Mini Caramel Apple Pops

When it came to neighborhood gifts last year, I failed miserably. We were so busy preparing to leave for Christmas to visit my family, that I completely spaced any type of gift or treat for our generous neighbors and friends. This year, I’m determined to deliver something to everyone on our list (which seems to grow longer and longer every year 🙂 So instead of buying store-bought treats (or caramel apples that cost $5 a piece!) we spent an afternoon making homemade mini caramel apple pops. Not only are these absolutely mouthwatering and delicious, they saved us some extra cash too!

Supplies Needed
we purchased all our supplies at Walmart
Caramel Apples4-5 Large Apples Sliced
Kraft Caramels or Caramel Bits
Lollipop Sticks

Toppings
White Baker’s Chocolate
Cinnamon Sugar
Planters Peanuts
Crushed Candy

Packaging Treat Bags
Ribbon

STEP ONE: Wash apples and slice the outer edges into thin slices. Discard the middle section with the seeds. Attach each slice to a lollipop stick.

STEP TWO: Melt Kraft caramels over stove (or in microwave) according to directions on bag. (Note: read all directions on the bag! I’ve had a few years of failed caramel apple making due to lack of following these instructions, haha) We did add a tiny splash of milk to thin out our caramel slightly.

STEP THREE: Carefully dip each apple slice into the melted, ooey gooey delicious caramel. Make sure each side is coated evenly. I learned that if your caramel is too hot, it will not stick to the apple. Instead it just slides right off! To ensure that it doesn’t slide all over the place (and make a big mess!) let the caramel cool just slightly before dipping. Set aside on wax paper. Repeat with all remaining apples.

STEP FOUR: Melt white Baker’s Chocolate in microwave for thirty seconds at a time, stirring in between. (Once upon a time I learned my lesson and tried to melt the chocolate for two minutes without stirring. Baaaaaad idea!) Once chocolate is oh so smooth and melted, dip each caramel covered apples in chocolate. Sometimes I like to leave a tiny bit of the caramel showing, to add some depth and layers.

STEP FIVE: Before the chocolate has settled, dip into desired toppings. Some of my favorites? Cinnamon sugar, crushed candies or cookies, and Planters peanuts! I love having a variety of toppings, so when we gift them to large families, there’s always something for everyone!

STEP SIX: Let chocolate harden on wax paper. Let me repeat, let chocolate harden. There’s nothing worse than putting your delicious, perfect looking treat into the bag and having it smear all over!

STEP SEVEN: This is the fun part, package it up pretty! I prefer to package my mini caramel apples in little treat bags, tied with a ribbon at the bottom. You can also poke a few in a little mason jar for easy delivery.

STEP EIGHT: Hand deliver! Congratulations, you just saved yourself some heavy $$ by homemaking these darling mini pops AND you probably made someone’s whole day.

If you need more inspiration, check out the Cooking Up Good website to find recipes, sweepstakes, loyalty programs, coupons and more. If you’re looking for a holiday dessert to wow a crowd or a chance to win some awesome prizes, be sure to check it out.