These Salted Toffee Halloween Caramel Apples taste gourmet, but are quick and easy Halloween Apples, using store-bought caramels and dipped in salted toffee bits. My caramel apples are perfectly sweet, a little bit spooky, and guaranteed to be a hit with everyone. Skip the store-bought wraps and make these fun, festive, and absolutely delicious apples for your next fall gathering or trick-or-treat night!
These Halloween Caramel apples are very popular during the fall season and are the perfect Halloween treat for Halloween parties! Serve them with my Melting Witch Halloween Punch, and my Phantom Halloween Pizza Pierogies!
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When I was growing up, "HALLOWEEN APP-LES!" was a familiar sing-song chant you would commonly hear reverberating through the chilly autumn air throughout my suburban Winnipeg neighborhood on Halloween night.
As we clamored for candy at the doors of our benevolent neighbors, "Halloween Apples" was shouted interchangeably with "Trick or Treat," in addition to the notorious, "Trick or Treat, smell my feet, give me something good to eat. Not to big, not to small, just the size of Montreal!" which we also used both daringly and sparingly, as we got a little older.
But like most things I said as a kid, I didn't think much of it; nor did I ever question the logic of it. And I was completely oblivious to its meaning. "Halloween Apples" was simply something we said. I never expected to actually get an apple. Now, had I received one of these Halloween Caramel Apples, that would have been just fine!
🥘 Ingredient Notes
You will need the following ingredients for these Caramel apples for Halloween:
- Apples. Granny Smith apples (green apples) work the best because they are tart apples and pair well with sweet caramel
- Store-bought caramels. Melting soft caramel candies down and dipping works soo much better than using caramel wrappers!
- Toffee bits. I use Skor.
- Coarse salt. I use Mediterranean gourmet sea salt, but you could use Kosher salt or crystal sea salt.
- Popsicle Sticks. It's critical you get the "Food-grade" popsicle sticks. Unless they explicitly say that, they are not food safe. I also use the larger/wider popsicle sticks, as the smaller regular popsicle sticks cannot handle the weight of an apple.
*Please see recipe card for full list of ingredients and quantities
📖 Variations & Substitutions
- Caramel sauce - If you prefer making caramel sauce from scratch, you can use that instead. Just make sure it's thick enough to coat the apples without sliding off.
- Pumpkin caramels- Werther's Original makes a soft pumpkin caramel that makes a delicious coating for these apples. My daughter tried it and it worked great!
- Apples. You can use another variety of apple, such as Cosmic Crisp.
🔪Step-by-Step: How to Make Halloween Caramel Apples
- Step 1: Cover a large cookie sheet with parchment paper. Insert a wooden "food-grade" popsicle stick into the top of each apple (stem end).
- Step 2: Unwrap caramels (I often do this the night before - this is also something kids can help with). Add caramels and water to a medium saucepan.
- Step 3: Heat on low, stirring constantly, until caramels are completely melted and smooth.
- Step 4: Meanwhile, mix the salt and toffee bits together in a medium bowl.
- Step 5: Dip apples in hot caramel; spoon additional caramel over apples if necessary to evenly coat apples.
- Step 6: Swirling the apple, as you spoon the caramel, is the most effective way to evenly coat the apple. Then swirl it as you lift it out -this also helps to get rid of the excess caramel.
- Step 7: Then dip the bottom of the apples in the toffee/salt mixture. You can use the spoon to get them to stick to the side, and you may have to gently press some to get them to stick.
- Step 8: Place dipped apple on prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining 4 apples. *You may have to put the caramel back on the stove to heat it up again, or it will clump. * But watch it carefully and stir frequently because it will burn! Refrigerate apples for 1 hour before serving.
Expert Recipe Tips
- Prep apples properly - To help the caramel stick, wash apples in hot water and dry thoroughly. If your apples are wax-coated, a quick dip in boiling water followed by a thorough drying removes the wax.
- Use sturdy sticks - Standard craft sticks can be flimsy. Opt for wide, food-grade popsicle sticks or even wooden skewers for extra stability, especially with larger apples.
- Keep caramel warm while working - If the caramel starts to thicken as you dip, return the pan to low heat and stir until smooth again. This keeps the coating even and glossy.
- Tilt and swirl technique - Instead of plunging the apple straight in, tilt the pot and roll/swirl the apple in caramel while spooning extra over the top. This gives the most even coverage and minimizes excess pooling at the bottom.
- Work quickly with toppings - Press toffee bits or other toppings onto the caramel before it fully sets, so they adhere well. Have toppings ready in shallow bowls before you start dipping.
- Space apples apart - When placing coated apples on parchment, leave space between them to prevent sticking together. Lightly greasing the parchment helps too.
- Refrigerate to set - Chill the dipped apples for at least an hour before serving to ensure the caramel firms up and holds the toppings securely.
- Cut for easy serving - If serving to kids or at a party, slice apples into wedges after chilling. They're easier (and less messy) to eat this way.
I guess we just wanted to mix things up a bit. And I thought "Halloween Apples" pretty much translated to, "give me candy" in sort of the same way, "trick or treat" did, but maybe with a "please" at the end. Like I said, I didn't actually expect to get apples! And then when I did get apples, I never even made the connection.
With Halloween upon us, I was reminiscing about Halloweens gone by and was curious as to where the saying, "Halloween Apples," came from. Is it a "Winnipeg thing"?
When you come from Winnipeg, you get accustomed to speaking a language that no one else in the rest of the country seems to comprehend. As an adult living in Western Canada, I can't tell you how many uncomfortable pauses and long, blank stares I have endured at dinner parties and the like when I've made reference to things such as "booters" (When snow or water gets in your boot or footwear) that I experienced as a kid growing up in Winnipeg.
Although there are those who come from some 'eastern parts' of Saskatchewan who appear to understand the dialect of 'Peggers, as we are also commonly known, it's a stretch. So, I started doing my research, and at first glance, "Halloween Apples" appeared to be predominantly a "Winnipeg thing".
I started to wonder if we were the only ones who said, "Halloween Apples"? Or if others said it in different parts of the country.
According to Wikipedia: "in some parts of Canada, children sometimes say 'Halloween apples" instead of "trick or treat." This probably originated when the toffee apple was a popular type of candy. Apple-giving in much of Canada, however, has been taboo since the 1960s when stories (of almost certainly questionable authenticity) appeared of razors hidden inside Halloween apples; parents began to check over their children's "loot" for safety before allowing them to eat it."
I couldn't think of a worse waste of prime candy real estate in my trick-or-treating sack than apples! Not to mention the precious minutes and breath I had squandered at those apple-bestowing houses.
Yeah, I know...Apparently, I had asked for them! Fortunately for me, I trick-or-treated in the latter part of the '70's so the razor blade scare was still very real, and therefore, at the very least, I could justify tossing those apples in the trash!
But had they been caramel apples... well, that's a completely different story! I would have been perfectly happy to get a caramel apple in my trick-or-treat sack. But alas, it never happened.
I also wondered what relationship caramel apples had with Halloween....
History of Caramel Apples
Caramel apples are said to have been invented in the 1950's by a guy named Dan Walker, who was a sales representative working for Kraft Foods at the time. Back then, Kraft sold small individually wrapped caramels, as it still does today. Walker said he was experimenting with melting down leftover caramels and made this brilliant discovery!
Kraft continues to print the recipe for caramel apples on the backs of their caramel bags to this day. Then, when October 31 was deemed caramel apple day (likely by Kraft, although I could not find the origin of this day), these apples became associated with Halloween!
In light of this, I have made my own salted toffee version of the Kraft Caramel apple recipe. It's really easy to make but much less hassle than making the caramel coating from scratch. And melting down soft caramel tastes so much better and looks so much prettier than using the caramel apple wraps. You get a nice sheen to the apples!
🌡️Storing
If you keep these delicious Caramel Apples in an airtight container in the fridge, they will last for 5 days.
❔ Recipe FAQs
Yes! You can make them up to 2 days in advance. Just keep them refrigerated in an airtight container so the caramel doesn't slide off.
This usually happens if the apples aren't completely dry or if they still have wax on the skin. Be sure to wash and dry them thoroughly, and if they're wax-coated, dip them quickly in boiling water, then dry before dipping in caramel
Freezing isn't recommended, as the caramel will get sticky and may weep when thawing. It's best to store them in the fridge and eat within a few days
Once set, wrap each apple in a clear cellophane bag and tie with a festive ribbon. This keeps them from sticking together and makes them portable for parties or Halloween treats
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It's a Canadian Prairie Thing.
In the end, I decided to conduct my own little "Halloween Apples straw poll" in Alberta, randomly asking people I know if they had ever heard of this saying or if they said it themselves as kids.
Interestingly enough, I came across several individuals who said "Halloween Apples" on Halloween when they were growing up, although they were from cities and towns all over the Canadian prairies. Most had a Manitoba connection, but a few others claimed absolutely no known association with Manitoba. Not one person from Ontario and eastwards had ever even heard this saying.
Perhaps it's more of a Canadian prairie thing then, with some generational influence? Because I couldn't find anyone under the age of 40 who had the faintest idea as to what I was talking about. Nor had my own kids or their friends ever heard of this Halloween saying. And for the 30+ Halloweens I have been doling out candy in Calgary, I have never ever heard a kid say "Halloween Apples!" at my door.
However, if I ever were to hear a kid say "Halloween Apples!" again, I don't think I could resist the temptation to bestow a caramel apple upon them. I happen to think they are an excellent use of prime trick-or-treating sack real estate!
If you're looking for easy caramel apples or homemade caramel apples, you'll love these Gourmet Caramel Apples! And you're probably also going to love my Caramel Apple Betty Dessert Shooters- it's a fun and festive fall dessert for your Halloween celebrations
Looking for more Halloween recipes? Be sure to check out these 25 Halloween Potluck Foods!
🎃More Fun Halloween Recipes!
Did you say, "Halloween Apples" when you were growing up? I'd love to hear your comments (below)!
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🍏Salted Toffee Halloween Caramel Apples Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 5 apples 1-½ lb./675 g, washed, well dried, stem removed
- 2 9 oz bags (260 g) store-bought caramels *I use Kraft
- 3 tablespoon warm water
Garnish:
- ⅔ cup toffee bits
- 1 ½ tablespoon Kosher salt or course crystal sea salt * I use mediterranean gourmet sea salt
Instructions
- Cover a large cookie sheet with parchment paper. Insert a wooden "food-grade" popsicle stick into the top of each apple (stem end).
- Unwrap caramels and melt caramels and water in large saucepan on medium-low heat until caramels are completely melted, stirring constantly.
- Dip apples in hot caramel; spoon additional caramel over apples if necessary to evenly coat apples. * I found the swirling the apple, as I spooned the caramel was the most effective way. This also helped to get rid of the excess caramel.
Garnish:
- Mix salt and toffee bits together, then dip bottom of apples in mixture. You may have to gently press some to get them to stick to the sides.
- Place dipped apple on prepared baking sheet. Refrigerate 1 hour.
Notes
- Prep apples properly - To help the caramel stick, wash apples in hot water and dry thoroughly. If your apples are wax-coated, a quick dip in boiling water followed by a thorough drying removes the wax.
- Use sturdy sticks - Standard craft sticks can be flimsy. Opt for wide, food-grade popsicle sticks or even wooden skewers for extra stability, especially with larger apples.
- Keep caramel warm while working - If the caramel starts to thicken as you dip, return the pan to low heat and stir until smooth again. This keeps the coating even and glossy.
- Tilt and swirl technique - Instead of plunging the apple straight in, tilt the pot and roll/swirl the apple in caramel while spooning extra over the top. This gives the most even coverage and minimizes excess pooling at the bottom.
- Work quickly with toppings - Press toffee bits or other toppings onto the caramel before it fully sets, so they adhere well. Have toppings ready in shallow bowls before you start dipping.
- Space apples apart - When placing coated apples on parchment, leave space between them to prevent sticking together. Lightly greasing the parchment helps too.
- Refrigerate to set - Chill the dipped apples for at least an hour before serving to ensure the caramel firms up and holds the toppings securely.
- Cut for easy serving - If serving to kids or at a party, slice apples into wedges after chilling. They're easier (and less messy) to eat this way.
Sara Stewart
I was born in Edmonton, Alberta in the middle 1970s, and we said "Hallowe'en Apples!' there, but when my parents moved us to Ontario when I was four and a half, nobody there (southwestern Ontario) had heard of it. I found this post because I was looking for citations to show an American friend who has never heard of it either.
Terri Gilson
Hi Sara: That's really cool to hear that you said it in Edmonton too! Happy Halloween and thanks for stopping by!
Sue
Besides these making my mouth water I couldn't help but smile at the local phrases. There are a couple shared with Saskatchewan, they are neighbours after all. When our daughter lived in Winnipeg she attended many socials. would it be fair to say that those in Manitoba know how to throw a good party?
Terri Gilson
Oh yes- we do throw a good part! Not much else to do in -50 degrees, I guess ?
Kimberley
I loved this! Those apples look wonderful as well! Yum I love caramel apples!
Terri Gilson
Thanks, Kimberley!
Starr
I love caramel apples! These look amazing!
Terri Gilson
Thank you, Starr~!
Tiffany
What a neat story!! I have never thought about the origin of caramel apples but your title drew me in. And the apples look amazing as well!!
Terri Gilson
Hi Tiffany - Thank you - glad you liked the story!
Karly
This post totally made my day! Not only because I totally loved the story, but also because I'm now super inspired to go caramelize some apples 🙂 Drooling already!
Terri Gilson
Hi Karly- Thank you! I'm glad you enjoyed the story and I hope you get to enjoy some caramel apples this year!