Caramel Apple Dip

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This caramel apple dip is easy to make from scratch with 6 ingredients including butter, heavy cream and brown sugar. This smooth, creamy caramel dip makes a delicious dessert or snack.

an apple after being dipped into a bowl of Caramel Apple Dip


You know it’s fall in the grocery store when you start seeing the tubs of caramel apple dip strategically placed in the produce section.

I always prefer homemade to store-bought, and this caramel dip is no exception. It’s made with 6 ingredients (no corn syrup, condensed milk, preservatives, etc.) in 15 minutes and is irresistibly delicious!

Enjoy the flavor of caramel apples, with less work with this caramel apple dip recipe.

a bowl of Caramel Apple Dip surrounded by apples

Caramel Apple Dip: Ingredients & Substitutions

overhead photo of the ingredients in this Caramel Apple Dip recipe
  • Light brown sugar. Dark brown sugar can be used but will impart a bolder molasses flavor.
  • Salted butter. Unsalted butter works well too.
  • Heavy cream. There is no substitute for heavy cream.
  • Vanilla extract. an equal amount of vanilla bean paste can be used in place of the vanilla extract.
a glass jar of Caramel Apple Dip and an apple being held over the jar after being dipped inside

How to Make Caramel Apple Dip

Making caramel can be tricky, but this caramel apple dip is easy to make once you get the method down! Let’s walk through the recipe step-by-step, and don’t forget to watch the video.

Begin by adding water and brown sugar to a heavy-bottom pan. Cook over medium-high heat until the sugar dissolves, whisking often.

Then, add the butter and whisk until it is melted. Then, bring the mixture to a boil.

two photos showing How to Make Caramel Apple Dip in a saucepan

Once boiling, lower the heat and cook/boil over medium-low heat until the mixture is thick and pulls away from the sides (about 10 minutes), whisking occasionally.

two photos showing How to Make Caramel Apple Dip in a saucepan

Then, whisk in the heavy cream and sea salt until smooth. Bring the mixture to a boil again and boil for 1 minute.

two photos showing How to Make Caramel Apple Dip in a saucepan

After 1 minute, remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the vanilla extract.

Then, transfer the caramel to a glass storage dish or jar and let it cool completely before serving (mixture thickens as it cools).

two photos showing How to Make Caramel Apple Dip adding vanilla and cooling in a glass bowl

Serve

Serve the caramel apple dip slightly chilled or at room temperature. Enjoy it with your favorite apple varieties, or other dippers like pretzels, graham crackers, pears, etc.

Caramel Apple Dip in a bowl surrounded by apples

Store

Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

a glass jar of Caramel Apple Dip

Caramel Apple Dip Recipe FAQs

How do you make caramel dip without a candy thermometer?

You have to be able to recognize the stage between “thread” and “soft ball”. Place a glass or bowl of cold water next to you as you make the caramel. You will know you reached the correct stage when the caramel starts turning darker brown, pulls away from the sides and forms a firm “thread” when put in cold water.

What apples are best for dipping in caramel?

Here are my top suggestions:
Honeycrisp
Pink Lady
Jazz
Granny Smith
Fuji
Gala

What is caramel dip good with?

Besides apples, you can dip so many delicious foods in this caramel dip recipe. Try other fruits like pears, bananas, peaches, nectarines, etc. You can also enjoy this dip with pretzels, graham crackers, etc.

Can I double this recipe?

Yes, double the ingredients and make it in a 5-quart saucepan.

an apple right after it was dipped into a bowl of Caramel Apple Dip below

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Caramel Apple Dip Recipe (Caramel Dip)

Laura
This caramel apple dip is easy to make from scratch with 6 ingredients including butter, heavy cream and brown sugar. This smooth, creamy caramel dip makes a delicious dessert or snack.
5 from 18 votes
Course Appetizer, Dessert, Snack
Cuisine American
Servings 12 Servings
Calories 189
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Cooling2 hours
Total Time2 hours 20 minutes

Ingredients  

Instructions 

  • Add water and brown sugar to a heavy-bottom pan. Cook over medium heat until the sugar dissolves, whisking often.
  • Add butter and whisk until the butter is melted.
  • Once the butter is melted, bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce heat and cook/boil over medium-low heat until the mixture is thick and pulls away from the sides (about 10 minutes), whisking occasionally.
  • Whisk in the heavy cream and sea salt until smooth, then bring the mixture to a boil again and boil for 1 minute.
  • After 1 minute, remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the vanilla extract.
  • Transfer the caramel apple dip to a glass storage dish or jar and let cool completely before serving (mixture thickens as it cools).

Video

Notes

Ingredient Substitutions
  • Light brown sugar. Dark brown sugar can be used but will impart a bolder molasses flavor.
  • Salted butter. Unsalted butter works well too.
  • Heavy cream. There is no substitute for heavy cream.
  • Vanilla extract. an equal amount of vanilla bean paste can be used in place of the vanilla extract.
Store
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

Nutrition

Serving: 2Tablespoons | Calories: 189kcal | Carbohydrates: 18g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 37mg | Sodium: 119mg | Potassium: 41mg | Sugar: 18g | Vitamin A: 455IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 28mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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15 Comments

  1. Is it possible to make this without a heavy-bottom pan? I only have one pan and don’t really have room for more.

  2. 5 stars
    Impeccable! Absolutely lovely. I didn’t wait to serve😓, but I loved it, it thickened very quickly, so even if I did wait, it would’ve been only 5 minutes!

  3. Thank you for this delicious recipe! Just a couple questions from a first time carmel maker. lol
    Is the butter sugar mixture suppose to reach thread (230 degrees) before adding cream?
    If my sauce is too thin, can cooking it more after the cream do anything?
    Have a Happy Thanksgiving! truly….

    1. I didn’t use a candy thermometer nor a regular one; once it started to boil (for the first go-round of boiling), i waited about 15 seconds until reducing the heat.

      I packed the brown sugar into the cup measurement, and if you follow everything else as stated in the instructions, it shouldn’t be too thin. It thickens significantly while cooling.

  4. 5 stars
    The best carmel I’ve ever tasted, no joke. Such a quick and east recipe with a wonderfully rich flavor. I’m using ot for EVERYTHING! Thanks so much for sharing!

  5. Where did I go wrong? It’s got a caramel taste, but it’s soupy. I let it cool and stuck it in the fridge hoping, but it’s runny. I’d like to try again because fall, caramel, apples, deliciousness. I have a Thermapen but didn’t see a temp for it to come to. Definitely thinking this was a first attempt misstep. Thanks.

  6. I wonder how it would turn out if you replaced the water in the beginning with apple cider. If anyone has tried that let us know! If I try it I’ll post the results in another comment

    1. 5 stars
      I tried it! It’s really good. I can’t compare to the original recipe though because it’s the first time I’ve made it.