Caramel Apple Pie Pops
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Made with shortcrust pastry and spiced apple compote and dipped in homemade caramel and crunchy salted peanuts, these caramel apple pie pops are like apple pie, on a stick! These handheld fruit pies are great for autumn gatherings, offering a fun way to enjoy a classic slice of Americana on the go.
Why Do I Love These Caramel Apple Pie Pops?
I’m an unabashed lover of all things caramel. Caramel blondies, caramel candies, caramel cookies, caramel sauce…give me aaaallll of the caramel, all of the time. I also enjoy the combination of caramel and apples (see also: these caramel apple lollipops, or my chewy apple cider caramels), especially as the seasons begin to change. As the crisp autumn air rolls in, I’m ready to embrace all things caramel apple, and these apple pie lollipops are no exception. The combination of buttery shortcrust pastry, homemade spiced apple compote, chewy caramel, and salty, crunchy peanuts reminds me of a September afternoon at the York State Fair, where peanut-covered caramel apples were never in short supply.
Key Ingredients for Making Apple Pie Pops
- Granny Smith Apples – You’ll need 1-2 apples, or about 2 cups of diced apple pieces. I prefer a tart apple like Granny Smith to balance the caramel, but you can experiment with different varieties. Before getting started, use a handy coring tool to core the apples and remove the seeds.
- Spices – Ground cinnamon, ground ginger, and ground nutmeg make these apple pies taste just like fall. To vary the flavor, try other ground spices, such as cloves, allspice, or homemade mixed spice.
- Cornflour – Cornflour (cornstarch) thickens the apple compote so it’s scoopable rather than runny. (Make sure the product you’ve purchased is a white, powdery substance, not the coarse yellow meal used for making cornbread!) Save the rest of the cornflour for thickening pudding or coating a batch of homemade marshmallows.
- Shortcrust Pastry – Shortcrust pastry (or pie crust) forms the pie portion of these pops. You’ll need one sheet, about 10 x 14 inches in size. If using a frozen crust, thaw it according to the package directions before getting started. I like to use store-bought pastry for convenience, but feel free to make your own from scratch.
- Egg – A thin coat of lightly beaten egg gives these apple pie pops their golden brown color. For darker pastry, brush with beaten yolk only, and save the white to make meringues or macarons.
- Crushed Peanuts – I like peanuts because they remind me of a classic caramel apple, but you can omit the nuts to make your pies allergy-friendly, and dip the pops in rainbow sprinkles instead.
Tools, Tips, and Tricks
- Make the compote first. Then set the compote aside to cool while you prepare the other components. If you spoon hot apples over cold pastry, it will melt.
- Use a probe. Do not attempt this recipe without a candy thermometer. (I like this one, but any good-quality candy thermometer will work.) Temps are important. Too hot, and you’ll make toffee; not hot enough, and you’ll make caramel sauce. You’re aiming for caramel firm enough to hold its shape, yet soft enough to chew.
- Choose a big, heavy-bottomed saucepan. This helps the caramel to cook evenly. Do not use a nonstick pan. And use a pan slightly bigger than you think you’ll need—the caramel will burble and bubble when you pour in the cream!
- Use wooden sticks. Use wooden sticks (like these) for this recipe, rather than paper, which will burn in the oven.
- Work on silicone. You’ll need a large silicone baking mat for lining the countertop. I find silicone easiest to work with, but if you don’t have a silicone mat, line with parchment instead. Do not use wax paper—it will stick to the caramel.
- Gather your tools. You will need a pastry brush to apply the egg wash (choose one with natural bristles rather than silicone); a rolling mat and rolling pin for preparing the shortcrust pastry; and a 3-inch round metal cutter to cut the pie crust into evenly-sized circles.
Caramel Apple Hand Pies
- Total Time1 1/2 hours
- Yield8 3-inch round pies 1x
Made with shortcrust pastry and spiced apple compote and dipped in homemade caramel and crushed peanuts, these caramel apple pie pops are like apple pie, on a stick!
Ingredients
Apple Compote:
175-200 grams diced Granny Smith apples (1 large or 2 medium apples, or about 2 cups diced apples)
55 grams granulated sugar (1/4 cup)
15 grams unsalted butter, softened (1 tablespoon)
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
6 grams cornflour/cornstarch (2 teaspoons)
Hand Pies:
1 sheet store-bought shortcrust pastry or pie crust, rolled to 10 x 14 inches in size
1 egg, lightly beaten
Caramel:
60 milliliters whipping cream (1/4 cup)
15 grams unsalted butter (1 tablespoon)
70 grams granulated sugar (1/3 cup)
15 milliliters water (1 tablespoon)
20 grams light corn syrup, or liquid glucose (1 tablespoon)
Crushed salted peanuts, optional, to decorate
Instructions
Preheat oven to 400° F (205° C). Line a rimmed half-sheet baking tray with parchment, and set aside until ready to use.
Apple Filling:
In a medium saucepan, combine diced apples, sugar, butter, and spices. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium-low heat. Simmer for 6-8 minutes, or until apples soften and start to break down.
Remove from heat and stir in the cornflour/cornstarch.
Transfer to a bowl. Set aside to cool, at least 30 minutes.
Apple Pies:
On a silicone rolling mat or lightly floured countertop, unroll shortcrust pastry.
With a 3-inch round cutter, cut the pastry into discs. Re-roll the scraps and cut the remaining discs. When finished, you should have 16 discs total.
Arrange half of the discs on the prepared tray, allowing room to add the sticks.
Place a popsicle stick on top of each disc, pressing down gently to make sure it stays in place.
Spoon apple filling on top of the discs, allowing a half-inch border around the outside edge. Use the apples only, and discard any juices left in the bottom of the bowl.
With a pastry brush, lightly brush beaten egg around the edges of each disc.
Top with a second disc of pastry.
Use your fingertips to seal the edges, then crimp with a fork.
With a pastry brush, brush the tops of the discs with beaten egg.
Bake in preheated oven for 15-18 minutes, or until deeply golden brown. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.
While pies cool, prepare the caramel topping.
Caramel Topping:
Line a large tray with a silicone mat.
In a small saucepan, warm cream and butter over low heat. (Do not boil.)
In a separate pan, combine sugar, water, and corn syrup. Cook over medium-low heat, without stirring, brushing down the sides of the pan with a damp pastry brush as needed.
Continue cooking until the mixture reaches a medium caramel color (about 365° F (185° C) on a candy thermometer; your mixture should resemble honey.)
Remove pan from heat and pour warm cream mixture into the caramelized sugar, then wait for a moment until the bubbles subside.
Return pan to medium-low heat and cook mixture to approximately 244-245° F (118° C).
Remove from heat. Tilt the pan and quickly dip the top half of each pie in the caramel. Transfer to prepared tray and sprinkle with the crushed peanuts.
Set aside to cool until caramel sets.
Serve immediately. Store leftover pops in an airtight container, layered between sheets of parchment, for up to 2 days.
- Prep Time: 1 hour
- Cook Time: 15-18 minutes
- Category: Turnovers and Hand Pies
- Method: Oven + Stovetop
Make-Ahead and Storage Suggestions
To make ahead: You can make the apple compote up to 24 hours in advance. Cover and refrigerate until you’re ready to assemble the pies.
These caramel apple pie pops taste best on the day they are made. Store leftover apple pie lollipops in an airtight container at room temperature, layered between sheets of parchment or wax paper, for up to two days.
Other Caramel Apple Recipes You Might Enjoy
Caramel Apple Lollipops
Sea Salt Apple Cider Caramels
And if you do make these, or any of my recipes, don’t forget to tag me @bastecutfold or use the hashtag #bastecutfold on Instagram. I always love to see what you’re making!
