This is the best marble candy apple recipe! If you’re looking to make fun candy apples for Halloween, try this super easy method. Make different colors using a sweet candy coating. They’re perfect the perfect Halloween party snack and look gorgeous served on a cake stand.
Halloween is just around the corner, and that means one thing – candy apples! These delicious treats are perfect for Halloween parties, or just to enjoy yourself. We’re showing you how to make marble candy apples. This is a fun and easy way to add a bit of Halloween flair to your apples.
After making these, we couldn’t wait to show you how to marble candy apples! How gorgeous are these?! We’re pretty smitten over the marbled candy apples and think they’ll be perfect for a Halloween party!!
They’re fairly easy to make, as long as you have a candy thermometer and watch the sugar temperature. You can use any colors to achieve the marble effect and match your Halloween theme.
Using this method you can make candy apples in any color! This recipe also works for creating just one color too.
How to Make Marble Candy Apples
Here is everything you need to know to make homemade candy apples for Halloween!
Supplies
Candy Thermometer – This is important so you know when the sugar mixture reaches hard crack stage.
Parchment Paper or Wax Paper – The candy apples harden on wax paper or parchment paper. This is a nonstick surface that’s perfect for apples.
Baking Sheet – Use this to place the apples on. Make sure you line it with wax paper.
Heavy Saucepan – This is to heat the sugar mixture and dip the apples.
Wooden Sticks – You can use craft sticks, lollipop sticks or popsicle sticks for your apples.
Rubber Spatula – Use this to help swirl or and stir the sugar mixture.
Ingredients for Halloween Caramel Apples
Granny Smith Apples – We use green apples for this recipe because they went with the blue and green colors for the marbling.
Granulated Sugar – This is used to create the candy coating.
Light Corn Syrup – Light corn syrup is a clear, odorless liquid made from corn starch and water. It is used as a sweetener, thickener, and binding agent in this recipe.
Vanilla Extract – Adds flavor to the apples. You can use any flavored extract you prefer.
White Food Coloring – A water-based dye used to tint icing, frosting, and other foods. This is an important ingredient in marble candy apples as it creates a base for the colors to show up on the apples.
Gel Food Coloring – You can pick any colors you like to make these apples. We suggest only 2-3 colors for a pretty marble look. There are so many different colors to choose from.
Directions
Prep – Wash and dry the apples. Then add a stick to the top and directly through the center of the apple. Line cookie sheet with wax paper.
Boil – In a medium saucepan combine sugar, corn syrup, and water and bring to a boil. Attach the candy thermometer to the side of the pot, but make sure it’s not touching the bottom of the pan. Heat over medium-high heat and let bubble without mixing, until it reaches 305-310 degrees on the thermometer.
Extracts and Food Coloring – Remove the candy mixture from the heat and add the white food coloring and vanilla extract. Quickly add drops of 2-3 food coloring colors. Use a stick to gently swirl.
Dip – Tip the pot to the side and gently dip and swirl the apple the whole apple. Hold directly above the sugar mixture and allow any excess drip.
Dry – Place the dipped apple on wax paper and let them dry.
Candy Apple Flavors
Customize the flavor of your candy apples using extract. We used vanilla extract in this recipe, but here are some other ideas. Also these extrcats are wonderful for flavoring the apples!
- Cinnamon candy apples
- Orange candy apples
- Almond candy apples
- Butter pecan candy apples
- Lavender candy apples
- Pumpkin spice apples
You can use wooden dowels or I love the look of rustic sticks, especially for a Halloween project.
Tips for Making Candy Apples
- Have a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or wax paper to place the apples once they’re dipped.
- Use 2-3 colors when marbling and do not mix them. Just gently swirl with a wooden skewer.
- Make sure the candy thermometer reaches the hard crack stage on the candy thermometer.
- Use crisp apples for this recipe.
Glitter Candy Apples
You will need to use food-safe and edible glitter. Add a little glitter into the mixture and it will show up when the apples are dipped. You can also sprinkle glitter on the apple as soon as you lift it from the mixture.
Galaxy Candy Apples
For a fun and unique Halloween treat, try making galaxy candy apples! These fun apples are blue and purple with a shiny coating. They’re perfect for Halloween!
Varieties of Candy Apples
There are several types of candy apples you can make. Here are a few:
Blackout Candy Apples – These are made with black food coloring and look like Halloween candy apples.
Caramel Candy Apples – These are made with caramel instead of sugar syrup and are a classic fall treat.
Chocolate Candy Apples – These are made with chocolate instead of sugar syrup and make a great Halloween treat. You can use white chocolate to make fun Halloween ghosts.
Colored Candy Apples – Use purple candy melts or orange candy melts to make colored apples. Candy melts will have a softer texture when they dry, unlike our sugar mixture which creates a hard shell.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you use gel food coloring for candy apples?
Yes, you can! Gel food coloring is actually the best kind to use for candy apples. The colors are more concentrated, so you’ll get brighter colors with less food coloring.
How do you get the wax off apples for candy apples?
There are a few things you can do to remove the wax coating on the apples:
Dip them in boiling water for about 5 seconds, then remove and dry.
Give the apples a good scrub and wash with lemon juice or apple cider vinegar.
How many days in advance can I make candy apples?
You can make candy apples up to two days in advance. However, we suggest that you make them the day before as the coating starts to break down. Store them in the fridge until you’re ready to enjoy!
How do you get the wax off apples without boiling them?
There are a few things you can do to remove the wax coating on the apples:
Give them a good scrub and wash with lemon juice or apple cider vinegar.
Wipe them down with a clean, lint-free cloth dipped in rubbing alcohol.
Buff the apples with a clean, dry cloth.
How long do candy apples last?
Candy apples will last for one week if they are stored in a cool, dry place. However, we suggest that you eat them within the first day or two for the freshest flavor and candy coating.
What apples are best for candy apples?
The best apples for candy apples are the ones that are firm and crisp. Avoid apples that are too soft or too ripe. Here are some suggestions for grocery store apples:
- Granny Smith apples
- Honeycrisp apples
- Golden Delicious apples
- Gala apples
When to Serve Marble Candy Apples
Marble candy apples are perfect for Halloween parties! They also make a great addition to any fall festivities. We suggest serving them within the first day or two for the freshest flavor and candy coating. Here are some fun occasions you can serve candy apples:
Halloween Pumpkin Carving Party
More Halloween Recipes
If you love these apples, try some of these Halloween treats!
Let us know if you make these Halloween candy apples by leaving a comment and review below!
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Marbled Candy Apples
Ingredients
- 6 Granny Smith apples
- 3 cups granulated sugar
- 1 cup water
- 1/2 cup light corn syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 4 tbsp White food coloring, or more
- 2 tsp additional colors of food coloring, we used teal and green gel coloring. You can play around with how much dye you need.
Instructions
- Prep your apples by washing and drying them. Take the stems off and put the lollipop sticks in as far as they can go. Put your apples near the stove so they’re close by when you need them. Prep a cookie sheet with parchment to keep close as well.
- In medium a sauce pan, mix the sugar, water and corn syrup. Attach the candy thermometer to the side of the pot, but make sure it’s not touching the bottom of the pan. Heat over medium high heat and let bubble without mixing, until it reaches 302 degrees.
- Once it reaches that temperature, immediately take off of the heat and with a heat-proof rubber spatula.
- Mix in the vanilla extract and the white food coloring until combined.
- Quickly add a few drops of the two other colors.
- Use a wooden skewer to gently stir the colors, but don’t mix.
- Just lightly move the colors around. Tip the pot to one side and dip the apple in the candy, coating it on all sides.
- When you pull the marbled candy apple out of the sugar, give it a second to drip off the bottom, then place it on the parchment paper to cool and harden.
Notes
Nutrition
I just came out there after watching the video on youtube. This way is quite easy and interesting to marble the candy apples. I am just going to give it a try.
I’ve made many batches of candy apples from mixes and kits etc. but this is the first homemade batch that I’ve done. The apples turned out great. I used the recommended colors and flavor oils that you listed, but the only thing is that my candy had a slight after taste. Just wondering if you had any ideas of something I may have done wrong. Thank you!
Can I add flavoring to the mix such as cinnamon? if so is there a particular form of flavoring I would need to use? The colors, what form of food color (water, gel, etc)
You could add drops of extract to flavor. That’s a great idea!!
Hi me and my friend is a new to making candy Apple’s can you give us some pointers on how to get rid of the bubbles
That’s a hard one!! There will be some bubbles no matter how hard you try to get rid of them, but you can wait and hit the pan on the stove a little to release them.
Make sure the apples are wax free as well as very dry. Dip briefly. 30-45 seconds in a pot of boiling water with a bit of vinegar take out and wipe the wax off and allow to dry for several hours to overnight.
Does it taste like a regular strawberry candy apple with different food coloring added ? Or does it give it a different flavor?
My candy starts to burn after about 280 constantly. I make them from scratch and even the premixed bags. I cook at 4.5 (medium heat). Any ideas what I’m doing wrong.
Hmm, are you constantly stirring? I think that is super important for it to not burn. Also, use a candy thermometer and remove it from heat when it gets to hard crack.
I have never had a candied apple like this. What does it taste like using your recipe above …. is it like a hard candy? What would you recommend if I wanted to individually bag them i.e. how long do I let the candy dry on the apple before bagging so it doesn’t stick? Thank you so very much. I love the look of these multi colored apples.
How do you make bubble free candy apples? Every time I make them they always have bubbles.
Some tips for no bubbles. Keep you apples cold and make sur no moisture gets in the mixture when dipping
Some tips for no bubbles. Keep your apples cold and make sure no moisture gets in the mixture when dipping
For bubble free apples, make sure the wax is cleaned off apples. Fill a pot with water, bring to a boil, then dip your apples, about 5 -8 seconds and wipe quickly with a paper towel. If you’re doing the hard candy apples make sure you let them sit for at least 48 hrs after cleaning before dipping them.
Also Adrienne before dipping let your bubbles subside in your pan. When you tilt your pan to dip it may bubble up again because the candy is hot, so just let the bubbles subside again. Don’t dip while there are a lot of bubbles because it will look that way on your apples. Hope this helps
Do you have to have white food coloring to do the marble or can you just use any two or more colors.
The white food coloring helps make the colors more bold… otherwise it’s more of a clear color.
How do you prevent the bubbles from forming on the candy apples after dipping
How much white food coloring did you use?
Hi Hannah! We used about 5-7 drops of the color!
Absolutely beautiful. These apples are from a magical fairytale!
Oh my gosh these are totally blowing my mind right now — amazing! I love the colors, the swirls and the cute rustic sticks, great job!
Thank you so much Joan!!! They are fun to make and not very hard at all!! Think of the beautiful color combos you can do!!! XO
omgosh….you’ve outdone yourself!!! these are about the coolest things i’ve EVER seen!! must try!! 🙂
This looks so awesome!
Wow, those look absolutely stunning! Love how unique your recipes always are.
These apples look so beautiful. What a brilliant idea. I like the natural twigs as well. Super post thank you. Sammie x