Learn how to make customized caramel apples with a caramel apple dipping bar! Fun for kids and adults of all ages!
Whenever you walk into a grocery store and see big bags of caramel candy next to displays of apples, you know it’s caramel apple season!
Caramel apples are an iconic part of fall, enticing children and adults to indulge in seasonal apples, dipped in gooey caramel, and coated with a variety of toppings. My kids love caramel apples, and it is frankly one of the few times I can get them to eat apples without some resistance.
My 8-year-old daughter had a sleepover at our house last weekend, so I decided to setup a caramel apple dipping bar for the kids to make their very own custom caramel apples!
How to Set Up a Caramel Apple Dipping Bar
The best thing about setting up a caramel apple dipping bar is that it’s so simple! You’ll start by coring and cutting 4 apples into slices. We used a combination of skewers and hands to make our caramel apples – both work equally well! If you do have little ones participating in the festivities, it might be a good idea to skewer some of the apples ahead of time, so the little ones can just dip and add toppings.
The next important element of a caramel apple dipping bar is the toppings. We went super easy with ice cream toppings – caramel and hot fudge. The hot fudge needs to be microwaved for about 45 seconds to make it thinner and easier to dip. The caramel sauce is really easy to dip at room temperature, but is much thinner than a typical caramel that goes on a caramel apple.
Melted caramel candies do a better job of sticking to the apples and keeping the toppings in place, but it’s up to you if you want to go for ease or quality of caramel. In the recipe below, I share how to make a caramel sauce with caramel candies and milk.
The Toppings
There are almost infinite choices for caramel apple toppings! We chose a mixture of sweet and savory choices, but here are some options to choose from.
- Mini M&Ms
- Mini Reece’s Pieces
- Crushed Oreos
- Chopped Peanuts
- Chopped Nuts
- Sunflower Seeds
- Mini Chocolate Chips
- Mini Marshmallows
- Sprinkles
- Shredded Coconut
- Mini Reese’s Cups
- Butterscotch Chips
- Chopped Pretzels
- Candy Corn
- Dried Fruit
- Caramel Popcorn
I set each child up with a plate to place their caramel apples on, then let them sit in the refrigerator for about an hour to firm up before enjoying them.
My personal favorite apple was covered in caramel and peanuts. I love the balance of salty and sweet!
My kids were all about the chocolate. Chocolate fundge covered apples covered in mini Reece’s Pieces was a favorite for them!
The fun thing about a caramel apple dipping bar is that it’s super low stress! You just put out ingredients and let the kids and adults mix and match toppings – there’s no wrong way to do it!
Printable Recipe – Caramel Apple Dipping Bar
Caramel Apple Dipping Bar
Ingredients
- 4 Apples
- 1/2 cup Hot Fudge
- 14 ounce Package Individually Wrapped Caramels
- 2 tbsp Milk
- Assorted Candies
- Assorted Nuts
Instructions
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Core apples and cut into slices. Spear with skewers, if desired.
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Place hot fudge in a bowl and microwave for 30 - 45 seconds, until soft.
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Place caramels and milk in a microwave safe bowl. Heat for 2 minutes, stirring half way through, then allow to cool slightly.
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Lay out apples, hot fudge, and caramel sauce, plus any desired toppings onto a bar or table. Allow kids and adults to dip and decorate their caramel apple slices however they desire!
Pin it – Caramel Apple Dipping Bar
Save this recipe for later by pinning it to your favorite Halloween/Fall Pinterest board! Just click on the image below to save.
