If you love soft, buttery homemade caramels but want something extra cozy for fall, these Apple Pie Caramels are about to be your new favorite treat. Inspired by my viral Sea Salt Caramels, this recipe adds a warm spiced apple flavor and an easy crumble pie-crust base that makes each bite taste like apple pie and caramel combined.

Why You’ll Love These Apple Pie Caramels

These Apple Pie Caramels taste like a cozy slice of apple pie wrapped into a soft, buttery caramel, thanks to the combination of a golden crumble pie-crust base and warm, spiced apple flavor. The texture is perfectly chewy and rich, yet still easy to slice and wrap for gifting. They’re made without the fuss of traditional pie crust, but still deliver all the nostalgic fall flavor you love. And because LorAnn’s Super-Strength Apple Pie flavor is so concentrated, you get a bold apple-pie taste without diluting the caramel. Whether you’re making them for holiday boards, holiday gifting, or a fall treat for yourself, these caramels are simple, impressive, and guaranteed to be a hit.

ISN’T CARAMEL HARD TO MAKE?

I’ll admit that I used to be intimidated by making caramel anything. Caramel sauce, caramel candy, caramel drip. Caramel has a reputation for being difficult to make which is why I designed this recipe to be for caramel beginners.

Most caramel recipes are a two step process of melting the sugar and corn syrup together and adding heavy cream and butter at the end. I found that using this method created a lot of room for error such as crystallization of the sugar, burning, and coming to a rapid boil before the caramel was done cooking.

This recipe is so easy, you pour all the ingredients into a large heavy bottom saucepan and stir until it reaches temperature. It is a fool-proof recipe without any weird ingredients. The best part is you won’t be able to put these caramels down!

These are the caramels that I sell every year around the holidays. They have became known by the Seattle Wedding industry to be some of the best and most requested. I’ve even heard stories from clients that they often end up in the grooms pockets secretly to enjoy the next morning.

To Make Apple Pie Caramels

Follow these tips and steps and you be on your way to enjoying the best apple pie caramels! These make amazing gifts for the holidays for clients, family and friends, coworkers or even stocking stuffers.

1. USE QUALITY BUTTER– Using an off brand or generic butter may yield different results. Those butters typically have a higher amount of water. I’ve made this mistake before and it made a big difference. I use quality name brand butter or local butter. In Seattle, I use unsalted Tillamook or Darigold.
2. USE A LARGE HEAVY BOTTOM PAN– during the process, the caramel will foam up and bubble. Make sure to use a tall heavy bottom pan so the caramel doesn’t overflow. And a heat proof spatula or wooden spoon. I use a 3.7 quart sauce pan because it has slightly taller sides.
3. TEMPERATURE MATTERS– once the mixture begins to boil, it does take 20-25 minutes to come to temperature. If you take the caramel off too soon, the caramels will be too soft. Too late, and the caramels will be rock hard. Grab a candy thermometer (I prefer digital) because it will tell you the temperature immediately. The digital candy thermometer also allows you to set it to the temperature range that you want and will beep alerting you that it has hit that temperature. Set these caramels to Firm Ball (244 to 248° F). Caution* digital candy thermometer will not read accurately if it is touching the bottom of the pan so make sure it is clipped on properly.
4. USE QUALITY VANILLA– Vanilla pastes are my favorite to use as the it contains the vanilla beans/speckles which is a richer and more powerful vanilla flavor. Its so delicious in caramel! A few of my favorite options are: Nielsen-Massey Vanilla Paste or Vanilla Pods.
5. GRAB A SEAT– caramels require patience. The first time making them, it can feel like it is taking forever to reach temperature. But it can happen quickly. So pull up a seat, listen a podcast or holiday music and stir patiently!

Ingredients:

• Light Corn Syrup (can use maple syrup or honey instead but it will alter the taste)
• Sweetened Condensed Milk
• Light Brown Sugar
• Salt
• Vanilla
• Unsalted Butter
• LorAnn Oils Apple Pie or Apple Super Strength

For the Crumble Mixture:

1 cup all-purpose flour

¾ cup rolled oats

⅓ cup packed brown sugar

¼ cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

¼ teaspoon nutmeg

¼ teaspoon salt

½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter + 2 tablespoons, separated

Equipment Needed to Make Apple Pie Caramels:

• Heavy Bottom Quart Pan
• 9×13 Baking Sheet
• Medium Mixing Bowl
• Measuring cups and spoons
• Heatproof Spatula
• Parchment Paper
• Candy Thermometer
• Cutting Board

How to Make Apple Pie Caramels

Step 1: Prepare the Pan
Line an 8×8 baking pan with parchment paper, making sure it hangs over the sides for easy removal later. Avoid wax paper, it will melt.

Step 2: Make the Crumble Mixture
In a large bowl, mix together the flour, oats, brown sugar, granulated sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Pour in the ½ cup melted butter and stir until the mixture resembles moist, sandy crumbs that clump together when squeezed.

Step 3: Make the Crust
Measure out ⅔ of the crumble mixture (about 2 heaping cups). Add the additional 2 tablespoons melted butter to this portion and mix well, this helps the crust hold together. Press the crust firmly and evenly into the bottom of your parchment-lined pan. Bake at 350°F for 16–18 minutes or until lightly golden and set.

Step 4: Bake the Crumble Topping
Spread the remaining ⅓ of the crumble mixture onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake at the same time as the crust for 10–12 minutes, or until lightly golden and crisp. Let cool completely.

Step 5: Make the Apple Pie Caramel
In a heavy-bottomed pot, melt the butter over medium heat. In a separate bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, corn syrup, sweetened condensed milk, and salt. Add this mixture to the melted butter. Turn the heat up to medium-high and cook until the mixture begins to boil (about 10–15 minutes). Once boiling, reduce to medium heat, attach a candy thermometer, and stir constantly until the caramel reaches 245–248°F (Firm Ball Stage) and turns thick, glossy, and deep golden—about 20 minutes. Remove from heat and carefully stir in LorAnn Apple Pie Super Strength (it will bubble).

Step 6: Assemble the Caramels
Pour the hot caramel evenly over the baked crust. Immediately sprinkle the baked crumble topping over the caramel while it’s still warm so it sticks.

Step 7: Cool and Slice
Let the caramel cool completely—preferably overnight—until fully set. Use the parchment to lift the slab from the pan. Cut into 1×1-inch squares using a sharp knife or pizza cutter.

Step 8: Wrap and Store
Wrap each caramel in wax candy wrappers (LorAnn’s pre-cut papers are perfect) and store at room temperature for up to 3 weeks.

Other Recipes You Will Love:

Sea Salt Caramels

Churro Snack Cake

Salted Espresso Brownie Cookies

Apple Pie Caramels

Inspired by my viral Sea Salt Caramels, these Apple Pie Caramels combines caramel candy with a spiced apple flavor and an easy pie-crust.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Ingredients

  

• ½ cup unsalted butter
• 1 cup light brown sugar
• ½ cup light corn syrup
• 8 oz sweetened condensed milk
• 1 teaspoon Lorann Oils Apple Pie or Apple Super Strength
• Pinch of Salt

For the Crumble Mixture (use for both crust + topping):

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• ¾ cup rolled oats
• ⅓ cup packed brown sugar
• ¼ cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ½ cup unsalted butter + 2 tablespoons, separated

Instructions

 

To Make the Crumble Mixture

• In a large bowl, combine: flour, oats, brown sugar, granulated sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt.
• Pour in the ½ cup melted butter and mix until the texture resembles moist, sandy crumbs that clump when squeezed.
• To Create the Crust, remove ⅔ of the crumble mixture and add the extra 2 tablespoons melted butter to this portion and mix well, this ensures the base holds together.
• Press firmly into a parchment-lined 8×8 pan, making sure to compact it tightly and evenly.
• Bake at 350°F for 16-18 minutes, until lightly golden and set.

To Make the Crumble Topping

• Add the remaining ⅓ of the mixture on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake at the same time as the crust for 10-12 minutes (or until golden brown) to get the mixture crispy to top the caramels.

To Make the Caramels:

• Prepare pan: line a 8×8 pan with parchment paper (not wax paper, this will melt)
• In a large heavy bottom sauce pan/pot on medium heat- melt butter.
• Once the butter is fully melted, combine remaining ingredients (Brown Sugar, salt, corn syrup, and sweetened condensed milk) in the large pot on the stove. Turn heat up to medium-high until mixture begins to boil (10-15 minutes).
• Once the mixture begins to boil, turn the temperature down to medium, add the candy thermometer and set to Firm Ball Stage (248 ° F) and stir constantly. This can take 20 minutes.
• Once the mixture has reached 245 to 248 ° F AND becomes thick and paste like and is a deep dark caramel color, remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla and Apple Pie Super Strength.. Careful as it will bubble rapidly during this step.
• Immediately pour the caramel into the prepared pie crust to cool. Add the pie crumbles on top.
• Allow to cool overnight to completely firm up. Carefully pull the parchment paper with the caramels out of the pan and place on a large cutting board. Using a knife or pizza cutter (this works best), cut 1×1 inch squares and wrap in wax candy wrappers.