Description
Classic and festive Easy Homemade Candy Apples are a perfect sweet treat for holidays and celebrations. Crisp apples are coated in a glossy, crunchy, bright red candy shell made from sugar, corn syrup, and water cooked to the hard crack stage. This easy-to-make recipe yields deliciously crisp and shiny candy apples with a perfect balance of sweetness and tartness.
Ingredients
Scale
Apples
- 12 small red or green apples (any variety)
- 12 lollipop or popsicle sticks
Candy Coating
- 3 cups sugar
- 1/2 cup light corn syrup
- 1 cup water
- 1/2 teaspoon red food coloring (more may be needed depending on strength)
Instructions
- Prepare the apples: Wash and thoroughly dry the apples to ensure the candy coating sticks well. Insert a lollipop or popsicle stick firmly into the stem end of each apple. Place the prepared apples on a cookie sheet lined with wax paper that has been lightly coated with cooking spray to prevent sticking.
- Make the candy syrup: In a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat, combine sugar, light corn syrup, and water. Stir gently until the sugar dissolves, then bring the mixture to a boil without stirring. Attach a candy thermometer and cook until the temperature reaches 300ºF, which is the hard crack stage, indicating the candy will be crisp and hard when cooled.
- Add color: Remove the saucepan from heat and carefully stir in the red food coloring. Be cautious as the hot candy mixture can splash. Depending on your food coloring’s strength, you may need to add more than the recommended 1/2 teaspoon to achieve a rich red color.
- Coat the apples: Working quickly, dip each apple into the hot candy mixture, swirling to coat the entire surface evenly. Allow any excess candy to drip back into the saucepan to avoid thick clumps. Place the coated apples back onto the prepared cookie sheet and let them cool completely until the candy shell hardens and becomes shiny and crisp.
Notes
- Make sure apples are completely dry before dipping to help candy adhere properly.
- The candy mixture is extremely hot; handle with care to avoid burns.
- If the candy hardens before you finish dipping, gently reheat while stirring on low heat.
- You can customize colors by using different food coloring options.
- Store candy apples in a cool, dry place to keep the candy coating crisp.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 candy apple
- Calories: 328
- Sugar: 79 g
- Sodium: 12 mg
- Fat: 0 g
- Saturated Fat: 0 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 0 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 86 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 0 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
