Perfect Candy Apples
Learn how to make perfect candy apples at home with this easy recipe. Only 4 ingredients needed for classic red candy apples with a hard crack candy coating.
Equipment
- mixing bowl
- knife
- measuring spoons
- measuring cups
- saucepan
- candy thermometer
- baking sheet
- cutting board
Ingredients
Apples & Sticks
- 8 medium apples such as Granny Smith or Gala
- 8 wooden craft sticks
Candy Coating
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup water
- 1/2 cup light corn syrup
- 1/2 tsp red food coloring gel
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Wash and thoroughly dry the apples, then insert a wooden craft stick firmly into the stem end of each apple. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and lightly grease it with non-stick cooking spray.
- In a heavy-bottomed, medium-sized saucepan, combine the granulated sugar, water, and light corn syrup. Stir the mixture over medium heat just until the sugar has completely dissolved.
- Once the sugar dissolves, stop stirring and attach a candy thermometer to the side of the pan. Continue to cook the syrup without stirring until it reaches 300°F (the hard crack stage), which will take approximately 15-20 minutes.
- Immediately remove the saucepan from the heat and carefully stir in the red food coloring gel and vanilla extract until the mixture is smooth and uniformly colored. Be cautious as the syrup is extremely hot.
- Quickly dip each prepared apple into the hot candy syrup, tilting the pan if necessary to fully coat the apple. Allow any excess syrup to drip back into the pan.
- Place the coated apples, stick-side up, onto the prepared baking sheet. Let the candy apples cool completely at room temperature for about 30 minutes until the hard candy shell is set.
Notes
Be extremely cautious when handling the hot candy syrup. Ensure apples are completely dry for the coating to adhere properly.