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The Best Easy Homemade Candy Apples

Close-up of a perfectly glazed, bright red candy apple on a wooden stick, ready to eat.
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Make classic, shiny red candy apples at home with this simple recipe. You will achieve a perfect, crunchy, non-bubbling candy shell ideal for Fall or Halloween treats.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 12 medium apples (Granny Smith or Fuji work well)
  • 12 wooden skewers or sticks
  • 2 cups granulated sugar
  • 1 cup light corn syrup
  • 3/4 cup water
  • 1 teaspoon red food coloring (gel coloring works best)
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon extract (optional, for flavor)

Instructions

  1. Wash the apples thoroughly. Remove the stems and insert a wooden skewer firmly into the top of each apple.
  2. In a medium, heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine the sugar, corn syrup, and water. Stir the mixture over medium heat until the sugar dissolves completely.
  3. Stop stirring once the mixture boils. Insert a candy thermometer into the side of the pan, making sure it does not touch the bottom.
  4. Cook the syrup without stirring until it reaches 300 degrees Fahrenheit (Hard Crack Stage). This usually takes about 15 to 20 minutes.
  5. Remove the saucepan from the heat immediately when it reaches 300 degrees Fahrenheit. Let the bubbling subside for about one minute. This step helps prevent bubbles in the coating.
  6. Quickly stir in the red food coloring and the cinnamon extract, if using. Work fast, as the mixture will begin to set.
  7. Tilt the saucepan slightly. Dip one apple at a time into the hot syrup, rotating it to coat completely. Lift the apple out and allow excess syrup to drip back into the pan.
  8. Place the coated apples onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone mat. Let them cool completely, about 30 minutes, until the candy shell is hard and crunchy.

Notes

  • For a bubble-free coating, do not stir the syrup after it begins to boil. Also, letting the syrup rest for one minute off the heat before dipping helps release trapped air.
  • If you want to make candy apples any color, substitute the red food coloring with your desired gel color.
  • If the candy coating becomes too thick while dipping, return the pan to low heat briefly to soften it, but do not let it boil again.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://www.purecookingjoy.com/easy-candy-apple-recipe/

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