Skull Caramel Apples

By
Elizabeth LaBau
Sweet Book of Candy Making Elizabeth LaBau
Elizabeth LaBau
A professional pastry chef, cookbook author, and writer, Elizabeth LaBau has published more than 600 articles on baking and candy making.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 07/22/21
Skull Caramel Apples

The Spruce / Christine Ma

Prep: 60 mins
Cook: 0 mins
Total: 60 mins
Servings: 4 servings
Yield: 4 apples
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
992 Calories
38g Fat
162g Carbs
10g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories 992
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 38g 49%
Saturated Fat 20g 102%
Cholesterol 25mg 8%
Sodium 324mg 14%
Total Carbohydrate 162g 59%
Dietary Fiber 6g 21%
Total Sugars 142g
Protein 10g
Vitamin C 11mg 55%
Calcium 324mg 25%
Iron 1mg 7%
Potassium 734mg 16%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Make no bones about it... these skull-shaped caramel apples will disappear fast at any Halloween party! Apples are already a great seasonal treat since they're at peak sweetness during the fall. But once you dunk them in caramel, dip them in white chocolate, and decorate them with a creepy skull design, they're ghoulishly great for Halloween!

Take inspiration from your favorite spooky movies—like The Nightmare Before Christmas—to help design the skulls. These would also look very cool with a Dia de los Muertos sugar skull design.

Ingredients

  • Nonstick cooking spray

  • 4 large apples

  • 1 (14-ounce) bag soft caramel candy

  • 2 tablespoons water

  • 12 ounces white chocolate candy coating

  • 3 ounces dark chocolate candy coating

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Skull Caramel Apples ingredients

    The Spruce / Christine Ma

  2. Prepare a baking sheet by lining it with aluminum foil or waxed paper, then spray the foil or paper with a light coating of nonstick cooking spray.

    parchment paper lined baking sheet

    The Spruce / Christine Ma

  3. Wash and dry the apples carefully. Remove the stems and stick the skewers or sticks firmly in the stem ends.

    apples with sticks

    The Spruce / Christine Ma

  4. Place the unwrapped caramels and the water in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave for 1 minute, stir, then microwave for an additional minute or until completely melted. The caramel should be smooth and liquid by the end.

    caramel in a bowl

    The Spruce / Christine Ma

  5. Hold an apple by the skewer and dip it in the caramel, tilting the bowl at an angle and rotating the apple to cover it completely with a smooth, even layer. Bring it out of the caramel and twirl it upside down to remove the excess caramel, hold it in the air for a few moments while the caramel starts to set, then place it on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat the process with the remaining apples.

    apple dipped into caramel

    The Spruce / Christine Ma

  6. Place the caramel-covered apples in the refrigerator to set for at least 30 minutes.

    caramel apples on a baking sheet

    The Spruce / Christine Ma

  7. Place the white chocolate candy coating in a microwave-safe bowl, once the caramel is firm, and microwave, stirring every 30 seconds, until it is melted and smooth.

    melted white chocolate in a bowl

    The Spruce / Christine Ma

  8. Dip a caramel-covered apple in the white chocolate coating. It is easiest to dip it halfway, then use a large spoon to pour coating over the top; this will ensure that the apple is mostly covered with white chocolate. Hold the apple over the bowl and let excess coating drop back into the bowl, and gently twirl the apple or tap the stick against the lip of the bowl to encourage excess coating to drop off.

    caramel apple dipped into white chocolate

    The Spruce / Christine Ma

  9. Set the apple back on the baking sheet, and repeat with the remaining apples. Let the white coating set while melting the chocolate coating in a small bowl in the microwave.

    white chocolate dipped caramel apples on a baking sheet

    The Spruce / Christine Ma

  10. Pour the melted chocolate coating into a paper cone or plastic bag with a hole snipped in the corner.

    melted chocolate in a plastic bag

    The Spruce / Christine Ma

  11. Tilt the apple back with one hand, to make it easier to draw on the side, and draw a skull face on the side of the apple with the dark chocolate. Repeat until all the apples are decorated.

    Skull Caramel Apple on a baking sheet

    The Spruce / Christine Ma

  12. Refrigerate the apples until everything is completely set, about 20 minutes.

    Skull Caramel Apples on a baking sheet

    The Spruce / Christine Ma

  13. Carefully wrap apples individually in plastic wrap if not being served immediately and store them in the refrigerator for up to a week.

    Skull Caramel Apples wrapped in plastic wrap

    The Spruce / Christine Ma