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My Husband and I recently took the kids apple picking for the first time at a local apple orchard. The weather was great, kids were all in good moods, which for any of you that have more than one child know how rare them all being in good moods at the same time can be!

The fall mood must have gotten the best of me and I decided you know what we need more than just a bag of apples, we needed an entire bushel of apples. I’m going to make apple crisp and apple bread and apple pie and…yeah none of that happened. Now I was stuck with A LOT of apples and zero ambition or time to use them all before they started to go bad. I can not stand to let food go to waste though! So when my nieces birthday party was approaching I decided in a stroke of genius, we were going to do a caramel apple bar! She eagerly agreed to the idea thank goodness. Win for the cool aunt to provide such a fun thing for her friends and win for me that I could use up all these apples!

We have done caramel apples before but I wanted this to be a bit more since it was for her birthday. So the first thing I did was scour my pantry and cabinet to see what supplies I already had that could be used. You will be surprised what you find that can be included as toppings. Think outside the box when you do this, it doesn’t have to be basic caramel and apples on a stick- the more topping choices you offer the more fun it will seem to everyone!

Here are the basic must-haves for your caramel apple bar:

• Plates– Grab some cheap plates, bowls, or paper trays from the dollar store.
• Apples– Granny Smith apples are always a crowd favorite, but in our house, we always have Honeycrisps on hand because the sweet caramel offsets the tanginess perfectly. Any tart apple will work though! (I do suggest staying away from red delicious apples they are too soft and sweet.) Wash and dry all the apples before placing them out for your guests.
• A Way to Cut Apples– Apples brown so quickly, so we don’t cut them until we’re ready to top and eat them. Set out a cutting board, apple slicer, or sharp knife so people can easily and safely cut their apples if they choose to. Another favorite trick we do is using an old school apple peeler! This creates a fun spiral apple-slinky effect the kids love!
• Skewers – Some people may want to keep their apple whole and eat it on a stick, so we keep some wooden skewers or Popsicle sticks on hand for those too.
• Caramel – Obviously! You can use any caramel, but hot, fresh, homemade caramel is always our go-to! We use a small slow cooker to keep it warm.
• Toppings – Make sure you have a few delicious toppings. We’ll get to all of those options in a second!
• Napkins – Because let’s be honest, things are about to get messy! You’ll want some heavy-duty napkins that can hold up to people wiping their sticky caramel hands on. Wet wipes will work, too!

I like to line items up in that order so people can start at one end and work their way to the other without tripping over each other while they create their delicious treats!

Topping Options:

You do not need to have all of these options by any means. Honestly I am sure you may already have some of these items in your pantry. Put out a few that you already have on hand. Don’t break the bank or go out of your way to get everything listed here! Raid your cupboard shelves and use up some of those bags of 1/4 filled crushed graham crackers, cereal, or chocolate chips. And again use your imagination and offer some out of the box ideas like gummy candies or dried fruit!

Check out some of our favorite toppings:

• Mini M&Ms
• Chopped nuts
• Sprinkles
• Crushed graham crackers
• Melted chocolate or chocolate syrup
• Chocolate chips
• Chopped up candy bars (leftover Halloween candy, anyone?)
• Crushed Oreos
• Crushed pretzels
• Chopped up toffee bits
• Nutella
• Melted white chocolate
• Cereal (think crushed fruit loops, cocoa pebbles, Cinnamon toast crunch, etc..}
• Peanut butter (melted if it’s too thick to drizzle)
• Mini marshmallows
• Coconut flakes
• Crushed potato chips
• Granola
• Sea salt

Put the toppings in cute serving bowls, a muffin tray, or we used a divided veggie platter. Provide spoons and line the tasty options up after the caramel (since that needs to be drizzled on or dunked in first). Sometimes I like to label the toppings using tent cards or cute chalkboard signs so everybody can easily tell what each topping is.

Step by Step

Step 1: Clean your apples!

Rinse them thoroughly and then dry them off. You’ll want to make sure you remove that waxy layer if you are using store bought apples from your local grocer. If you don’t remove the waxiness the caramel will not stick! I usually like to add a dash of vinegar to a sink of warm water. Soak the apples at least 15minutes to help remove any gunk on the fruit.

Step 2: Prep the areas you’ll be working!

Lay out some parchment paper to put the dipped apples on immediately after dipping. Don’t forget to clear a space in the fridge to place your apples and set out the toppings so they are ready to apply to the freshly dipped apples.

Step 3:  Make the Caramel sauce!

You can buy pre-made caramel dip but it is very simple and cheaper to make yourself honestly.

EASIEST CARAMEL SAUCE

Unwrap square caramel candies into microwave safe bowl. One package will be enough for approximately 20 people. Add a few tablespoons of water and microwave on high for 1 minute. Stir the caramel carefully and repeat heating at 1-minute increments until the caramel is melted and smooth. Add more water (again 1 tablespoon at a time) if you want a thinner consistency for drizzling. If you are dipping whole apples, you may want to leave it thicker and not continue to add more water. If you add too much water and the sauce becomes too thin, throw a few more caramel squares and melt in microwave again until desired consistency is reached. DO NOT overheat- burnt caramel not only tastes bad but is also a mess to clean up. Better to slowly heat it than be stuck with burnt toffee mess! Once the caramel is smooth and melted, I like to place it into a small crock-pot on warm setting, so it is perfectly warm and delicious throughout the party!

Step 4: Dip your apples!

Make sure that caramel is nice and warm. Work quickly if you are dipping the apples whole. Dip in the caramel and place them on a parchment lined pan. Add toppings while the caramel is warm and place them in the fridge to chill. Once the caramel is set you can add a second layer of chocolate or even drizzle chocolate on top to make it look extra fancy!

If you are slicing apples and drizzling the caramel, there is no need to wait for the caramel to cool in a fridge- load up the toppings and enjoy them right away!

The caramel apple station at my neices 13th birthday party was a HUGE hit! And whether you are serving these up for your own party or just a fun night at home with your kiddos I am certain they will be a big hit for you too!