A DIY caramel apple bar is the perfect dessert for a fall party! Serve sliced apples, with dips and toppings so everyone can customize their own own caramel apple.
Hosting a fall party? My fall charcuterie board or this toffee apple dip would also make a great addition.
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Simple DIY Caramel Apple Bar
Making a DIY food bar is one of my favorite things to do when hosting friends or family. In the summer I love to make this hot dog toppings bar and for game day this make-your-own nacho bar!
One of my favorite apple desserts is a caramel apple and this DIY caramel apple bar allows everyone to make their own candy apple the way they like it.
Set up a caramel apple board with apple slices, dipping ideas and toppings and everyone will have a blast making their own caramel apple slices on a stick!
Ingredients and Supplies Needed
Find the full printable recipe with specific measurements below.
- Apples: I usually cut up 6 large apples and that serves 16. A variety of sweet and tart firm apples is best.
- Easy caramel sauce: One bag of Werther’s soft caramels, water and heavy cream.
- Chocolate chips: Good quality milk chocolate chips, white chocolate chips, semi-sweet chocolate chips, butterscotch chips or try a combination of chocolate with peanut butter chips.
- Mason jars: 3 wide mouth mason jars for easy dipping.
- Crockpot: A 6 quart crock pot filled with water allows sauces to stay warm.
- Serving tools: Skewers for dipping apples, a platter or bowl to place apples, a muffin pan with liners for holding toppings or mini bowls.
How to Prevent Apples from Turning Brown
Use this simple trick to keep apples from turning brown when making a caramel apple bar!
- Make salted water: A simple salt solution works best to prevent browning! Combine 1 cup room-temperature water with 1/2 teaspoon salt and dissolve.
- Soak apples: Place sliced apples into the salt water for 5 minutes.
- Drain: Drain the apples, rinse then place in an airtight container lined with a paper towel until ready to serve. Pat dry before serving.
Your apple slices won’t taste salty but will stay fresh and crisp for a few hours up to overnight.
How to Make a Caramel Apple Bar
Prep apples by slicing them and soaking in salt water solution to prevent browning. Rinse and pat dry. Insert a skewer stick into slices and place on a platter.
Make caramel sauce by placing unwrapped caramels with water and cream in a medium sized saucepan. Melt then transfer to mason jar set in crockpot. Put one cup of each type of chocolate chip into wide mouth mason jars inside crockpot. Allow to melt and stir until smooth.
Place toppings in muffin tins or bowls, then dip apple slices into sauces then sprinkle with toppings.
Caramel Apple Bar Topping Ideas
Elevate dipped apples with these fun toppings!
- More dippers: Homemade salted caramel sauce, Nutella or marshmallow fluff.
- Dried fruits and nuts: Chopped pecans or mixed candied nuts. Pumpkin seeds, toasted coconut or chopped raisins, cranberries or cherries.
- Candy: Toffee bits or Heath bar bits, crushed M&Ms, mini chocolate chips, peanut butter cups, gummy bears, candy corn or mini marshmallows.
- Sprinkles and seasonings: Festive Halloween sprinkles or seasonal sprinkles, bright colored jimmies or cinnamon sugar.
- Crushed cookies and crumbs: Oreo’s, graham crackers, Nilla wafers, Golden Grahams cereal or Fruity pebbles.
- Sweet n salty: Crushed pretzels or honey roasted peanuts are total crowd pleasers!
Caramel Apple Bar Tips
- Best apples for caramel apples: I prefer Honey Crisp or Granny Smith but any firm variety works. Aim for a mix of red and green apples and tart and sweet.
- Keep dip warms. Dips will harden as they sit. To keep sauces warm for easier dipping, add 6 cups water to a crockpot. Place dips in a mason jar and set in crockpot.
- Label toppings: For any guests that may be sensitive to allergens, labeling toppings for caramel apple bar is a good idea.
- How to set up a caramel apple bar: Place apple slices on sticks first, then sauces and dips then toppings. This keeps guests moving through the line! It’s also nice to have a few pre-made apple skewers on hand along with some caramel apple cider!
- Storage: Store leftovers in the fridge and reheat sauces in the slow cooker or microwave until melted.
Love apple recipes? Try apple nachos, apple crisp and apple fritters, too!
More Apple Recipes
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Caramel Apple Bar
Video
Equipment
- Wide mouth jars
- Muffin tin, with cupcake liners
Ingredients
Apples
- 6 apples
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 2 cups cold water
Caramel Sauce
- 10.8 ounces Werthers Soft Caramels , unwrapped (1 bag)
- 2 Tablespoons water
- ¼ cup heavy whipping cream
Other Sauces for Dipping
- 1 cup chocolate chips , see notes
- 1 teaspoon coconut oil , for each one cup of chocolate chips
Desired Toppings: toffee bits, miniature chocolate chips, sprinkles, crushed graham crackers, crushed pretzels, chopped nuts, sweetened coconut, etc.
Instructions
Apples
- Combine 1 cup room-temperature water with 1/2 teaspoon salt and let salt dissolve. Slice the apples into wedges and cover them with the salt water for 5 minutes. Drain the apples place in an airtight container (lined with a paper towel) until ready to serve. Pat dry before serving so the sauces and toppings will stick better.
Caramel
- Place unwrapped caramels, with a Tablespoon of water and 1/4 cup cream in a medium sized saucepan. Heat on medium-low until caramels melt, stirring frequently.
- Remove from heat and add a pinch of salt if desired. Transfer to a mason jar and keep in a slow cooker on low.
Sauces for Dipping
- Add 6 cups of water to a slow cooker on high and place mason jars in the slow cooker.
- Put one cup of each type of chocolate chip and 1 teaspoon coconut oil into wide mouth mason jars. Make sure no water gets in the jars. Stir occasionally until smooth. Once melted, turn down the heat to the warm setting.
Toppings
- Place the cupcake liners in the muffin tins, and add a different topping to each liner. Then place apples and skewers on a plate. Dip apples in your favorite toppings!
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition provided is an estimate. It will vary based on specific ingredients used.
Did you make this recipe? Don’t forget to give it a star rating below!
Categorized as: American, Appetizers, Crockpot, Crockpot, Desserts, Dips, Fruit Desserts, Reader Favorites, Snacks
Jamielyn Nye is the founder and recipe creator at I Heart Naptime. She is the author of the I Heart Naptime Cookbook and shares easy family-friendly recipes and desserts for every occasion.
This was such a fun idea, everyone at our fall party loved it!
So glad you enjoyed it!