Satisfy your sweet tooth with these delicious caramel apples. This classic treat features crisp and juicy apples dipped in a rich and velvety caramel coating.
In a heavy saucepan, combine the butter, brown sugar, corn syrup and milk; bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
Cook and stir until a candy thermometer reads 245 degrees F (firm ball stage) about 30-40 minutes and for a softer caramel cook just to a few less degrees (240 degrees F).
Remove from heat; stir in vanilla.
Dip each apple into hot caramel mixture; turn to coat.
Holding by the stick, sprinkle with nuts or whatever you desire while the caramel is still warm (work quickly the caramel sets up fast).
Set on generously buttered wax paper to cool or use a silicon mat.
Notes
Use firm apples like Granny Smith or Honeycrisp for the best results.
Make sure to thoroughly wash and dry the apples before dipping them in caramel.
Insert popsicle sticks or skewers into the apple cores for easy handling.
Place the caramel apples in the refrigerator to help set the caramel coating quickly.