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How to Make Candy Apples

Candy Apples are surprisingly easy to make with very few ingredients. All you’ll need is a watchful eye and a little patience to add a little extra fun this Halloween. Come on in and I’ll show you how to make Candy Apples…

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candy apples

How to Make Candy Apples

candy apples

Candy Apples are the perfect way to add a little more fun this Halloween.

making candy apples

I pulled this idea out of an old Country Living Magazine. I have a giant binder with ideas that, when I remember to look through it, give me inspiration. Sometimes I see something, and it triggers an entirely different idea, and sometimes I just do what the picture tells me. This is one of those instances. I have been wanting to try this recipe out, and see how I was at candy apple making. Guys, I have a little secret to share, it’s not that hard. All you need is a candy thermometer, a little patience, and a very watchful eye!

making candy apples

What Temperature do you need to Make Candy Apples?

  • Candy apples need to get to a hard crack stage which is between 300 and 310 degrees

What if the Candy Gets Too Hard While Dipping Apples?

  • If the candy is getting too thick simply warm it over medium heat until it thins out and continues dipping your apples

candy apples

Tips and Tricks for Making Candy Apples

  • Make sure the candy is in the hard crack stage on your candy thermometer which should be between 300 and 310 degrees
  • Be patient. Sometimes it takes around a half-hour to get the candy temperature where it needs to be
  • Be very careful while working with hot candy. It is scalding hot and will stick to your skin. Only adults should carefully dip apples over hot candy
  • Wash and dry the apples before dipping them – especially if they have a wax coating. A wax coating may prevent the candy from sticking to the apple
  • If the candy gets to hard to work with then heat the candy over medium heat until it thins out again (it should only take a minute or so)
  • To make candy apples easier to eat, then slice the apples before eating
  • Dipping the apples once will give a thinner coating which makes them a little easier to bite into

 

Here’s What You’ll Need to make your apples (printable recipe found below):

  • 3 cups of granulated sugar
  • 1 cup of water
  • 1/2 cup of light corn syrup
  • Apples – washed and dried (making sure to take off any wax coating)
  • Twigs from your yard 0r popsicle sticks
  • red and/or black food coloring

Extra Equipment:

 

Instructions

  • Have your apples ready – washed and twigs pushed in the middle
  • You’ll want to mix the first three ingredients together in a medium to large saucepan
  • Have your candy thermometer set in place
  • Get your heat up…all the way up, and let it boil, stirring every once in a while
  • Watch the thermometer. It takes a while (probably 10-15 minutes) to start getting really hot, but once it hits about 250 it goes fast!
  • As soon as it is between 300 and 310 degrees, remove the candy from the heat source
  • Add 1/2 tsp. of vanilla, and stir in
  • Add some red food coloring – enough to make it a deep red – just keep stirring and adding more until you love the color
  • Get your parchment paper ready, dip, and roll the apples into the red candy
  • Place them on the paper to cool
  • For your black apples – only once you’ve got enough red apples – add black food coloring to the red, and keep going until you love the darkened color (it may look like deep purple and that’s ok)
  • *If syrup has thickened too much to add black food coloring then reheat the syrup for a short time until it is thin again
  • Dip more apples into the black candy, roll, and place on paper to cool
  • You’re done
  • *Let the apples cool for about 10 minutes, and enjoy.
  • *The ones I dipped a few times were a little too thick to bite into, so I sliced those up for the kids. That is something I learned for next time, only dip once for a thin easy bite shell

How do you make Cinnamon Spice Candy Apples?

  • Replace vanilla extract with cinnamon extract

 

 

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Here’s your handy dandy printable:

 

Print

Candy Apples

Easy to make Candy Apples for a fun fall treat.

  • Author: Melissa
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 15+ minutes
  • Total Time: 22 minute
  • Yield: 10-12 medium apples 1x

Ingredients

Scale
  • 3 cups of granulated sugar
  • 1 cup of water
  • 1/2 cup of corn syrup
  • 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
  • red food coloring
  • black food coloring
  • twigs or lollipop sticks
  • apples
  • parchment paper

*To make cinnamon flavored apples, replace the vanilla extract with cinnamon extract

Instructions

  1. Have your apples ready – washed, stems removed, and twigs pushed into the middle
  2. You’ll want to mix the first three ingredients together in a medium to large saucepan
  3. Have your candy thermometer set in place
  4. Get your heat up…all the way up, and let it boil, stirring every once in a while
  5. Watch the thermometer. It takes a while (probably 10-15 minutes) to start getting really hot, but Once it hitsĀ  250 it goes fast
  6. As soon as it gets between 300 and 310 degrees, remove the candy from the heat source
  7. Add 1/2 tsp. of vanilla, and stir in
  8. Add some red food coloring – enough to make it a deep red – just keep adding and stirring until you love i!
  9. Get your parchment paper ready, dip, and roll the apples into the red candy
  10. Place them on the parchment paper to cool
  11. For your black apples – only once you’ve got enough red apples – add black food coloring to the red, and keep going until you have a deep purple – almost black color
  12. Dip more apples into the black candy, roll, and place on paper to cool

Notes

*To make cinnamon flavored apples, replace the vanilla extract with cinnamon extract

 

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This Post Has 2 Comments

  1. KELLY

    How many apples does 1 recipe make?

    1. Melissa

      So sorry. The recipe should make 12 small to medium sized apples.

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