Caramel Apple Lollipops Recipe

This caramel apple lollipops recipe starts with a basic lollipop, flavored with tart green apple and tinted with green gel food coloring. To finish, I’ve dunked each pop in gooey melted caramel for candy version of the county fair confection. And while these lollipops may look complicated; they’re actually quite easy to make! 

What Inspired Me To Create This Recipe?

As a kid, I remember making an annual family visit to the York Fair in my hometown of York, PA. One of the best things about the York Fair was the food. Funnel cakes, fried Oreo cookies, corn dogs, steak sandwiches, French fries, cotton candy…the fair offers a seemingly endless variety of junk food indulgences. One of my favorite fair foods was (and still is) a caramel-dipped apple. Even today, I’ll stop for a caramel apple if I see a vendor selling them at a street fair. So for this recipe, I wanted to create a lollipop with flavors directly inspired by my favorite fairground treat.

Key Ingredients

• Granulated Sugar – Cooked in a stock pot, granulated sugar forms the base for the syrup that makes the hard candy portion. Caster sugar (measured by weight) works equally well. Pay attention to your temperatures, and test frequently with a digital thermometer—if your sugar is undercooked the pops won’t set properly, and if you cook it too long you’ll end up making caramel.
• Corn Syrup – I test my recipes with Golden Barrel corn syrup, but several thick, clear, invert sugars will work in this recipe. (Its main purpose is to prevent sucrose molecules from re-forming crystals; which in turn means your pops will have a smooth texture rather than a gritty, grainy one.) For accuracy, use a kitchen scale to measure the syrup by weight rather than volume; otherwise, you’ll lose too much of the sticky syrup in the measuring cup.

• Green Apple Flavoring – This is essential for capturing the flavor of a classic Granny Smith apple. I made this batch using Super Strength Green Apple by LorAnn Oils.
• Gel Food Coloring – For tinting the sugar syrup. I used Chefmaster’s Neon Brite Green. I recommend sticking with gel colors for this recipe; water-based grocery store colors (the kind sold in the baking aisle at the supermarket) are far less concentrated, so you’ll end up using half of the bottle to achieve the same vibrancy as a few drops of gel.
• Caramels – Kraft Caramels feature prominently in this recipe, but they aren’t always easy to find. (If you’re in the US, you can buy them on Amazon.) If you cannot find Kraft Caramels, you can use another chewy caramel candy. (I’ve also tested this recipe with Werther’s Chewy Caramels, with good results.) You can also make your own caramel from scratch, or simply make green apple lollipops without the caramel dip.

Tips, Tricks, and Variations

• Gather a few tools. You’ll need a silicone lollipop mold (the cavities in my mold measure about 1 1/2 inches in diameter; you can go slightly bigger or smaller, if desired), lollipop sticks (make sure you purchase sticks that will fit in your mold!) and a good digital thermometer. If you don’t already own these, they’re useful additions to your candymaking toolkit and will come in handy for other recipes. (Might I suggest making my peppermint lollipops next?)
• Add extra toppings. I made my lollipops with a plain caramel coating, but feel free to get creative! You could dunk the caramel in rainbow sprinkles or crushed salted peanuts, just like the caramel apples at the fair. Remember that if you’re adding extra toppings, you’ll need to work quickly; the caramel doesn’t take long to set.

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Caramel Apple Lollipops

Recipe by becky

• Total Time55 minutes
• YieldAbout 12-16 lollipops 1x

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Caramel apple lollipops featuring green apple-flavored suckers dipped in gooey caramel. The best green apple and caramel lollipop recipe!

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

200 grams granulated sugar (1 cup)
160 grams light corn syrup (1/2 cup)
60 milliliters water (1/4 cup)
1 teaspoon green apple flavoring
2-3 drops Neon Brite Green gel food coloring
140-160 grams Kraft caramels, unwrapped (about 1 cup)
Nonstick cooking spray, for greasing the lollipop mold

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Instructions

Spray lollipop mold with nonstick cooking spray. Add lollipop sticks. Set aside.

Combine granulated sugar, corn syrup, and water in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir until sugar dissolves, then stop stirring.

With a pastry brush, brush down the sides of the pan with water.

Bring to a boil. Boil without stirring until syrup reaches 300° F (150° C) on a digital thermometer.

Remove from heat. Swirl in apple flavoring and green gel food coloring.

Carefully pour hot sugar mixture into prepared mold.

Set aside and allow to cool completely, about 15 minutes.  Once set, pop lollipops from the mold onto a small tray lined with parchment or a silicone baking mat.

Place caramels in a small, microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on medium power, stirring every 15-20 seconds, until completely melted.*

Dip each lollipop in the melted caramel, coating the top portion of the lollipop only.

Arrange on prepared tray. Set aside and allow to rest, uncovered, until caramel sets, about 10 minutes.

Individually wrap lollipops in cello bags. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one month.

 

Equipment

lollipop mold

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lollipop sticks

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Neon Brite Green Food Coloring

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Notes

You will need a silicone lollipop mold and a digital thermometer for this recipe.

*The caramel will cool quickly. If necessary, briefly rewarm in the microwave, stir, then continue to dip.

• Prep Time: 30 minutes
• Cooling Time: 25 minutes
• Category: Candy and Confectionery
• Method: Stovetop

Make-Ahead and Storage Suggestions

Homemade caramel apple lollipops will keep for at least a month, if not longer. To prevent the lollipops from sticking together, wrap each pop individually. Small cello bags and twist ties work best for packaging these. Do not use wax paper or it will stick to the caramel. Because of their long shelf life, these caramel apple pops also ship extremely well, so they’re ideal for long-distance gifting.

Other Candy Recipes You Might Enjoy

Peppermint Lollipops
Old-Fashioned Hard Candy
Lemon Drops Candy
Watermelon Lollipops

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!