Loaded Caramel Apples

Do y'all love you some caramel apples?? Woohoo! Me too!

So we have an awesome Kilwin's over in Atlantic Station and several years ago on our first visit we spotted some crazy amazing chocolate covered candy loaded caramel apples! I mean these things really were works of edible art! They were absolutely jam-packed with candy bars, cookies, and nuts..oh my!

I know my candy loving peeps will get the fascination I had/have with these sweet candy covered fruity orbs!

I made these to celebrate -as of today- 9 years of creating sweets treats here at Sugartown Sweets! Yay! 🥳

So c'mon! Let's make some! 

Y'all!

First, you will need some caramel apples, and I can help you with that!

If you were here last week, you know we made some yummy ones. I used my own homemade caramel, so if you'd like to try my recipe, click here. You can also use store bought caramels and melt them down with a little cream to dip your apples in.

Next, you will need a boatload of candy which you may very well have on hand given the fact that trick-or-treaters could be knocking on your door as you're reading this post!

 

For my chocolate coating, I used three 10 ounce bags of Ghirardelli milk chocolate wafers. I only made a total of 6 apples and had plenty of chocolate left over that I used to cover my homemade caramel candies.

I wanted to be sure my container had enough melted chocolate to easily dip and cover each apple.

I'm looking at these now and I'm thinking some chocolate coated nuts would be a fun and crunchy addition to our loaded caramel apples!

I'm so happy you stopped by today! Leaving me a comment letting me know if you are making caramel apples this fall season makes me smile!

John 3:16

'til we sweet again, Karen 💗

Caramel Apples

 

My grandson called me the other day and wanted to know why he couldn't find my caramel apple recipe on the blog! Well I was flabbbergasted as I realized that I had never posted it! And seeing how we are already a third of the way through fall,  I thought now is the perfect time. Thanks, Isaac! 

There are tons of beautiful caramel apples on the web. Today I am sharing with you how I make mine! 

Five simple ingredients of, butter, brown sugar, corn syrup, sweetened condensed milk, and vanilla are all you need to cook up this sweet confectionery treat.

I couldn't believe my luck at finding a pack of these adorable treat sticks in my sugar supplies. You can always use candy apple sticks or popsicle sticks as well.

After thoroughly washing and drying apples, insert sticks. I use a dab of dish soap to wash my apples and I also wash my tomatoes and citrus fruits this way and have for many years. 

Now let's make some caramel! Melt butter over low heat. Stir in corn syrup and then condensed milk.

Attach candy thermometer and crank up the heat to medium, stirring candy mixture constantly.

Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Set aside to cool 15 to 20 minutes so the caramel won't slide right off the apples!

You can do a dip test to see if the caramel has thickened up enough to adhere to apple.

Yep! It's just right. Dip and then place on parchment lined pan.

If you look closely at the core, you can see the juice sizzle a tiny bit as you dip the apples!

Oh yum!! We did it! 🍏

Y'all! Ain't these perty?!

It's time to dig in and enjoy!

Caramel Apples

12 medium Granny Smith apples

Caramel Recipe

2 sticks (1 cup) butter

2 1/4 cups brown sugar, firmly packed

1 cup light corn syrup

1 14 ounce can sweetened condensed milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

In a heavy saucepan, melt butter over low heat. Stir in brown sugar, then add corn syrup and condensed milk, mixing well.

Clip on your candy thermometer while making sure the tip does not touch bottom of pan. 

Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until temperature reaches 246 degrees F. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.

Set aside for 15-20 minutes to cool slightly.

While caramel is cooling, wash apples and dry thoroughly. I use a dab of dish soap to wash mine.

Insert sticks into apples.

Line a pan with parchment paper.

By now, caramel should be ready for dipping. Test an apple to see if caramel adheres without sliding off. 

Dip apples and place on parchment paper.

I made 6 caramel apples and poured up the other half so my sweet hubby could have his favorite caramels! 😋

Happy Fall Y'all!

John 3:16

'til we sweet again, Karen! 💗

Zingers Pumpkin Patch

Today's post is a super quick and easy way to make your own edible pumpkin patch!

We are so looking forward to our family fun day at Burt's Pumpkin Patch!

But until we get there, we'll just have fun with this one here! 

I used: Zingers, candy pumpkins, candy eyes, chocolate wafer melts, and leaves sprinkles.

Using a toothpick dabbed in melted chocolate, attach candy eyes to pumpkins.

 I wanted to make a little pumpkin patch sign and I just happened to have miniature hershey bars and Pocky Sticks on hand. I attached a partial candy stick to the candy bar with melted chocolate. I then attached a halved pumpkin and leaves. 😀

Now let's attach the pumpkins atop the Zingers with a little more melted chocolate and sprinkle on some leaves...sprinkles! 

Now go display your creation or just go ahead and eat some!

Hope you all are enjoying this beautiful fall season!

'til we sweet again, Karen 💗

John 3:16

Twix Candy Bar Pumpkin Patch!

Oh how I love a pumpkin patch, but how much more do I love a candy pumpkin patch! These little cuties will be our sweet snack after we wade through the fields choosing our 2020 orange gourd at the real pumpkin patch this fall season! 

And fortunately for us these ones are super easy and fun to make and even more super easy and fun to eat!

Since you're already here and all, check out one of my favorite pumpkin treats that I have made using yummy Kit Kat bars!

 

But for now let's grab a few things and make these today!

To make these treats you will need,

mellowcreme candy pumpkins,

fall leaves sprinkles, candy eyes, Oreos, snack size Kit Kat bars, chocolate wafers, and a dab of corn syrup.

Excuse us please! We can see you!

Ok, ok, just dab a smidge of corn syrup onto our pumpkin faces and attach our eyes.

"I always feel like, somebody's watching me."🎜🎝

To make our sweet "dirt", I used my tart shaper and salsa bowl because I only needed a small amount and this was quicker than smashing them in a plastic baggie.

Just place a couple of Oreos-with the middles scraped off-into a bowl and smush with the tart shaper.

Now all we do is melt the chocolate wafers, spread a little on the candy bar, add the leaves and dirt, and place the pumpkins on top!

"We're the 3 Musketeers!"

"No, Gourdo, that's the wrong candy bar!"

Y'all it's been fun today and now it's time to go!

'til we sweet again, Karen 💗

John 3:16

Riffing on Texas Governor's Mansion Cowboy Cookies

So 20 years ago while America was in the midst of a presidential race, Family Circle magazine held a cookie bake-off between the candidates' wives.

Tipper Gore entered the 2000 contest with her Ginger Snaps, and Laura Bush with her Texas Governor's Mansion Cowboy Cookies. Laura Bush won! And so did George W. Bush!

Years later after his re-election, these cookies were served at one of the inaugural balls! 

I made them for the first time back in April when "Quarantine 2020" was still kinda new. I was recovering from a broken toe surgery and actually enjoying spending a little more time in the kitchen. I found her recipe and changed it up a tiny bit by subbing out some of the oats and chocolate chips for M&M's. Oh Y'ALL!

These cookies are comfort food at its best and

they are the B0MB!! 

So many yummy goodies in these soft and chewy cookies!

I nearly always have some kind of frozen cookie dough balls ready to bake up some fresh cookies when the urge strikes!

These are ready to bake or freeze.

Hmmm..think I'll bake! 😊

 These are big cookies and you're going to love every single bite!

Cowboy Comfort Cookies Recipe

Adapted from Laura Bush

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 tablespoon baking soda

1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon salt

3 sticks (1 1/2 cups) butter @ room temperature

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

1 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar

3 eggs

1 tablespoon vanilla

2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

1 1/2 cups M&M's

2 1/2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats

2 cups sweetened coconut flakes

2 cups pecans 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt in a bowl.

In large bowl of electric mixer, (i use every bit of my 6 quart bowl) beat butter on medium speed until creamy and smooth.

Gradually beat in sugars until thoroughly combined.

Add in eggs one at a time with vanilla, mixing after each.

Stir in flour just till combined.

Now for the fun add ins! So..add in the chocolate chips, M&M's, oats, coconut and pecans!

Using a large (3 tablespoon) ice cream scoop, scoop and place onto parchment lined baking pan.

I only bake 6 at a time on a half baking sheet with the cookies being spaced about 3 inches apart. Otherwise they may run together.

Bake at 350 degrees for 16 minutes or just till edges are lightly browned and centers look slightly underbaked.

They will be delicious even if they're a tad overbaked. Yep!

This recipe makes 46-48 cookies.

For future fresh baked cookies, I scoop the remaining batch of cookie dough and freeze until solid.

I then place frozen dough balls in freezer containers with parchment paper separating layers. When I want a few fresh baked cookies, I thaw for about 15-20 minutes and bake!

You can also bake from frozen by just adding 2-3 minutes to baking time.

Frozen cookie dough will keep in freezer 4-6 weeks.

Yum and Enjoy!  

'til we sweet again, Karen 💗

Christmas in July Circus Peanuts Reindeer!

 Hmm..what to make on National Milk Chocolate Day when it's also Christmas in July?

Well, how about a reindeer that's been dipped in milk chocolate with chocolate dipped antler pretzels!

I'm a certified circus peanuts NUT!

But I have to say I've never even thought about dipping them in chocolate..'til today!

And I do think these turned out to be quite the Christmas cuties! 

If you wanna make some too, you'll need:

Circus peanuts-chocolate dipped pretzels-candy eyes-m&ms-dipping chocolate-lollipop sticks

 Press lollipop sticks into candy peanuts and cut pretzels in half.

Using a lollipop stick, I made indentions in the top on both sides of the peanuts.

I placed all candy pieces on parchment paper..

 ..dipped the circus peanut in chocolate and placed on the parchment paper.

Attach all candy pieces and let set.

Wishing you all a 

Merry Christmas in July!

'til we sweet again, Karen💗