Old-Fashioned Apple Cider Caramels
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Transport yourself to a simpler time with these Old-Fashioned Apple Cider Caramels. Packed with the flavors of fall, these soft and chewy caramels are made with fresh apple cider, bringing a cozy sweetness that’s perfect for the season.
Why You’ll Love These Apple Cider Caramels:
These caramels are a beautiful balance of tart apple cider and buttery caramel, giving you a homemade candy that feels timeless. Whether you’re making them for Halloween, fall gatherings, or as a special treat, they’re a delicious throwback to old-fashioned candy making.
Gathering Ingredients:
Apple Cider. You will be making apple cider reduction, so you need about 2 cups (480 ml) apple cider for this recipe.
Butter. I like to use salted butter.
Sugars. You will need granulated and light brown sugar for this recipe.
Heavy Cream.
Cinnamon.
Flaky Sea Salt. If you do not have flaky sea salt, you can use kosher salt in its place. This is my favorite brand of flaky sea salt!
How to make Apple Cider Caramels:
Step One: Begin by making an apple cider reduction. Place the apple cider into a medium saucepan and bring it to a boil. Reduce the heat slightly and continue to boil the cider, stirring occasionally to prevent scorching, until it is reduced to about 1/4 cup (60 ml) of dark amber syrup, about 30 minutes. Remove the pan from heat.
Step Two: While the apple cider is reducing, line a 9 x 5-inch (23 x 13-cm) loaf pan with parchment paper and set this aside for now.
Step Three: Add the apple cider reduction to a large saucepan along with the butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and cream. Place the pan over medium-high heat and bring the mixture to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Once the sugars have dissolved, continue to stir and cook the caramel until it reaches 250° F (122° C) on a candy thermometer.
Step Four: Remove the pan from heat and whisk in the cinnamon and flaky sea salt. Pour the hot caramel into the prepared loaf pan. You can leave the caramel to set and rest on the counter, which takes a few hours. Otherwise, you can place the pan into the refrigerator for about 1 hour to firm up.
Step Five: Once firm, lift the caramels out of the loaf pan with the parchment paper. Sprinkle the top of the caramel with more flaky sea salt, if desired. Peel away the parchment and cut the caramels into 2-inch (5-cm) pieces. Then, wrap each caramel in a piece of parchment paper, about 6 x 6-inches (15 x 15-cm) big.
Final Thoughts:
Crafting these Old-Fashioned Apple Cider Caramels will transport you to a cozy autumn day, filled with the warm aromas of apples and cinnamon. Their soft, chewy texture and rich apple flavor make them an irresistible fall treat. Whether you gift them to loved ones or save them for a personal indulgence, these caramels are sure to become a seasonal favorite. Be sure to make a batch and enjoy them with a mug of hot cider for the ultimate autumn experience!
xoxo Kayla
Old-Fashioned Apple Cider Caramels
Ingredients
- 2 cups (480 ml) apple cider
- 4 tbsp (58 g) salted butter
- 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup (100 g) light brown sugar, packed
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) heavy cream
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp flaky sea salt, plus more for topping
Instructions
- Begin by making an apple cider reduction. Place the apple cider into a medium saucepan and bring it to a boil. Reduce the heat slightly and continue to boil the cider, stirring occasionally to prevent scorching, until it is reduced to about 1/4 cup (60 ml) of dark amber syrup, about 30 minutes. Remove the pan from heat.
- While the apple cider is reducing, line a 9 x 5-inch (23 x 13-cm) loaf pan with parchment paper and set this aside for now.
- Add the apple cider reduction to a large saucepan along with the butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and cream. Place the pan over medium-high heat and bring the mixture to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Once the sugars have dissolved, continue to stir and cook the caramel until it reaches 250° F (122° C) on a candy thermometer.
- Remove the pan from heat and whisk in the cinnamon and flaky sea salt.
- Pour the hot caramel into the prepared loaf pan. You can leave the caramel to set and rest on the counter, which takes a few hours. Otherwise, you can place the pan into the refrigerator for about 1 hour to firm up.
- Once firm, lift the caramels out of the loaf pan with the parchment paper. Sprinkle the top of the caramel with more flaky sea salt, if desired. Peel away the parchment and cut the caramels into 2-inch (5-cm) pieces. Then, wrap each caramel in a piece of parchment paper, about 6 x 6-inches (15 x 15-cm) big.
- The caramels will keep at room temperature for several weeks.
Nutrition Facts
Calories
93Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
