Copycat Caramel Apple Lollipops
Growing up, these Caramel Apple Lollipops were easily one of my favorite seasonal treats. Every Halloween, we’d get at least 2 or 3 of these in our big mix of candy. When I thought of recreating these, I wanted to mimic that almost crinkled look with the caramel from the way it was packaged. There’s something so nostalgic not only with the flavor of these lollipops but with the way they’re deliciously imperfect in appearance.
I hope that you all enjoy this recipe as much as I do! If you love this recipe, you might enjoy some more of my favorite Fall recipes below :)
Caramel Apple Pancakes
Caramel Apple Cheesecake Bars
Caramel Apple Pie Cookies
Salted Caramel Cupcakes With Phyllo Dough Broomsticks
How To Make Copycat Caramel Apple Lollipops
Before you start, prepare your lollipop molds by placing them on a cookie sheet and inserting a lollipop stick into each mold. You may need two cookie sheets, depending on your mold size. These molds make the perfect base for that nostalgic, classic shape!
- In a medium saucepot, combine the water, granulated sugar, and corn syrup. Stir gently with a silicone spatula to combine.
- Insert a candy thermometer and heat until the mixture reaches 300°F (hard crack stage).
- Immediately remove from heat and carefully stir in the green apple extract, lemon juice, and green food coloring.
- Quickly pour the hot candy into the prepared molds. Do not overfill. Let the lollipops sit at room temperature to set.
- Once hardened, pop them out gently :)
- In a microwave-safe bowl or Pyrex measuring cup, melt the caramel squares and heavy cream in 30-second intervals until smooth.
- Dip the tops of each green apple lollipop into the caramel. Let the excess drip down naturally.
- Wrap each one immediately using the plastic wrappers from your lollipop mold kit to help the caramel adhere and give that classic crinkled look.
- Freeze the dipped lollipops for 10–15 minutes until the caramel sets. Keep wrapped and chilled until ready to enjoy!
Recipe Tips
My most important tip before diving into some of the others is to please be super careful! This mixture gets very hot! Use oven mitts when pouring the lollipop mixture into the prepared molds to prevent burning yourself.
- Use a candy thermometer to ensure the sugar mixture reaches exactly 300°F for a perfect hard candy texture.
- Avoid stirring once the sugar starts to boil — this prevents crystallization.
- Don’t overfill the molds. A little candy goes a long way!
Recipe Variations
- Different flavors: Swap green apple extract for cherry, watermelon, or blue raspberry. You can use the base of this recipe and swap out the extracts to create any kind of lollipop you want!
- Red Colored Lollipops: You can turn these into red apple lollipops by replacing the green food dye with red food dye!
- Sprinkles or crushed candy: Dip the caramel-coated part into crushed nuts, candy bits, or sprinkles before wrapping for added texture and flavor.
How to Store Copycat Caramel Apple Lollipops
Once wrapped and cooled, store your lollipops in an airtight container in the refrigerator, separated by parchment paper to prevent the caramel from sticking together. The caramel softens at room temperature, so it’s best to keep it chilled until ready to enjoy. You can also freeze them for up to 2 weeks if needed—just let them sit at room temp for a few minutes before unwrapping.
More Recipes You Might Be Interested In!
Apple Slice & Bake Cookies
Homemade Apple Fritters
Copycat Caramel Apple Lollipops
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15-18
servings20
minutes15
minutesKeep the screen of your device on.
Ingredients
1/4 cup water
1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
1/4 cup light corn syrup
1 3/4 tsp. green apple extract
2 tsp. lemon juice
1-2 drops green food dye (gel or liquid)
15-20 squares Kraft caramel squares
2 Tbsp. heavy whipping cream
Directions
- Start by preparing your Lollipop Molds by placing them on a cookie sheet and placing a lollipop stick in each mold. You may need to use 2 cookie sheets in order to fit them all nicely. Set aside. Here is the link to the Lollipop Molds I used. I also used the plastic bags that came with this kit to give the lollipops that classic crinkled look! Find them, here!
- Place the water, granulated sugar, and corn syrup in a medium-sized sauce pot. Stir with a silicone spatula to ensure that everything is combined evenly and that there’s no sugar stuck to the bottom.
- Place this pot over medium heat. Do not stir. Place a thermometer in the side of the pot and monitor the temperature. Once this mixture starts to boil, the temperature will increase faster, so keep a close eye on it. Keep this mixture over the heat until it reaches 300 degrees F. Once it reaches this temperature, remove it from the heat and add in the green apple extract, lemon juice, and green food dye. Stir with a wooden spoon or silicone spatula to combine.
- Working quickly while the mixture is still hot, carefully pour the mixture into the prepared molds, making sure not to overfill them.
- Let the lollipops sit at room temperature for at least an hour and 30 minutes to harden. After they’ve set, they should pop out of the molds very easily.
- Place the lollipops on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper while we prepare the caramel.
- In a Pyrex measuring cup, place the caramels and heavy whipping cream. Microwave in 30-second intervals, mixing between each time until completely melted and smooth.
- Once the caramel mixture is completely smooth, dip each lollipop one at a time, letting the caramel drip down. You don’t want to coat the entire lollipop in caramel; we still want to see the green. I recommend dipping the top of the lollipop, then letting the excess caramel drip down. This next step is optional, but I used the plastic wrappers that came with my Lollipop Mold Kit to place around the lollipop immediately after dipping in caramel to wrap around the lollipop and press the caramel into the lollipop to give these the classic, nostalgic look. Once dipped, place each lollipop back onto the cookie sheet fitted with parchment paper.
- Once all of the lollipops are dipped, please them in the freezer for about 10-15 minutes to allow the caramel to harden.
- After the caramel has hardened, peel the wrapper off each one. The caramel will soften if these are left out, so I like to keep them chilled and wrapped until time to enjoy.
Equipment
Lollipop MoldsFind On Amazon- Green Apple ExtractFind On Amazon
- Parchment PaperFind On Amazon
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Would isomalt sugar work in place of regular sugar?