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by Kellie August 16, 2023
A fall must have, sweet and shiny red….this Easy Candy Apple recipe is simple and fun. Just like the apples you used to get at your local fair, they’re the best bite of the season and made with just a few pantry ingredients!
Table of Contents
Candy Apples
Fall is in the air and all I can think about is piles of apples and all the apple desserts I have on my list to check off. It’s like my own personal fall bucket list and I fully intend on making it all the way through this year since all we have is time.
First up….Homemade Candy Apples! They’re sweet and tart and totally fun for the fall season. And they’re a cinch to make in about 30 minutes.
Kids love to help make them and you can color them just about any shade of the rainbow you want. I went with a classic RED Candy Apple because that’s what I remember from my childhood.
What are Candy Apples?
If you’ve never tried a Candy Apple, you’re in for a tasty surprise. Unlike a Caramel Apple, Candied Apples have a hard, sweet candy coating similar to a Jolly Rancher.
It’s like a lollipop on a stick but with a healthy treat inside. Tart, juicy apples are dipped in melted sugar to achieve the candy shell and allowed to cool on a baking sheet until ready to eat.
The whole process takes only 30 minutes!
They’re fun, easy and certainly festive. And….I must mention….a little tough to eat. While the kids like to lick away like a giant lollipop because, frankly, it’s almost impossible to bite into one, I like to cut them up and snack on them that way. A much better way to preserve your teeth.
How to Make Candy Apples
Making Candy Apples is super simple to do. Here’s how to make them:
- Wash the apples and remove the stem by twisting until it pops off. (If your apples are coated in wax, give them a quick dunk in boiling water to melt off the wax.)
- Insert the sticks into the stem end of the apple.
- Stir the sugar, corn syrup and water together in a saucepan.
- Boil the sugar mixture until hard crack stage (300˚F on a candy thermometer)
- Color by adding a few drops of food dye, stir.
- Dip the apples in the sugar syrup to coat and allow the excess to drip off.
- Cool the apples on a baking sheet lined with cooking spray coated parchment or a silicone baking mat.
- Enjoy!!!
These sturdy, bamboo skewers are perfect for caramel apples, candy apples, corn dogs and more! The pointed end makes them easier to insert.
Tips for Easy Candy Apple Making
All you need are a few tips for making your Easy Homemade Candy Apple Recipe:
- Be sure to boil your sugar mixture until the HARD CRACK stage. If you pull it off the heat too soon, the sugar will be too soft…more like taffy. Making them even more impossible to eat.
- When you add the food coloring (and you can color your apples black, purple, fuscia…it’s up to you), be careful because the sugar will bubble a bit more angrily.
- If your apples are not freshly picked and purchased at a grocery store, give them a quick dunk in boiling water for 1-2 seconds to melt off any wax that may be on the apples. The wax keeps the sugar from adhering to the apple.
- Now….dip away….carefully. The sugar is VERY hot. And don’t forget to coat that parchment with cooking spray.
And if you’re not really feeling like dipping and sticking….you could totally throw together a big platter of these Caramel Apple Nachos!
More Easy Apple Recipes
If you like this Candy Apple recipe, check out this Crock Pot Apple Crisp. It’s super easy and tastes amazing with a dollop of Whipped Cream!
Or try these easy Apple Dumplings or our favorite Apple Fritters!
- The Best Apple Pie
- Apple Pie Bars
- Baked Apples
And if you want to see WHAT ELSE we’re making here at the Soapbox be sure to follow us over on Instagram!
Get the Recipe:Easy Candy Apple Recipe
Yield: 8
Prep Time: 10 minutes mins
Cook Time: 20 minutes mins
Total Time: 30 minutes mins
Fall calls for these easy candy apples made from scratch with just 3 ingredients and 30 minutes!
5 from 16 votes
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Ingredients
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup corn syrup
- 3/4 cup water
- 1/2 teaspoon red food coloring
- 8 small-medium apples
Equipment
1 saucepan
1 candy thermometer
12 corn dog sticks
Instructions
Insert a stick into the stem end of the apple pushing about halfway through and set aside.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and coat generously with cooking spray.
In a large saucepan over high heat, stir together the sugar, syrup and water. Bring the mixture to a boil and turn the heat to medium. Stir in the food coloring. Insert a candy thermometer and continue to boil until the mixture reaches Hard Crack stage (from 300-310 degrees), approximately 15-20 minutes.
Remove the sugar mixture from the heat and allow to rest for a few minutes before quickly dipping the apples in the sugar mixture turning to coat.The rest allows the bubbles to subside a bit so you don't have bubbles in your candy coating.
Transfer to the baking sheet to cool completely.
Notes
Apples can be made up to two days in advance and stored at room temperature.
Calories: 318kcal, Carbohydrates: 83g, Protein: 0g, Fat: 0g, Saturated Fat: 0g, Cholesterol: 0mg, Sodium: 10mg, Potassium: 194mg, Fiber: 4g, Sugar: 76g, Vitamin A: 100IU, Vitamin C: 8.3mg, Calcium: 12mg, Iron: 0.3mg
Author: Kellie
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
posted in: Candy, Desserts, DIY, Gluten-Free, Healthy Recipes, Recipes, Snacks, Vegan, Vegetarian 41 comments
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Ivory — Reply
I always loved candy apples. These look amazing. Thanks for sharing
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Beth — Reply
These look super adorable and so easy! I can’t wait to make these! My kids are going to love these!
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Kellie — Reply
They are so fun to make!
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April — Reply
Candy apples are such a staple fall treat! I never realized how easy they were to make.
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Lisalia — Reply
These were so easy to make. And delicious to eat. What a childhood classic. Thanks for the recipe.
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Kellie — Reply
Thank you so much!
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Gabriela Avecillas — Reply
Almost set my house on fire . Do not walk away. They smelled great prior though lol
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Ana Guzman — Reply
Is this recipe good for 4 medium apples
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Kellie — Reply
It is!
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Stephany — Reply
easy and delicious candy recipe.
the candy was very sweet but hardens very quickly, be prepared to coat apples quickly. Clean up is very hard.-
Kellie — Reply
Sometimes it helps to let the pan soak in hot water to dissolve the candy leftover in the pot. So glad you liked it!
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Shysweetsandtreats — Reply
I came across you recipe and wanted to try it. If I have and of the candy apple mix left over. Can I reuse it or throw it away
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Kellie — Reply
Unfortunately not. The leftover candy will harden so it’s best to just discard any leftover.
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Lesley — Reply
I would pour the left over on another sheet that is sprayed with cooking spray and let cool. That will make homemade hard candy. I always add candy flavoring to my recipe, so I will have a flavored hard candy to suck on later
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Kellie — Reply
That’s a great tip! Thanks for sharing!
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Sabrina Gore — Reply
Can I double this recipe?
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Kellie —
You sure can! Just be sure to allow the candy mixture sit for a couple minutes before dipping your apples to help prevent bubbles from forming.
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Paula Huling — Reply
Excellent!
Add some flavor and make your own hard candy with the left over sauce.-
Kellie — Reply
Great idea!
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Allyson Zea — Reply
I am so excited to try this out with my kids this fall! Thank you for the simple to follow instructions!
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john monyatsi — Reply
Intending to live a healthy lifestyle.
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Kellie — Reply
Good for you! We like to treat ourselves sometimes.
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Daniel — Reply
How is clean up? Think of using a disposable pan.
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Kellie — Reply
Clean up is easy, it dissolves with hot water and soap.
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Leola Dallaire — Reply
Curious, if you use 8 apples why does it serve 6.
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Kellie — Reply
Hi Leola, that’s an excellent question! Off to go fix that because it’s clearly an error!
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shyana — Reply
this was great i liked it but i wish we could have scene the product when it was boiling or finished in the pot to see the consistancy of what the sugar should look like, I also wanted to know on the water for the wax do you boil first then shut it off and dip the apples then dry them and set for the dipping candy?? looking forward to your feed back.
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Kellie — Reply
I dip them in boiling water and then dry them before dipping in the candy.
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Aaron Kane — Reply
Can this recipe be cut in half for making 4 apples instead of 8?
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Kellie — Reply
Yes, you can divide the whole recipe in half. Or you’ll just have a little extra of the syrup.
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Aster — Reply
Very yummy! I used honey instead of corn syrup which added a bit more sweetness I think. It does get very hot though so be warned in you try to make this be sure that your fingers are out of the way trust me you will be grateful.
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Kellie — Reply
Thank you for your comment! Yes, honey does work well for this recipe and definitely make sure not to dip your fingers.
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dolores Mendoza — Reply
Thank you
Thank you gonna make these for my granddaughters Halloween carnival!!
Made them before and they are so easy and delicious!!-
Kellie — Reply
Thank you! I hope she has the most fun!
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Sheila — Reply
What can I wrap theses in for a party
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Kellie — Reply
You can buy candy bags at craft stores and they work well.
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Katie — Reply
These turned out so good! Candied apples always seemed daunting to me but this recipe was easy to follow with fabulous results. Thanks!
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Kellie — Reply
Thank you for your comment! I’m so happy you loved them!
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Jessica M. — Reply
This was a first time experiment for me. I was slicing apples to dehydrate and decided to candy the last 2 instead I had already cored the apples, so I went ahead and sliced them in half. The juice from the inside does prevent candy from sticking a little but only in spots. If eating that day, no big deal. Also, easier for small mouths to eat.
I also omitted food coloring but added cherry flavoring. By the time I dipped the apples, not much of the flavoring came through. (Seems I added to early and it cooked out. )
After coating my 4 apple halves, I added cinnamon flavoring and used a silicone ice-tray to make cinnamon lollipops.
Overall, both apples and leftover candy turned out really well. 🙂-
Kellie — Reply
Love the tip for the lollipops! I’m so happy you enjoyed the recipe and thanks for your tips!
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