By Heide Kennedy, Arizona Farm Bureau Communications Intern
During the Christmas season friends and family often make and bake treats to pass around and share with each other. Often, these treats are usually cookies, coffee cakes, cinnamon rolls, and the like. But when is the last time that anyone has ever given you a candy apple during the Christmas season? 
My two aunts started making candy apples for the holidays many years ago, and now we frequently have them at our parties and gatherings. They are a nice alternative to all the bready and dense desserts that are usually served!
Candy apples are super simple to make and are honestly just made to your specific taste, but here is a general idea on how to make them.
You will need:
- Green apples (The tartness of green apples provides a nice contrast to the candy coating)
- A bag(s) of melting caramels
- A bag(s) of melting chocolate
- A bag(s) of melting white chocolate
- Large popsicle sticks or fat barbecue skewers
- Assorted toppings like mini M&M’s, shredded coconut, colored sugar sprinkles, mini marshmallows, chopped nuts, etc.
- A cookie sheet(s) lined with parchment
Assembly:
- Wash and dry the apples.
- Pull out the stems of the apples and discard them.
- Melt the caramel, chocolate, and white chocolate. (This can be done on the stove or in the microwave).
- Stick a popsicle stick or skewer in the center of the apple and shove in about 2 inches.
- Dip the apples into the melted caramel and lightly coat. Set on the cookie sheet.
- Put the cookie sheet in the fridge for 10-15 minutes to harden the caramel.
- Dip or drizzle the caramel-coated apples with either chocolate or white chocolate, or both and place back on the cookie sheet.
- While the chocolate layer is still relatively soft, decorate the apples with the toppings that you selected.
- Put the apples back on the tray and put them back in the fridge for about 30 minutes to an hour to harden completely.
- When serving the apples, it’s best to let them warm on the counter for 10-15 minutes so that the chocolate layer doesn’t shatter when you cut into them.
Making candy apples is so much fun and is a super easy dessert to make for parties or to share with others. Give them a try this Christmas season!