Honey Caramel Apples

Caramel apples are one of the best parts of fall, and swapping some of the sugar for honey gives them a warm, rounded sweetness. Vermont orchards are full of apples right now, so it's the perfect time to give them a try.

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What you'll need

For the caramel

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
• 1/2 cup CVA liquid honey
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the apples

• 5 to 6 medium apples (tart, crisp varieties like Honeycrisp or Granny Smith hold up well)
• Wooden sticks or sturdy skewers
• Parchment paper, lightly buttered
• A candy thermometer

For the spooky decorations (optional, pick your favorites)

• White chocolate and/or dark chocolate, melted
• Candy eyeballs
• Shredded coconut
• Orange and black sprinkles
• Chopped nuts or flaky salt

Before you start
Wash and thoroughly dry your apples. If you are using store-bought apples, they often have a waxy coating, so rinse them in hot water and dry them well. Caramel slides right off a slick or damp apple. Push a stick into the stem end of each one, then chill them in the fridge while you make the caramel. Cold apples help the caramel set faster.

Make the caramel

1. Melt the butter in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat.
2. Stir in the honey, brown sugar, cream, and salt.
3. Bring to a gentle boil, stirring often, and clip on your candy thermometer.
4. Keep cooking and stirring until the caramel reaches 245°F, which is the firm ball stage.
5. Take the pot off the heat and stir in the vanilla.
6. Let it cool for a minute or two, until it thickens slightly but is still pourable.

Dip the apples
Hold an apple by the stick and dip it into the caramel, turning it to coat all sides. Lift it out and let the extra drip back into the pot, then scrape the bottom gently against the rim. Set it on the buttered parchment. Let the apples sit until the caramel firms up, about 30 minutes, or pop them in the fridge to speed it along.

Spooky ways to decorate

• Spiderweb apples: Drizzle dark chocolate in a spiral across the top of a set apple. Drag a toothpick from the center out to the edge, again and again, to pull the lines into a web. Add a candy spider if you have one.
• Mummy apples: Drizzle melted white chocolate back and forth across the apple in loose strips, leaving a gap near the top. Alternatively, cover the apple in shredded coconut. Press two candy eyeballs into the gap.
• Monster apples: Press on candy eyeballs and cover the rest with orange and black sprinkles. Mismatched eyes make them even better.

A few tips

• Hot caramel is very hot, so keep kids at a safe distance during the cooking.
• Liquid honey works well here, since the caramel gets cooked anyway.
• Store finished apples in the fridge and bring them out a few minutes before eating so the caramel softens a bit.