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Learn how to add color and a satisfying crunch to delicious, juicy apples with this easy recipe for Candied Apples! You won’t believe how good these red candy apples taste. Make a whole batch in just 30 minutes!
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Best Candy Apple Recipe
With fall being right around the corner, it’s time to start planning on making all your favorite fall treats! These sweet and shiny red candy apples are definitely going to be at the top of my list this year.
They are the perfect combination of tart and sweet, with a crunch! Homemade candy apples are like a super-sized lollipop with real, fresh fruit on the inside, coated in homemade sugar candy. And, they’re ready in only 30 minutes!
My family loves this recipe for candied apples – I know yours will, too!
Candied Apples FAQs
Candied apples are a whole apple with a thin, hardened sugar coating on the outside of each one. You can customize the coloring of each apple coating by using different food coloring.
When making candied apples make sure to choose a crisp, sweet apple. Some of the best options are gala, fuji, or honey crisp. Or, if you’re a tan of tart apples, give a granny smith apple a try!
Candied Apples Recipe Ingredients
- Apples
- White sugar
- Light corn syrup
- Water
- Food coloring
- Edible glitter (optional)
How to Make Candy Apples
- Prepare a baking sheet by lining it with parchment paper, and then spraying it with cooking spray. This will help prevent any of the hardened candy from sticking. Place apples into a pot of boiling water, and boil for 10 seconds each. This step is to get the waxy coating off of the apples.
- After 10 seconds, remove apples from the boiling water and place them into an ice bath for 2 minutes.
- Remove from the ice bath and dry the apples.
- Insert a wooden stick into the top of each apple, pushing about halfway through. Set aside.
- Using a medium-sized pot over medium-high heat, add in sugar and light corn syrup, and mix well.
- Add in water and give it a good mixing again.
- Insert your candy thermometer and continue to boil until the temperature reaches between 300 and 310℉, this will take about 10-15 minutes. Immediately remove from heat!
- Working very quickly and carefully, the pot and the coating are extremely hot! Add in the food coloring and edible glitter (optional). Mix well.
- Coat each apple in the candy mixture and transfer to the prepared baking sheet. Let candied apples chill for 5 minutes.
- Serve and enjoy!
Candy Apples Recipe Tips
- Cut your apples: While it’s quite impossible to bite into a candy apple, I like to easily cut them up into candied apple slices to help preserve your teeth.
- Customize the color: Use different food coloring for a different look! Blue, purple, or green – the ideas are endless.
- Keep the sugar coating thin: After several attempts, a thin shell-like coating is best for candied apples vs a thick candy coating.
Storing Candied Apples
If you have any leftover candied apples, they can easily be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days! Store in a tall, airtight container to ensure the sugar stays as crisp as possible.
Best Apple Recipes
Also, try my Candied Strawberries!
Did you try this recipe? Leave a comment and a rating below to let us know what you think! We love to hear from you!
📋 Recipe
How to Make Candied Apples
Equipment
- 1 Candy thermometer – THIS IS IMPORTANT! A candy thermometer must be used for this recipe.
- Wooden sticks
- 1 Pot
- 1 Baking sheet
Ingredients
- 10 apples
- 2 cups white sugar
- 1 cup light corn syrup
- 1½ cup water
- 6 drops red food coloring
- 1 teaspoon edible glitter optional
See our Cooking Conversions Chart for help converting measurements!
Instructions
- Prepare a baking sheet by lining it with parchment paper, and then spraying it with cooking spray. This will help prevent any of the hardened candy from sticking. Place apples into a pot of boiling water, and boil for 10 seconds each. This step is to get the waxy coating off of the apples.10 apples
- After 10 seconds, remove apples from the boiling water and place them into an ice bath for 2 minutes.10 apples
- Remove from the ice bath and dry the apples.10 apples
- Insert a wooden stick into the top of each apple, pushing about halfway through. Set aside.10 apples
- Using a medium sized pot over medium-high heat, add in sugar and light corn syrup, and mix well.2 cups white sugar, 1 cup light corn syrup
- Add in water and give it a good mixing again.1½ cup water
- Insert your candy thermometer and continue to boil until the temperature reaches between 300 and 310, this will take about 10-15 minutes. Immediately remove from heat!
- Working very quickly and carefully – the pot and the coating is extremely hot! Add in the food coloring and edible glitter (optional). Mix well.6 drops red food coloring, 1 teaspoon edible glitter
- Coat each apple in the candy mixture and transfer to the prepared baking sheet. Let candied apples chill for 5 minutes.
- Serve and enjoy!
Video
Notes
- Cut your apples: While it’s quite impossible to bite into a candy apple, I like to easily cut them up into candied apple slices to help preserve your teeth.
- Customize the color: Use different food coloring for a different look! Blue, purple, or green – the ideas are endless.
- Keep the sugar coating thin: After several attempts, a thin shell-like coating is best for candied apples vs a thick candy coating.
Let us know what you think or ask a question about the recipe!