Autumn is the best time to indulge one’s sweet tooth. When I think about fall time treats, I immediately think caramel apples. In late September, the highly anticipated honey crisp apples reach their peak harvest dates. These apples are legendary for their crispy, sweet, and tart characteristics which makes them the perfect candidates for caramel apples. They are so delicious, not just any ol’ caramel sauce will do. We’ve cooked with beer long enough to know that it would go wonderfully in a decadent caramel coating. The beer adds a beautiful depth of flavor that perfectly balances the sweetness of the caramel.
Craft Beer Caramel Apples
For this recipe, we’ve selected Spooky Tooth Ale by Fat Heads Brewery. It’s quite an impressive imperial pumpkin ale chocked full of rich pumpkin pie flavors. Also the name totally fits- it reminds me of the risk we take of breaking a tooth when we sink them into those not so fresh store-bought caramel apples. Don’t you worry, no broken teeth with this creamy beer caramel coating. But as far as your teeth go, that sweet one will be completely satisfied.
Ingredients
- 6 honey crisp apples
- 2 cups light brown sugar
- 2 sticks butter
- 1 bottle Spooky Tooth Ale by Fat Heads Brewery
- 1 cup light corn syrup
- 1 can sweetened condensed milk
- 1/4 tsp pumpkin pie spice
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- optional- chopped nuts, jimmies…sprinkles, or candy
Materials
- candy thermometer
- caramel apple sticks
Preparation
- Clean apples well to remove wax
- Remove stems and stick the wooden apple sticks into where the stems used to be
- Stick the apples into the freezer to get nice and cold
- Spray parchment paper with non stick cooking spray and place on baking sheet
- Prepare an ice bath (large bowl, lots of ice, and water)
Directions
- In a medium saucepan, melt butter and brown sugar over medium heat
- Add Spooky Tooth Ale, corn syrup, sweetened condensed milk, and pumpkin pie spice. Stir to combine
- Attach candy thermometer and bring mixture to a boil over medium high heat
- Once mixture reaches 225ish degrees, stir constantly until desired thickness is reached (do not exceed 240 degrees)
- Take off heat and stir in vanilla extract
- Put pan in icebath to stop the cooking
- Take apples out of freezer and quickly roll them in the beer caramel sauce until well coated. Place on parchment paper
- Optional- add chopped nuts, jimmies, or candy to decorate caramel apples
- Let the caramel set and enjoy!
Cheers N’at
D&T
Pennies, Pints, Pittsburgh
We are a husband & wife blogging team who loves beer, food, and Pittsburgh. We were both born and raised in the City of Bridges and now are proudly raising our own family here. Pittsburgh is going through a tremendous craft beer boom and we are beyond thrilled to be a part of it. We enjoy blogging about the local craft beer scene and also enjoy the challenge of effectively incorporating those local beers into some of our favorite recipes.
