These Deconstructed Halloween Caramel Apple Cups are a fun way to enjoy this fall treat with a spooky Halloween twist! Made with crunchy apples, a nutty black caramel sauce, and Halloween toppings, these caramel apple cups are a wickedly delicious treat!
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You know what I hate? When I'm scrolling through Instagram and come across an amazing looking place that I'd love to visit only to find that it's nowhere near me. That's what happened a couple weeks ago. A cute little farm showed up in my feed. They shared a pic of a caramel apple cup. It's basically a chopped up apple covered in caramel and candy. I was ready to make plans to visit when I realized it was out-of-state.
So I decided to do the next best thing and recreate the caramel apple cup myself. This way, I could totally customize the type of apple - or even apples - I wanted to use, the toppings that I wanted to add, and also make a homemade caramel to drizzle all over it. But, of course, I did it with a Halloween twist because I'm all about the spooky vibes this time of year!
I used a Granny Smith apple as my base - sweet, tart, and crisp. Instead of making a traditional caramel sauce, I made a black caramel sauce for a "wicked" apple look. Because I love caramel apples covered in nuts, I chopped up some peanuts and stirred them into the sauce. Then, I added the apples to a cup, poured the caramel on top, and finished with some Halloween sprinkles and candy eyes.
Deconstructed Halloween Caramel Apple Cups
As someone who usually cuts up my caramel apple anyway, this is a way easier way to enjoy this fall treat (it's a little easier on your teeth, too)! Plus, the spooky black caramel gives it that "poisoned apple" look that's just so fun for Halloween! Play around with toppings or keep it simple. This Halloween treat is so easy to customize!
The first thing we need to do is make our caramel sauce. Heat white granulated sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat. Occasionally give it a stir until the sugar has melted and looks amber in color. Then, add in the butter and stir until it's melted and combined.
Now, we're going to pour in our heavy cream. Do this slowly because it will cause the pot to bubble (like a cauldron!). Stir it in until it's smooth and incorporated. The mixture will be a nice, caramel color.
Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract, black food coloring, and chopped peanuts. If you want to make a standard caramel sauce (without the spooky twist), just omit the black food coloring. You could also leave out the nuts and sprinkle them onto the caramel apple cup as a topping instead.
Now, we can start assembling our caramel apple cups! In a cup or jar, add a layer of apples to the bottom. Add caramel sauce on top along with Halloween sprinkles and candy eyes.
Continue layering until you reach the top. Then, immediately serve the caramel apple cups.
Deconstructed Halloween Caramel Apple Cups
Equipment
- 1 small saucepan
Ingredients
For the caramel sauce:
- 1/2 cup white sugar
- 2 tbsps. unsalted butter
- 3 tbsps. heavy cream
- 1/4 tsp. vanilla extract
- Black food coloring
- 3 tbsps. roasted lightly salted peanuts, chopped
For the caramel apple cups:
- 1 large apple cored and chopped into bite-size pieces
- Halloween sprinkle mix
- Candy eyes
Instructions
For the caramel sauce:
- Heat sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir occasionally until melted and amber in color.
- Add butter and stir until combined.
- Slowly pour heavy cream into pot (careful cause it will bubble) and stir until smooth and incorporated.
- Remove from heat and stir in vanilla extract, black food coloring (gradually add a couple drops at a time until color is achieved), and chopped peanuts.
For the caramel apple cups:
- Add a layer of apples to the bottom of a cup or jar.
- Layer with caramel sauce, Halloween sprinkles, and candy eyes.
- Continue layering until you reach the top.
- Serve immediately.
Notes
Types of Apples to Use for This Caramel Apple Cup
Granny Smith - a classic that's tart, sweet, and crisp
Honeycrisp - juicy sweet with a delicious crunch
Pink Lady - crisp and sweet with a hint of tartness
Gala - a classic red apple that's pleasantly sweet
Cosmic Crisp - nice and crunchy with a balanced blend of sweet and tart flavors
Did you make this Deconstructed Halloween Caramel Apple Cups recipe? Share it on social media using the hashtag #holokahome. Don’t forget to tag me @holokahome!
