Candy Apples

4.39 from 13 votes

A fun and festive way to make candy apples! This recipe is easy, and the colors are beautiful!

Prep Time20

Cook Time10

Total Time30

Course: Snack

Cuisine: American

Servings: apples

Author: Eden

Cost: $15

6 Granny Smith apples
3 cups granulated sugar
1 cup water
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 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.

Soak the apples in a mixture of hot water and a few tablespoons of vinegar for 10-15 minutes. Brush the apples with a clean brush to help remove the wax. Rinse thoroughly, then wipe them dry. Clean the apples with a cloth dipped in vodka to remove any remaining residue, leaving the apples extra clean for dipping.
Twist off the stems. Stand each apple on the counter and press a wooden stick straight down into the top, about three quarters of the way through.
Put your apples near the stove so they're close by when you need them. Also, prepare a cookie sheet with parchment to keep close.
Mix the sugar, water, and corn syrup in a medium saucepan. 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 300 degrees.
Using 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.
Lightly move the colors around. Let the bubbling settle for about a minute. 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.

For easy cleanup, put 2/3 cups of water in your pot and bring it to a boil. Pour out the water and give it a regular wash.

Add more drops of dye as needed to make the marble effect.

Gel food coloring is 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?

Soak the apples in hot water and a few tablespoons of vinegar for 10-15 minutes.
Brush the apples with a clean brush to help remove the wax.
Rinse thoroughly, then wipe them dry.
Clean the apples with a cloth dipped in vodka to remove any remaining residue.

Storage: Best the same day at room temperature. If keeping them longer, refrigerate. Don't freeze, the shell cracks.

To bag: Let the candy set for about 20 minutes, then slip each apple into a cellophane bag and tie loosely. Same day only.

Humidity: A damp day softens the shell. Pick a dry one if you can.

Altitude: Subtract about 2°F from the target for every 1,000 feet above sea level.

Safety: Hot sugar burns badly. Keep a bowl of ice water nearby.