Candied Apples Recipe

This Candied Apples recipe is a classic and nostalgic treat, which is made with a sweet, cinnamon-spiced hard candy coating. It’s the perfect fall treat for festivals or Halloween, ready in about 45 minutes.

Jump to Recipe

Candied Apples Ingredients

8 lollipop or popsicle sticks
8 medium apples (any type!), cleaned and dried, stems removed
3 cups granulated sugar
3/4 cup red cinnamon candy, like Red Hots
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1/8 tsp. red food coloring
1 tsp. vanilla extract

How To Make Candied Apples

Prep the Apples and Pan: Insert a stick firmly into the stem portion of each apple, pushing about halfway through. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and coat the parchment generously with cooking spray.
Make the Candy Coating: In a medium saucepan, combine the sugar, 1 cup of water, the cinnamon candies, corn syrup, and food coloring. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat.
Cook to Hard-Crack Stage: Insert a candy thermometer into the mixture and continue to boil until the temperature reaches the “hard-crack” stage, which is 300°F to 310°F. This will take about 20 minutes.
Finish the Coating: Remove the pan from the heat and carefully stir in the vanilla. Let the sugar syrup stand for a minute until the bubbling stops.
Dip the Apples: Working quickly but carefully, dip each apple into the hot sugar syrup, tilting the pan to coat the apple completely. Hold the apple over the pot for a few seconds to let the excess drip off.
Cool and Set: Place the dipped apples on the prepared baking sheet to cool and harden completely before serving.

Recipe Tips

How to get the candy to stick? The most important step is to wash and thoroughly dry your apples before dipping. Any moisture or wax on the apple skin will prevent the candy coating from adhering properly.
What are the best apples to use? A firm, crisp apple is best. Tart apples like Granny Smith provide a nice contrast to the sweet candy coating, but sweet apples like Gala or Fuji are also delicious.
Can I make this without a candy thermometer? It’s highly recommended to use one for accuracy. However, you can test for the hard-crack stage by dropping a small spoonful of the syrup into a bowl of very cold water. It should form hard, brittle threads that break when bent.
How to avoid bubbles in the coating? Letting the syrup stand for a minute after removing it from the heat allows the bubbles to subside, which will give you a smoother, glass-like finish on your apples.

How To Store Candied Apples

Room Temperature: Candied apples are best enjoyed within a day of making them. Store them unwrapped in a cool, dry place. Humidity is the enemy of the hard candy coating and can make it become sticky.
Refrigerating: Avoid storing them in the refrigerator, as the condensation can make the candy coating dissolve and become sticky.

Candied Apples Nutrition Facts

Calories: 400-450 kcal
Fat: 0g
Carbohydrates: 110g
Protein: 0.5g

Nutrition information is estimated and may vary based on ingredients and cooking methods used.

FAQs

Why did my candy coating turn out grainy?

This can happen if sugar crystals form on the side of the pan and fall back into the syrup. To prevent this, you can use a wet pastry brush to wipe down the inside of the saucepan just above the liquid line while it’s boiling.

Can I use different colors?

Absolutely! You can omit the red cinnamon candies and red food coloring and use any color you like to match a party theme. You can also add different flavor extracts instead of vanilla.

Can I add toppings like sprinkles?

You can, but you have to work extremely fast. The hard candy coating sets almost instantly, so you would need to add sprinkles immediately after dipping each apple.

Try More Recipes:

Recipe by Marry ThompsonCourse: DessertCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy

Servings

servings

Prep time

minutes

Cooking time

minutes

Calories

450

kcal

A classic, nostalgic treat of crisp apples coated in a sweet, cinnamon-spiced, ruby-red hard candy shell.

Ingredients

8 lollipop sticks
8 medium apples
3 cups granulated sugar
3/4 cup red cinnamon candy (like Red Hots)
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1/8 tsp. red food coloring
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Directions

Insert sticks into clean, dry apples. Line a baking sheet with greased parchment paper.
In a saucepan, combine sugar, 1 cup of water, cinnamon candies, corn syrup, and food coloring.
Bring to a boil and cook, without stirring, until a candy thermometer reaches 300-310°F (hard-crack stage).
Remove from heat, stir in vanilla, and let the bubbles subside.
Working quickly, dip each apple to coat it completely.
Place on the prepared baking sheet and let cool completely until the candy is hard.

Notes

Using a candy thermometer is highly recommended for the best results.
Be extremely careful when working with hot sugar syrup as it can cause serious burns.
Make sure your apples are completely dry before dipping to ensure the candy coating sticks.
These are best eaten the same day they are made.