Apple Pie Caramel Apples (Disneyland Copycat Recipe)

Delicious apple pie caramel apples that combine the flavors of caramel apples with the flavors of apple pie all in one delicious fall treat. Then add Mickey marshmallow ears if you want to turn this into one of the best Disneyland treats or leave it plain for a fall dessert everyone will love.

I’ll be honest, I’m not the biggest fan of Disneyland caramel apples. I know they’re on a lot of people’s favorite Disneyland food list, but not mine.

That was until I tried the apple pie caramel apple at Disneyland Halloween time last year. I normally don’t love white chocolate (I’m more a speciality apples covered with chocolate and nuts from Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory) kind of girl) but this one looked so unique, I had to try it.

It was amazing. I brought a couple home to my family and they were gone in minutes. I still don’t love the normal Disneyland caramel apples, but this apple pie version is one I could eat all day long.

And this year I might grab some when we go to Oogie Boogie Bash and give them out with these candy apple favors for teachers! There’s a reason I always add large zipper top bags to my Disney packing list!

In case you can’t make it to Disneyland, we also saw these at Walt Disney World when we were checking out Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween party this year!

In case you’ve never tried them – a classic flavor combination mixed with a hint of Disney magic makes these apple pie caramel apples a must-try recipe and not just because they’re a Disney copycat recipe. They are perfect for a fun fall party, a movie night, or a Disney-themed birthday party. You really can’t go wrong with these Disney caramel apples. 

Plus, these gourmet caramel apples are not only really cute to look at but seriously delicious. Tart green apples are coated in gooey caramel, topped by a layer of melted white chocolate that’s rolled in graham cracker crumbs and sprinkled with a cinnamon sugar mixture. It’s like a traditional apple pie on a stick!

It’s sweet with just the right amount of tart to keep it balanced and have you wanting to eat the whole thing in one sitting. Slice it up and share if you can! If you’re only going to try one type of speciality caramel apples this year, try these ones!

There are lots of yummy treats at the Disney Parks but these are one of my favorites, along with the Num Num cookies and churro toffee of course.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Easy to make – simple steps that are foolproof and perfect for the whole family to do together without having to compromise on flavor. And unlike other caramel apples that require tons of different caramel apple toppings, you just need a few things for these apples!
• Shareable – serve whole or cut up on a platter for easy sharing! Just don’t cut them too far in advance or the insides of the apple will brown.
• Makes a great party favor – wrap them up individually and gift them as a party favor that everyone will love. They’d be a perfect addition to any of these apple party ideas!

Ingredients

Ingredient Notes

• Apples – I like to use Granny Smith apples but you can use your favorite tart apples instead. 
• Popsicle stick – you can also use wooden skewers or lollipop sticks. I just like popsicle sticks because they are a little sturdier than lollipop sticks.
• Soft caramels – any brand will work. You can also use a homemade caramel recipe if you want. This recipe will work as long as you use a smooth creamy caramel that is thick enough to coat and sets into a chewy caramel when dried, a caramel sauce won’t work for this. 
• Graham crackers ​- I recommend the cinnamon graham cracks but you can use honey as well.
• White chocolate melts – Ghirardelli melting wafers are the best in my opinion but you can use white chocolate chips, almond bark, vanilla candy coating, or white chocolate candy melts to get similar results. 
• Marshmallows – these will be coated in chocolate so you can use flavored ones if you prefer. Make sure to go with the regular size ones, not mini or jumbo, so they look like Mickey Mouse ears. Also, these are completely optional – if you’re not going the Disney copycat route, you can skip these.

How to Make Apple Pie Caramel Apples

This recipe is really as simple as melt, dip, and roll. Keep reading for detailed instructions, expert tips, a printable recipe card, and step- by-step pictures to ensure you end up with amazing apples. But even if they don’t look perfect, I can guarantee they’re still taste great!

1 – Coat the Apples in Caramel

Wash the Granny smith apples with warm water, then dry them completely. If they’re not completely dry, the caramel won’t stick like it should.

Poke a popsicle stick or caramel apple stick into each apple core where the stem is. 

Add wax or parchment paper to a baking pan and spray with non stick cooking spray just to make sure the caramel doesn’t stick.

In a microwave safe bowl, add the caramels and water. Melt the caramel in 30 second increments until the caramel is melted and smooth, taking it out to stir after every increment.

Dip the apples completely into the melted caramel. Use a spoon if you need to, to cover the whole apple. You can use a knife or spoon to get off any excess caramel on the bottom of the apple when you take it out.

Place the dipped caramel apple onto the parchment paper. Repeat with all of the apples you’ll be dipping.

If you’re adding Mickey ears, add two marshmallows on top of the apple to make them look like Mickey ears before the caramel hardens completely. If you’re not adding marshmallow ears, you can skip this step!

Place the entire baking sheet with all of your apples in the refrigerator for about an hour to let the caramel set completely.

2 – Add White Chocolate Coating

While the caramel apples are cooling, make the cinnamon sugar by combining the cinnamon and sugar together in a small bowl.

A few minute before removing the caramel apples from the fridge, crush graham crackers in a food processor. Make sure there are no large crumbs in the mixture – you want this to be actual crumbs for coating the white chocolate.

Remove the apples from the fridge. Cut off extra caramel that may have puddled at the bottom of the apple with a sharp knife.

Melt the chocolate melts in the microwave in a microwave safe bowl in 30 second increments until completely melted and smooth, making sure to stir in between each 30 seconds.

Dip the caramel apples (including the marshmallows) into the chocolate. Use a spoon to help cover the entire apple with chocolate if you need to. You want everything to be completely coated in white chocolate.

Shake and swirl the apple to get off any extra chocolate and put the apple back onto the wax paper lined baking sheet.

3 – Decorate And Serve the Apples

Shake a little cinnamon sugar mixture on the top of the apple, making sure to coat the top of the apple and the ears.

Let the chocolate sit for a minute to allow it to set slightly then roll the base of the apple into the graham cracker crumbs. If you do this too quickly and the chocolate isn’t set at all yet, the chocolate will just combine with the graham crackers into an absolute mess.

​Repeat for all of the apples.

Allow the chocolate to set completely. You can either do this at room temperature if your house isn’t too warm or put them back in the refrigerator until the chocolate is completely set. If you’re using the Ghirardelli melting wafers, this shouldn’t take more than 10-15 minutes max.

​Wrap the apple pie caramel apples up individually to save for later or slice the apples up and enjoy right away. Or you can do both – enjoy one now and save the others for later!

Expert Tips And Storage Info

Use liquid measuring cups to dip apples or a cup that is wide with tall sides so you can avoid having to use a spoon to fully coat apple. 

If you are serving apples already sliced, you can lightly rub the slices with lemon juice to avoid browning. 

Store uncut apples in an airtight container or wrapped in plastic wrap in the fridge for up to two days. Best served at room temperature. 

Make sure you are ready to complete a full step in the process (dipping the apples, coating the apples in chocolate, etc.) before you start. I know interruptions often happen in our lives but if you get interrupted in the middle of say dipping the apples in white chocolate, you won’t be able to add the graham cracker crumbs.

Reheat the caramel or white chocolate in the microwave in the exact same way you originally heated it if the caramel or chocolate hardens too much to dip. This can happen if you take a break in the middle of the process – just reheat and start again!

Store cut apples in an airtight container ​rubbed with lemon juice for a day before it gets too brown. 

Recipe FAQs

More Easy Apple Recipes

If you love apples as much as I do, you’ll love these other delicious apple recipes!

• Apple pie cups – this two-ingredient recipe is quick and delicious!
• Apple caramel dump cake – all the flavors you love from caramel apples in a simple dump cake recipe!
• Caramel apple dip – forget making caramel apples and dip apples into this caramel apple dip instead!
• Caramel apple bark – another simple way to get the flavors of caramel apples without having to do any dipping!
• Caramel apple drink – a great way to wash all the caramel apples down!

More Disney Copycat Recipes

If you’re here because you love Disney parks as much as I do, then make sure to try out these copycat versions of some of our favorite Disney snacks!

• Pumpkin pie rice krispies – one of my favorite Disneyland Halloween treats!
• Grey Stuff recipe – try it, it’s delicious! Don’t believe me? Ask the dishes!
• Thanksgiving punch – a copycat version of the punch they serve at the Oogie Boogie dessert party!
• Mickey Mouse cake pops – cake pops that use the same marshmallow ears to give a fun Mickey shape!