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Looking for the perfect fall dessert? How about a fun and retro treat for Halloween? Look no further, these 1960’s Cinnamon Candy Apples are delightful and I've got a step-by-step video showing you exactly how to make them!
IT'S TIME FOR FALL FLAVORS
Fall is officially here, and I mean officially here, as in I’m currently wearing a sweatshirt in Los Angeles. For all of you lovely people who have real seasonal weather, I don’t envy you. I’m much more a Spring and Summer loving lady which is why I love LA and it’s “seasons.” Even though I don’t love this time of year (except for Halloween and Thanksgiving), I do enjoy the food. Bring me roasted butternut squash, maple spice almond milk lattes, and ALL THE perfectly crisp apples.
Lucky for me I found a vintage recipe for Cinnamon Candy Apples and I jumped right into the candy making process. And guess what? They are full of fall flavors. The crisp apples and cinnamon candy coating are perfect together, and they’ll be a showstopper when you make them for your Halloween party!
THANKS FOR THE SOLID RECIPE
These Cinnamon Candy Apples were first published in the 1966 Better Homes and Gardens Cookies and Candies Cookbook. When I tested the original recipe as written, I was pleasantly surprised! It worked really well, so well, that I only made like, one change.
All I did was reduce the amounts of the recipe. No one needs eight apples coated in a delicious and almost too sweet candy coating. I ended up making six perfectly coated apples, and they get cut into slices when you eat them, so you can share with anyone and everyone.
Oh, I also made these apples super fancy with some gold leaf. I mean, I just had a packet of edible gold leaf lying around and what else was I going to use it for? Hahahaha…I sound so pretentious, but it was a gift from a fellow crew member from the Guy’s Grocery Games culinary team. I don’t regularly have gold leaf in laying around in my kitchen!
Anyway, other than making fewer apples, giving them a little bling, and adding a bit more cinnamon flavor, I didn’t change much else!
I THOUGHT IT WAS A HALLOWEEN THING
What time of year do you associate candy apples with? I think of them as a Fall and Halloween treat, but they were actually created and originally sold during Christmas time.
CINNAMON CANDY APPLES RECIPE TIPS
-Use any type of apple you like! The tartness of Granny Smith apples would go great with the sweetness of the candy coating.
-Washing the wax off the apples is such an important step. If you don't take the time to remove it the candy coating won't stick. Directions for removing the wax is in the recipe below!
-When making the candy coating and dipping the apples, make sure your kids and pets are not close by. The candy coating is molten sugar it would be a bad thing if any spilled onto your little ones.
Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons distilled white vinegar
- 6 small to medium apples
- 6 lollipop sticks or other sticks
- 3 cups sugar
- 1 ½ cups water
- 1 cup light corn syrup
- 1 teaspoon red food coloring
- 2 drops maroon food coloring
- 10-12 drops cinnamon oil
- Optional: gold leaf sparkles, etc.
Instructions
- To remove the was from the apples, bring a medium pot of water and vinegar to a boil over high heat.
- Reduce heat to low, and one at a time place an apple in the hot water for 5 seconds. Remove the apple and rub dry with a clean dishtowel. Repeat with remaining apples.
- Line a baking sheet or platter with parchment paper and librally spray with nonstick spray.
- To make the candy coating, stir together the sugar, water, corn syrup and food coloring into a medium pot.
- Without stirring, bring the sugar mixture to a boil over medium-high heat. Continue cooking until the mixture reaches 300 degrees (hard-crack stage)on a candy thermometer.
- While the sugar mixture cooks, remove the stems from the apples and insert a stick into the center.
- Remove from heat and quickly stir in the cinnamon oil.
- Dip an apple into the candy coating, slowly turning the apple to coat all the sides, and place on the parchment lined baking sheet. Repeat with remaining apples.
- Add any decorations (gold leaf or sparkles) to apples while the candy is warm.
- Once candy has cooled, cut apples into slices before eating...you definitely cannot take a bite from one!
Chelsey says
We make these every year. My family loves them!
Michelle Weiner says
Yay! Thanks for making my recipe part of your family traditions!
Susan Fitch says
I just got your recipe and hopefully will be making these apples tomorrow. The only item I need is the cinnamon oil. When I was young my family would go to the beach at Santa Monica between lifeguard stations 1 and 2. All the neighbors knew this so whoever wanted to show up and we would spend the whole day there. Sometimes even have dinner on the beach. There was a tram that would take you all the way down the boardwalk and along the path there were people renting rafts and selling cinnamon candy apples My mom’s favorite. No one local sells them and I don’t want to buy off the internet. So I am going to try your recipe. Hope my 93 year old mom loves them
Michelle Weiner says
Susan, thank you so much for sharing your story and I hope your mom loved them too!
Cindy G. Gracia says
Can I make the candy apples 2 days ahead of time and keep them in the refrigerator?
Michelle Weiner says
Great q Cindy!
I have not tested the storage of these candy apples, so this is my educated (and quickly researched) answer! You should be okay with just making them and storing them in an airtight container for 1 or 2 days. Just make sure that the candy coating does not go all the way up the apple into the section the stick is inserted into. Moisture will get under the candy and the candy coating my start to melt.
I also would not put them into the refrigerator as it could ruin the candy coating as well.
Maureen says
Can I make these without corn syrup?
Michelle Ferrand says
Hi Maureen!
The corn syrup helps keep the sugar from crystalizing. You can try it without the corn syrup, but you'll need to be extra careful when making the candy coating. I haven't tried it without the corn syrup, so if you give it a go, please let us know!