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    Home » Dessert » Frozen Treats & No-Bake Desserts

    Apple Slices with Caramel (71 cents/serving)

    Published: Dec 11, 2021 by Jessica Fisher

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    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. For more details, please see our disclosure policy.
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    close up of apple slices with caramel with text overlay.

    Apple Crowns are basically Apple Slices with Caramel, a fun mash-up of caramel apples and ice cream sundaes. They are easier to eat and simple to share, a sweet treat built around nature’s candy.

    Serve Apple Slices with Caramel for a fun New Year’s Eve With Kids or a celebratory Healthy Cheap Snacks for Kids. No matter how you slice an apple, this is a great way to enjoy them!

    overhead shot of apple slices in a round with whipped cream, caramel, nuts, and a cherry on top, all on a rimmed white plate on a black table. this …
    Jump to:
    • Why Make This
    • Ingredients
    • Step-by-Step Instructions
    • FAQs & Recipe Costs
    • Tell us what you think!
    • Apple Slices with Caramel

    Apple Crowns, a simple alternative to caramel apples, are one of the easiest desserts or sweet snacks you can make. Basically apple slices with caramel, they feel a little bit fancy to a kid, almost like an ice cream sundae built on an apple.

    Crisp fall apples, sliced and doused with caramel sauce and topped with whipped cream, nuts, and a cherry are a fabulous snack or dessert to indulge in!

    Why Make This

    It’s easy! Apple slices with caramel are so much easier to make than traditional caramel apples and so much more fun to eat! They are delicious with Maple Whipped Cream.

    Apple slices with caramel are a good cheap eat. Buy your apples on sale and use your favorite caramel sauce to top them with. It’s an easy dessert for less than a dollar per person!

    Everyone loves apple slices with caramel! Talk about an easy dessert to keep as a back-up plan. You’ll be ready for an impromptu, no-bake dessert any day or night!

    Ingredients

    Here’s what you need to serve apple slices with caramel:

    ingredients for apple slices with caramel laid out on black table top.

    apples – Choose your favorite apples, keeping in mind that tart apple slices go best with the sweet caramel. You can also serve pears and bananas as other fruit options.

    caramel sauce – You can use commercial caramel sauce or make your own caramel, depending on how much time you have. Use the leftover caramel on Salted Caramel Affogatos or Sparkling Apple Cider Floats.

    whipped cream – Whipped cream is a must-have on apple slices with caramel. Make your own if you can as it tastes better, holds up longer, and you can control the level of sweetness. I love Maple Whipped Cream to serve with apples.

    nuts – Top your apples slices and caramel with whipped cream and nuts for a more sundae-like experience. Any nuts you have are fine, but chopped pecans and walnuts taste the best. If you’re avoiding nuts for any reason, you can use chopped dried fruit (cranberries, raisins, or apricots) or a favorite seed like sunflower or pepitas.

    maraschino cherries – Caramel apple slices with a cherry on top?! Yes, please. Use jarred maraschino cherries or fresh cherries if they’re in season. Both will be delicious.

    Step-by-Step Instructions

    It’s super easy to assemble apple slices with caramel for a fun dessert!

    • apple cut with green hand-held apple slicer on white cutting board.
    • dipping spoon into jar of caramel and drizzle over apple slices in a crown shape on a white plate.
    • apple slices in crown shape on plate with whipped cream and nuts atop them.
    • cherry placed in center of the mound of whipped cream on the apple slices.
    1. Slice each apple and place the apple slices in a circle on each of four serving dishes. Remember there are lots of ways to slice an apple. You don’t have to have a hand-held slicer.
    2. Drizzle the caramel sauce around the apple slices. Place the whipped cream in the center.
    3. Sprinkle the nuts over all.
    4. Top each with a cherry.

    FAQs & Recipe Costs

    What are the best apples for caramel apples?

    Caramel apples are best with sweet-tart apples to counteract the sweet of the caramel. Granny Smith, Cripps Pink, McIntosh, Jazz, and Piñata are all good options.

    If you can buy a variety of apples at once, it’s really fun to do an apple tasting. They really do vary quite a bit!

    What’s the best way to choose apples?

    Choose firm and unblemished apples. They should smell fresh. Avoid bruised apples or those that have an alcoholic odor.

    What’s the best way to store apples?

    Apples can last for months under proper storage. Store your apples in a cool, dry place, preferably in a fridge drawer all by themselves.

    Recipe Costs

    Knowing how much it costs you to prepare a recipe can help you decide if it’s the type of recipe to make regularly or one you might want to save for special occasions. Let’s crunch some numbers and see how this recipe pencils out.

    • apples – $2.00
    • caramel sauce – $0.15
    • whipped cream – $0.25
    • nuts – $0.15
    • maraschino cherries – $0.28

    While your costs may vary depending on where and how you shop, you can expect to pay about $0.71/serving for apple slices with caramel.

    To make this recipe more economical:

    Stock up on ingredients when they are on sale. Fall is your best time to find best selection, freshness, and price on apples, though it’s true you can buy apples all year-round. My target price on apples is $1/pound, though I will go as high as $1.50 if they are organic. Watch for sales and stock up.

    However, you can watch for sales year-round for things like caramel sauce, nuts, and maraschino cherries. Stock up when you see a sale and store those items for when you want apple slices with caramel.

    Tell us what you think!

    We love to hear your experiences with Good Cheap Eats. Click the STARS on the recipe card or leave a STARRED comment to let us know what you think of the recipe.

    overhead shot of apple slices and caramel with whipped cream, nuts, and a cherry on a white plate.
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    5 from 2 votes

    Apple Slices with Caramel

    Apple slices with caramel are a fun and healthier alternative to traditional caramel apples. Serve them for a fun, no-bake dessert for the whole family.
    Prep Time15 mins
    Total Time15 mins
    Course: Dessert, Snack
    Cuisine: American
    Diet: Gluten Free, Vegetarian
    Servings: 4
    Calories: 171kcal
    Author: Jessica Fisher
    Cost: $2.81
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Equipment

    • apple slicer
    • whipped cream dispenser
    • spoon

    Ingredients

    • 4 apple cored and sliced
    • ¼ cup caramel sauce
    • ½ cup maple whipped cream
    • 4 teaspoon chopped nuts optional
    • 4 maraschino cherries
    US Customary – Metric

    Instructions

    • Slice each apple and place the apple slices in a circle on each of four serving dishes. If you use an apple slicer (the kind that cuts it into wedges and removes the core), you can slice it right on the plate, remove the core and proceed.
    • Drizzle the caramel sauce around the apple slices. Place the whipped cream in the center.
    • Sprinkle the nuts over all.
    • Top each with a cherry.

    Notes

    While apples are classic, pears make a nice substitute. Bananas work as well.
    Nut-free options: You can use dried cranberries, raisins or sunflower seeds if you want a nut-free alternative for topping the apple slices. 
     

    Nutrition

    Calories: 171kcal | Carbohydrates: 38g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 6mg | Sodium: 52mg | Potassium: 228mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 22g | Vitamin A: 165IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 31mg | Iron: 1mg
    Tried this Recipe? Tag Me Today!Mention @goodcheapeatsblog or tag #goodcheapeats!

    This post was originally published on September 12, 2013. It has been updated for content and clarity.

    « Sparkling Apple Cider Floats (90 cents/each)
    Peppermint Brownie Bites (12 cents each) »
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    Comments

    1. sona

      November 07, 2020 at 12:26 pm

      I would love to have an apple peeler and bought one from Amazon with hundreds of positive reviews. It peels/slices the first half of the apple then sort of smash/breaks the last half. Any apple peelers out there that finishes the whole apple. Want to make apple butter plus some of your other suggestions. Thanks for any help.

      Reply
      • Jessica Fisher

        December 31, 2020 at 1:29 pm

        Oh bummer. Mine came from Pampered Chef almost 25 years ago. Maybe they don’t make them like they used to? It is a little finicky with the size of the apple. Too big and it won’t work.

        Reply
    2. Brooke Kingston

      September 17, 2020 at 12:57 pm

      5 stars
      We make these every Autumn because of your post. Love this recipe, my kids can’t get enough ??

      Reply
      • Jessica Fisher

        September 17, 2020 at 1:49 pm

        Yay! So glad to hear it’s a fun tradition at your house!

        Reply
    3. Angela

      September 17, 2013 at 8:14 pm

      My friend is giving me apples! Can’t wait to try these!

      Reply
    4. Frances

      September 12, 2013 at 5:52 pm

      Yummy things and so pretty too. Thanks for sharing.

      Reply
    5. Sue R.

      September 12, 2013 at 9:37 am

      Oh, my! I love this idea! We will have these tonight during the Patriots game. I make my own caramel, but the TJ’s one sounds delicious. Thanks for another fabulous idea!

      Reply
    6. Kathy

      September 12, 2013 at 5:17 am

      Good idea. Weight Watchers can use Redi Whip and. Make it very low Points Plus 🙂

      Reply
    7. Annie Kate

      September 12, 2013 at 4:26 am

      We do something similar with apples and coconut peanut butter dip. I won’t show my kids this picture, though, because I think they would prefer this sweeter variety.

      Reply

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