Autumn Treat: Homemade Caramel Apples

Like everyone else on the planet, I adore Fall and celebrating it in all it's glory. How can one resist? One of my more recent favorite Fall traditions is to make homemade caramel apples. They are incredibly easy and incredibly delicious; such a treat. Last week I made a tray of these beauties to bring as the "snack to share" at our Bible Study small group.

To make some of your own, you'll need the following:

~a bag or two of Kraft Caramel Bits {one bag will cover 4-5 medium apples}

~apples of your choice, washed and thoroughly dried

~skewer sticks {I found the shorter, thicker kind in the kitchen supply section of my local grocery store}

~a variety of toppings of your choosing {I used mini chocolate chips, chopped peanuts, sprinkles, and chopped milk chocolate bits}

The Kraft caramel bits are wonderful. You can melt them on the stovetop or in the microwave with a touch of water. I recommend the microwave. I used the stovetop last year, but as it is inevitable you'll need to re-heat the caramel as you're using it, the microwave is much handier for the re-heating process.



The trickiest part of coating the apples is the consistency of the melted caramel. You need the caramel to be just the right temperature--too hot, and it will run off the apples and pool at the bottom; too cool and it will look lumpy as it coats the apples. A trial-and-error process is really the only way to learn. It's a given that some of the caramel will pool at the bottom of the apples as they cool, so remember that when you use the toppings, they will slide down the apple a bit. Putting them in the fridge directly after you coat them helps to speed up the cooling process.

These would also make great hand-outs for a party or gathering! They look especially pretty tied up with a bit of cellophane and ribbon.

I am sure this is a Fall tradition that will stay in our family for years, especially now that I'll have a little girl to help me make these in the future! I hope you try making these homemade caramel apples for yourselves--it's just too fun and too delicious to resist.

Happy Fall!