This easy homemade Caramel Dip is smooth, silky, and perfectly sweet. It’s a fall favorite that pairs perfectly with tart and crisp fresh apple slices.
If you’re looking an apple dipping sauce, caramel dip is the perfect choice. Whether serving it as an after-school snack or as a dessert at your next party, it will surely be a crowd-pleaser. And if you’re looking for more caramel recipes, be sure to try all our Best Caramel Recipes.
Caramel Dip for Apples
Caramel and apples are truly a match made in heaven, and this caramel dipping sauce is here to prove it. The sweet, creamy salted caramel pairs perfectly with tart, crisp, refreshing apple slices. While it’s still nice and loose, serve it in a bowl for dipping. Or, check out our complete guide for using it to make Caramel Apples.
Email This Recipe
Get a link to this recipe emailed so you can save it for later + get all the latest Carefree Kitchen recipes!
By submitting this form you consent to receive emails from The Carefree Kitchen
Since this recipe is so stinking easy to make, it’s the perfect party food. It uses just a few simple ingredients that you likely already have in your pantry and is delicious for dipping pretzels, too. Plus, it stores and freezes great, so you won’t need to worry about making too much.
Ingredients You Will Need
- Butter – you can use unsalted or salted butter, depending on how “salted” you want your caramel to be.
- Sugar – beyond adding sweetness, the granulated sugar works to help set the caramel sauce up a bit as it cooks.
- Brown Sugar – I like to add a little light brown sugar for this recipe, too. It adds a delicious depth of flavor.
- Karo Syrup – this is sometimes called corn syrup. It’s added in order to keep the sauce from getting grainy.
- Sweetened Condensed Milk – be sure you purchased sweetened condensed and not evaporated milk! This will help keep the dipping sauce nice and creamy.
- Salt – sea salt or kosher salt works great.
Recipe Variations and Tips
This caramel sauce is by no means a one-trick pony! You can use Caramel Sauce for Apples Recipe for all sorts of other things besides apples. Some ideas include:
- Adding to hot coffee or hot chocolate
- Serving with your favorite pie, cheesecake or cake
- Stirring into Homemade Whipped Cream
- Drizzling over ice cream
- Dipping other fruits like pears and bananas
- Using as a topping for pancakes or waffles
How to Make Caramel Dip
- Melt ingredients together. In a heavy bottomed medium saucepan over medium heat, add the butter, sugar, brown sugar, Karo syrup, sweetened condensed milk and salt. Cook over medium heat, stirring with a flat bottomed wooden spoon or a rubber spatula. Be sure and scrape the bottom of the pan constantly until all of the sugar is dissolved and the butter is melted.
- Cook to 225 degrees F. Increase to high heat and cook the caramel mixture, stirring constantly, until it reaches 225 degrees F on a candy thermometer.
- Remove from heat and cool. Once it reaches 225 degrees, remove from the heat immediately to stop the cooking. Allow it to cool for at least 20 minutes before serving. Or, cool completely and then store.
- Store or serve. Pour the caramel into a serving dish, or a jar for storing. Serve with sliced apples and enjoy!
Frequently Asked Questions
Caramel Sauce for dipping apples will thicken as it cools. In order to get it back to it’s silky smooth self, you can either microwave it for about 20-30 seconds at a time, stirring in between, or reheat gently in a saucepot with a couple tablespoons of heavy cream. The goal isn’t to get the dip hot but rather to loosen it up so that it’s a good consistency for dipping.
Yes – in order to make sure the sugars caramelize correctly, you’ll need to use a candy thermometer. Cooking to the correct temperature also ensures that the appropriate amount of water evaporates and helps make sure that the caramel doesn’t burn.
As long as it is stored in an airtight container, your caramel dip should last in the fridge for up to 1 month or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Storing and Reheating Instructions
- Refrigerator: store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 month.
- Freezer: store Caramel Dip for Apples in freezer bags, or an airtight container, in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight.
- To reheat: add the Caramel Dip for Apples into a saucepan, add a couple of tablespoons of heavy cream, and warm over medium heat. Stir and heat until the caramel is smooth and warmed through.
Caramel Apple Dip Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup light brown sugar
- 1 cup karo syrup
- 1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
- 1 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- In a heavy bottomed sauce pot over medium heat, add the butter, sugar, brown sugar, Karo syrup, sweetened condensed milk, and salt.
- Cook over medium heat, stirring with a flat bottomed wooden spoon or a rubber spatula. Be sure and scrape the bottom of the pan constantly until all of the sugar is dissolved and the butter is melted.
- Increase to high heat and cook the caramel mixture, stirring constantly, until it reaches 225 degrees F on a candy thermometer.
- Once it reaches 225 degrees, remove from the heat immediately to stop the cooking. Allow it to cool for at least 20 minutes before serving.
- Pour the caramel into a serving dish and serve with sliced apples. Enjoy!
Notes
- Storing instructions: store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 month.
- Freezing: to freeze, transfer to freezer bags, or an airtight container, and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight.
- To reheat: transfer the caramel dip to a saucepan, add a couple of tablespoons of heavy cream, and warm over medium heat. Stir and heat until the caramel is smooth and warmed through.
Nutrition
Did you make this?
Don’t forget to leave a rating below and make sure to follow on Pinterest, Instagram and Tiktok for more!
More Caramel Recipes
- Homemade Caramel Candy
- Caramel Popcorn
- Caramel Apple Cinnamon Rolls
- How to Melt Caramels
- Caramel Apple Crisp with Crunchy Oat Topping
- Chocolate Covered Caramel
- Homemade Caramel Apples
- More Fall Recipes
- More Dessert Recipes
This sweet, creamy, salted dipping caramel is super quick and easy to make. It’s the perfect caramel for dipping apples, making caramel apples, or even eating with a spoon.
