Candy Apples

4.88 from 8 votes

Nothing says delicious fun like a candy apples! This is your guide for how to make candy apples at home. Tips for success...every time.

Prep Time10

Cook Time10

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: apple recipes, halloween recipe

Servings:

Calories: 375kcal

Author: Julie Clark

Ingredients

10 medium apples (approximately)
3 cups granulated sugar
½ cup light corn syrup
1 cup water
1 teaspoon cherry or strawberry extract (or other extract)
2 tablespoons white gel food coloring (to make a coating that will not be see through)
2-4 teaspoons food coloring to reach desired color (for see through color, adding slowly to reach desired color)
Dowel rods or popsicle sticks

Instructions

The day before (or at least several hours before):

Scrub the apples with a brush and hot water and dry the apples. Dry the apples completely and allow them to sit at room temperature. 10 medium apples

To make the apples:

Remove and discard the stems. Poke skinny dowel rods or popsicle sticks into the top center of the apple. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
In a medium saucepan over medium high heat, dissolve the sugar into the water then add corn syrup. Continue cooking till the candy thermometer reaches at least 302 degrees. This hard crack stage. This should take approximately 10 minutes. 3 cups granulated sugar, ½ cup light corn syrup, 1 cup water
At this point you will add the flavoring and white food coloring. Stir till combined. Add the food coloring (whatever color you'd like). Add the coloring a teaspoon at a time until it has reached the exact color you want. Holding the dowels in the apples, dunk the apple into syrup until it is as covered as you'd like, then pull slowly up. Allow the sugar to drip for 5-10 seconds. 1 teaspoon cherry or strawberry extract, 2 tablespoons white gel food coloring or 2-4 teaspoons food coloring to reach desired color
Place the apples onto the lined cookie sheet and allow to dry. Repeat with remaining apples until the syrup is gone.
Allow the apples to dry and then store in the refrigerator. Serve within 3 days.

Notes

**A note about the color. If you want a clear, see through, glassy color (as in the solid red ones above) as some of the pictures show, don't use the white gel color. Only use the white gel color if you want the candy coating to be more solid and not see through (as in the patriotic ones above).

The calories shown are based on the recipe making about 10 apples, with 1 serving being 1 candy apple. Since different brands of ingredients have different nutritional information, the calories shown are just an estimate. **We are not dietitians and recommend you seek a nutritionist for exact nutritional information.**

Nutrition