Yes — caramel apples like these are absolutely a thing.
I was this close to sharing something green today, but then I remembered I made these caramel apples a few weeks ago. With Halloween around the corner, green food can wait.
Technically these are a bit green, but you know what I mean.
I’m excited for this week—carving pumpkins, eating candy, and all the cozy chaos of the season. I’m not big on dressing up, though I did spot an over-the-top DIY mermaid makeup tutorial that I might try. Even so, the rest of autumn is my jam, aside from those terrifying movie trailers that I could do without. I flip between daring myself to watch a horror movie and instantly regretting it when I need a nightlight for days.
A few weeks ago I had an intense desire for a caramel apple. I hate saying “serious craving” since pregnancy cravings haven’t been dramatic for me, but I couldn’t stop thinking about a tart Granny Smith slathered in gooey caramel. The combination of sour apple and sweet caramel was stuck in my head.
I’ve bought too many grocery-store caramel apples only to discover they were rotten inside. Homemade ones are far superior, so I decided to make my own and put a twist on the classic.
I’d made vanilla bourbon caramel apples a while back and wanted something different this time—still caramel, but with a chocolate-peanut butter center and some crunch. I was aiming for a gourmet feel, like the decadent caramel apples you find at specialty shops. Instead of dipping them in chocolate and peanuts the usual way, I filled the apples with a chocolate-peanut butter ganache, covered them in stretchy homemade caramel, and rolled them in chopped honey-roasted peanuts and toasted sesame seeds. The sesame seeds add a subtle, unexpected layer of flavor that really elevates the whole apple.
I ended up keeping most of these to myself—maybe one or two a day—so consider this a selfish, delicious win. These apples are indulgent and a little trashy in the best way: creamy ganache inside, sticky caramel outside, and a crunchy, nutty coating. If you want to make them for trick-or-treaters, be aware homemade treats can sometimes be viewed with suspicion, but if you’re generous with friends and family, these are worth the effort.
Chocolate Peanut Butter Fudge Stuffed Caramel Apples
4 apples, is easily doubled
1 hr
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Ingredients
Chocolate Peanut Butter Ganache
- 3 ounces milk chocolate, chopped
- 3 tablespoons creamy peanut butter
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 4 Granny Smith apples
- 1 cup light brown sugar
- 1/2 cup light corn syrup
- 3/4 cup heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup chopped honey roasted peanuts
- 1/4 cup toasted sesame seeds
Instructions
Chocolate Peanut Butter Ganache
- Add the chopped chocolate and peanut butter to a bowl. Heat the heavy cream and vanilla in a small saucepan over low heat until it starts to bubble at the edges and is warm. Pour the cream over the chocolate and peanut butter and let sit for 1 minute, then stir until smooth and creamy. Chill in the refrigerator until firm.
- Wash the apples to remove any wax. Use a melon baller to scoop out the bottom stem so you can reinsert it later to plug the filling. Use an apple corer or melon baller to hollow out the center of the apple, stopping before you reach the other side.
- Spoon a few tablespoons of the chilled ganache into each apple. Replace the melon-balled bottom to plug the opening and push a craft stick into the top to anchor it.
- Make the caramel: combine the brown sugar, corn syrup, 3/4 cup heavy cream, butter, and salt in a saucepan fitted with a candy thermometer over medium-high heat. Boil until the mixture reaches 250°F (about 15 minutes), watching carefully to prevent boiling over and brushing down the sides as needed. When it reaches 250°F, transfer the saucepan to a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking and stir the caramel until smooth.
- Dip each filled apple into the warm caramel, coating a little more than halfway, then place on parchment. Roll the caramel-coated apples in the chopped peanuts and toasted sesame seeds. Let them set for a few minutes before serving. Store in the refrigerator for up to a day if needed.
Notes
Did you make this recipe?
Share your photo and tag the original creator if you post an image. Enjoy these apples warm or chilled — they’re a delicious, indulgent twist on a classic fall treat.
Cutest fall treat ever?