Easy Homemade Candy Apples
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Take a step back in time when you bite into one of these classic homemade candy apples. Sweet on the outside and crisp on the inside, these candy apples are so easy and fun to make!
These old-fashioned candy apples are a family favorite we used to enjoy year-round. It definitely didn’t have to be a summer fair or fall weather for us to enjoy this sweet treat. Thankfully, it’s easy and fun to make these homemade candy apples. You don’t need any fancy ingredients and believe me, they’re much tastier than their store-bought counterparts.
The secret ingredient is the Red Hot Candies in the coating, which gives the candy apples an authentic cinnamon taste. Add in some red food coloring and you have Red Hot candy apples (literally) with an irresistibly crunchy sugar coating.
Enjoy your candy apples throughout the year, as a makes the perfect take-home favor for your next kid’s birthday party. Simply wrap them in plastic tied with ribbon.
If you’re more into or , you’re going to want to check out our deliciously sweet homemade caramel apples recipe.
Recipe Ingredients
- 8 apples
- Sugar
- Light corn syrup or golden syrup
- Red hots (or cinnamon candy-like red hots)
- Red food coloring
- A candy thermometer
- Wooden sticks such as popsicle sticks
In a medium-sized heavy saucepot, place sugar.
Add corn syrup.
Also add water, red hots, and red food coloring.
Stir up your sugar mixture a bit.
Place candy mixture over medium-high heat and boil, without stirring, until it reaches 290 degrees.
This is gonna take a while, probably anywhere from 20-25 minutes or so, depending on how hot your eye is.
While the sugar syrup is cooking, remove the stems from your apples by holding the stem in one hand and the apple in the other and twist.
Now stick your sticks in each apple.
This is what it will look like when it’s ready but the most important thing is to just watch that candy thermometer.
Now that our candy coating is done, remove it from the heat and place it on a hot pad because it is H O T.
Quickly dip an apple in it and swirl it around a bit until it is evenly coated.
Like this.
Remove the apple and hold it over for a few seconds to allow excess to drip off.
Complete with remaining apples and place onto greased or buttered parchment paper (or a greased baking sheet) to cool completely before eating.
Enjoy!
Storage
I recommend storing your candy apples, covered, in the fridge for up to two days.
Recipe Notes
- When it comes to … if you have a hard time finding popsicle sticks for these candy apples, just go to the kid’s craft section and they have all sorts of wooden craft sticks that work very well. You can also use wooden skewers from the grilling section. I’ve even used forks from my kitchen drawer before! They work great and when you’re done just stick ’em in the dishwasher. Either way, there isn’t a need to go buy anything special or go on a wild goose chase because there is surely something on hand that will work just fine.
- If you have sensitive teeth you can do what I do and make these for the kids and click here to get the candied apples I can eat with all the flavor but none of the dental bills.
Recipe FAQs
What’s the best apple to use for candy apples?
I recommend using like a apple in this . But you could also use a crisp red apple, such as Jonagold, Honey Crisp, or Fuji.
You may also like these other appetizing apple recipes:
Caramel Apple Cheesecake Unbelievably Blissful
Ingredients
- 3 cups sugar
- 1 cup water
- 1/2 cup light corn syrup
- 1/4 cup Cinnamon Red Hot Candies
- 1/4 tsp red food coloring I just give it a good splash
- 8 wooden ice cream sticks
- 8 small apples
Instructions
- In a heavy medium saucepan, combine the sugar, corn syrup, candies, red food coloring, and 1 cup of water.3 cups sugar, 1/2 cup light corn syrup, 1/4 cup Cinnamon Red Hot Candies, 1/4 tsp red food coloring, 1 cup water
- Place mixture over medium heat and bring to a boil without stirring.
- Set a candy thermometer on the side of the pot, making sure the tip doesn't touch the bottom. Continue cooking, without stirring, until the temperature reaches 290 F. This should take about 20 minutes.
- Meanwhile, grease a cookie sheet. Remove stems from apples and insert a popsicle stick partway through each apple.8 wooden ice cream sticks, 8 small apples
- When candy is ready, remove pan from heat and remove thermometer. Swirl each apple into candy syrup until it is coated and then hold over the pot for a few seconds to allow any drips to fall off.
- Place candied apples onto parchment paper or prepared baking sheet to cool. If the syrup begins to stiffen while you're still dipping apples you can place the pan over very low heat while you finish.
- Let apples cool at least an hour before eating. You can speed this up by placing them in the fridge if you like.
- Best if eaten within two days.
Nutrition
With laundry and life,
You can iron out more wrinkles with warmth
than you can with pressure.
~Anonymous
I made these apples last year. Boy, were they good. I was worried about the cinnamon candies ’cause I’m not a cinnamon fan, but I couldn’t even taste them. I guess they were used to made the crunchy coating. Sooo, I’m making them again this year ( for the 39th time!) Can’t get enough of these!!!! Thank you, Christy, you came through again. Happy Halloween!
I am so glad you liked them Sharon!!! I hope you have a Happy Halloween as well.
HI I RECENTLY GOT ASKED TO MAKE A TRAY OF CANDY APPLES FOR A BABY SHOWER AND WHILE THEY WERE A VERY PRETTY COLOR THEY WERE EXTREMELY STICKY INSTEAD OF HARD. MY INSTRUCTIONS SAID DO NOT PUT IN FRIDGE AND YOU KNOW WHAT HAPPENED THEY MELTED!! DO YOU HAVE ANY ADVICE AS FAR AS STORING AND TRANSPORTING FOR AN EVEN?
Sounds like the coating didn’t get cooked to the correct temperature. Make sure you use a candy thermometer and cook it to the temp in the recipe. If you do that they are very easy to transport because they are nice and hard. Clear birthday party goodies bags work great for wrapping!
I come from a family of candy makers, and grew up on my family’s travelling carnival. If you find your candy isn’t setting right, make sure your candy mixture gets to 316 degrees. This is the temperature where candy goes from toffee to hard tack. Think starburst and jolly ranchers.
And an easy fix for sticky apples is to coat a cookie pan with Pam spray, then put down a layer of loose sugar. On the road we always used the coarse sugar we would make cotton candy out of, but fine sugar (you have some) will work. Or even ground up cinnamon hearts for spiciness. Just toss in a food processor for a moment or three. Candy canes will also work.
Oh my goodness, what a fun childhood full of memories I am sure!! Thank you for sharing your tips from your family of great candy makers!!
Fabulous! Can’t wait to try these! Thank you!!! You’re a gift from above girlie. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise! Blessings!
I pre-ordered several of your new cookbooks for Christmas presents for family and friends. I am looking forward to meeting you and giving you a big hug at the Books-A-Million in Columbia, South Carolina.
Christy thank you for the inspirational message with this post. I always look forward to your Friday emails with a blessing!
Never made candied apples but om made molasses popcorn balls, we didn’t have corn syrup much but molasses was a staple in the house.
The nuns at the Catholic church made a candy with the corn syrup that was delicious, looks like the same thing but they poured it in moulds about 2.5 by 4 inches and half an inch thick they sold them at recess at the school, and they went fast, used to give my friend the money to get one, and we’d break it with a hammer and feast after school that day!
I think I shall try this out, my hubby will eat it I’m sure, I love them but would probably blow my sugars all to hell and gone! May eat one anyway!