to be a problem, you can use the flat craft sticks too.
Equipment
No special equipment is needed to make honey caramel apples, but a candy thermometer is very helpful for knowing when the caramel is ready.
The honey and cream mixture needs to reach about 260°F. A thermometer takes the guesswork out of this important step.
A parchment or wax paper-lined baking sheet makes the job much easier. You also need a saucepan and heat source to make the caramel.
How to Make Caramel Apples With Honey
This is truly a very simple recipe and does not require a lot of heavy lifting in the kitchen.
I will warn you that as with many types of candy making, I have better results on less humid days. My caramel tends to be thinner when the humidity is high.
1. Prepare & Chill the Apples – After washing the apples, insert a wooden stick into each one and place them on a parchment paper lined baking sheet.
Now it’s a good idea to chill them for an hour or so. You don’t have to but chilled apples are easier to coat with honey caramel.
Be sure the apples are completely dry before dipping because moisture on the surface can make it harder for the caramel to stick.
2. Cook the Honey Caramel – In a large saucepan combine the heavy cream and honey. Heat to a low boil, then reduce to simmer -stirring frequently. Continue until mixture reaches about 260° F.
This will take 20-30 minutes depending on the temperature of the stove. Watch carefully to prevent scorching in the bottom of the pan.
When the caramel is ready, remove from heat and allow to cool for just a few minutes. Be sure the apples are completely dry before dipping because moisture on the surface can make it harder for the caramel to stick
3. Dip & Add Toppings – Dip each chilled apple in the caramel and roll to coat the sides. Lift caramel coated apples from pot and roll in chopped nuts of your choice: pecans, peanuts, walnuts etc.
Of course, the nuts are optional. Plain honey caramel apples are delicious too.
4. Let the Caramel Set – Now, sit them on parchment paper or wax lined tray to cool. You can put them back in the refrigerator if the weather is warm.
Tips for Getting the Caramel to Stick
While the process is simple, working with candy-like recipes can present some challenges.
If you have a problem with too much of the caramel coating running off the apple surface, either the mixture did not cook long enough, it is still too warm, or you may be fighting humid weather.
Keep in mind that honey caramel tends to be a bit thinner than caramel made with loads of sugar or corn syrup. Don’t get in a hurry. Let the mixture cool and thicken a bit before you start dipping.
If necessary, you can dip the apples twice for a thicker coating. Also, is it really a bad thing to have less caramel coating?
How to Store
Once your honey caramel apples have set in the refrigerator for a bit to chill, remove and wrap them tightly with plastic wrap. (Humidity is your enemy – wrap them up right.)
Now, you can store them in the refrigerator until right before eating them. I would let them come to room temperature on the counter before eating for the best flavor and experience.
More Delicious Ways to Use Honey and Apples
This is just one simple way to incorporate honey into your cooking. You don’t have to be a gourmet cook to experience success. Still have some apples on hand?
Try this simple Honey Apple Butter in the crockpot. It is nutritious and delicious – you can even can some up and give them as gifts.
Another apple idea – honey glazed dehydrated apples with cinnamon make a wonderful healthy snack and they last for months.
If you are really feeling in the mood for Fall and holidays, celebrate the harvest with this simple Honey Pumpkin Pie.
FAQs
Tart, crisp apples such as Granny Smith provide a nice contrast to sweet caramel. However, sweeter varieties such as Gala and Fuji are delicious choices too.
Yes. Once the caramel has set, wrap the apples and store them in the refrigerator. For the best flavor and texture, your existing recommendation to let them warm slightly before eating is useful.
Moisture, wax on the apple skin, caramel that hasn’t cooked or cooled enough, and high humidity can all make coating apples more difficult.
Enjoy making honey caramel apples for your family and experience the sweet delight of honey.
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Honey Caramel Apples
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Read my disclosure.Ingredients
- 6 apples medium
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup honey
- 1 cup pecan pieces
Instructions
- Wash and dry the apples. Insert a wooden stick or skewer into each and place on a piece of parchment or a paper lined pan. Place in refrigerator to chill.
- Put heavy cream and honey in a large pan and heat to a boil over medium-high heat. Watch it closely as it will boil over! Then, reduce to simmer and continue heating until the mixture reaches 260° F on candy thermometer.
- Remove from heat. Dip each chilled apple in the honey caramel mix and roll to coat. Roll in nuts to coat bottom half of apple if desired. Set on paper lined pan and allow to cool.