Kick off Fall with this easy delicious candy apples recipe. Learn how to make candied apples at home. A perfect Halloween candy treat or fall party favor.

I love a classic red candy apple. I also love a cinnamon flavored candy apple. The best!

There are no words to express how much I love autumn. There’s only one problem. I live in South Florida. We don’t really get to experience the fall sights, sounds, and smells that the northern states do. Wah! It’s the only season I miss. Ya’ll can keep winter though.

Nothing can keep me from experiencing fall. Even if I have to recreate it here in SFL.

One way I do that is by making candy apples. A fall classic for sure. The aroma of cinnamon and fresh tart apples is intoxicating. Some would probably consider candy apples a thing of summer fairs and carnivals. Not me. No sir. Fall is all about the candy apple round here. And pumpkin. And caramel. And cinnamon. I think that’s it.

How to make candy apples:

I prefer granny smith apples for this recipe. The tart sweet combination creates a simpatico balance.

Last Christmas I made hard tack candy. I simply apply the same techniques and voila the most beautiful sight of autumn appears before my very eyes. My nostrils can’t get enough of the cinnamon aroma filling the house.

A few tips before you start.

Read the recipe in full before beginning. This will avoid any mistakes and prevent serious burns. This task is not recommended for small children.

Before making the candy, you’re going to want to boil some water in a deep pot with 1 tablespoon white vinegar and use a pair of sturdy tongs to dip your apples in to remove the wax coating. This will help the candy coating adhere to the apples. Otherwise, it will run off faster than you can blink your eye. Boil the water. When it boils turn off the heat. Dip the apples in for 5 seconds and dry them off thoroughly.

Use a sturdy stick such as a popsicle sticks or a small sturdy wood skewer. If you don’t have popsicle sticks handy, go outside and find some real sticks. They will work just as well and add a nice rustic touch to your treats. Obviously wash them well before you inset the stick you just found outside.

Don’t cover the whole apple. Leave a bare spot between the top and stick. Sometimes, gases from the apple can form and cause your coating to bubble. Leaving a place for the gases to escape will prevent this.

These fall treats make great party favors for birthday parties or Halloween parties. They also make great trick or treat hand outs to family and co workers. I wouldn’t recommend handing them to strangers. Remember how your parents used to go through your candy and throw out apples because they thought they were poisoned or had a razor blade hiding within? Ahhh, nostalgia!

Your candy apples will stay fresh for a few days…if they make it that far. Simply wrap them in plastic wrap and place them in the fridge.

Happy Fall and Candy Apple Making!

Recipe Type: Dessert

Cuisine: Fall Classic

Author: Sherri @ The Kitchen Prescription

A fall favorite your family will love. Candy apples bring about the sights and aroma of autumn. The following recipe will yield 4-6 candy apples. Read through entire recipe before beginning.

Ingredients

• 2 cups sugar (I use organic sugar)
• 3/4 cup water
• 2/3 cup light corn syrup
• 1/2 tsp red ood coloring
• 1/2 dram cinnamon oil (I use LorAnn oil. You can order online or find at Michaels or cake supply stores.)
• 4-6 Tart Apples (Granny Smith and Gala recommended)
• IMPORTANT SUPPLIES:
• Quality candy thermometer
• Sturdy deep nonreactive pot
• Wooden Spoon or silicone spatula
• Silpat or bake pans

Instructions

1. ****IMPORTANT**** Have all your ingredients and supplies prepped and ready to go. Read through entire post before starting. Sugar is extremely hot and can cause serious burns. Keep an ice cold bowl of water handy in the event of any small burns. This cooking task is not recommend for small children.
2. In a sturdy, deep, non reactive pot on medium heat, add sugar, water and corn syrup.
3. Attach candy thermometer on side of pot, careful not to touch bottom of pan.
4. Stir mixture with a wooden spoon or silicone spatula until sugar melts and becomes smooth.
5. Stop stirring just short of boiling point (212 degrees)
6. When mixture reaches around 200 degree mark it will begin to bubble up over pot.
7. Watch carefully and remove from heat, until the bubbles subside.
8. Replace back on medium heat and DO NOT stir after this point.
9. Let mixture reach 260 degrees and carefully pour in food coloring.
10. Do not stir. Bubbles will disperse the color.
11. When mixture reaches 300 degrees, turn off heat and remove pot.
12. Let stand about 20 seconds then stand back and carefully add flavoring or oil as stated above.
13. Stir the mixture to evenly disperse the flavoring/oil.
14. ******Be extremely careful dipping the apples as hot sugar can cause serious burns.Dip your apples one at a time.
15. Let the excess coating run off
16. Place apple on silpat or wax paper to completely cool
17. If the candy begins to hardens before you have dipped all the apples, simply return the pan to low medium heat until the coating reaches thick liquid state again.