Home > Desserts > Caramel Apple Bites Caramel Apple Bites September 14, 2023 | 2 Comments SAVE TO RECIPE BOX Jump to Recipe This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy. Caramel Apple Bites are a sweet and salty combo of tart green apples and melty caramel chocolate on a crunchy pretzel. Simple, but seriously tasty — it’s a no-fuss flavor-packed snack. Caramel Apple Bites My middle kiddo has a soft spot for caramel apples. During our summer trip to Disneyland, he picked out a caramel apple as his treat of choice every single day. Inspired by his unwavering love for this dessert, I decided to create these Caramel Apple Bites. Let’s just say, they became an instant favorite not only for him but for the whole family! These treats are a delicious mix of sweet and salty, combining the creaminess of caramel-filled Rolos® candies with the crunch of pretzels and the crispness of Granny Smith apples. The best part? They’re a breeze to make – quick assembly and just a few minutes in the oven. Voilà, caramel apple perfection in every bite! Caramel Apple Bites Ingredients Pretzel snaps or twists: Use fresh pretzels; stale ones will affect the overall texture and flavor. Either shape works great for this recipe! Green apple: Choose firm apples, as they’ll provide a crisp contrast to the soft caramel and chocolate candies. Granny Smith is an ideal variety for its tartness which nicely balances the sweetness of this treat. Rolos: Always use fresh Rolos. Aged candies might crumble in the oven’s heat. For the best melt-in-your-mouth texture and rich flavor, you’ll want those Rolos at their freshest peak. (Rolos are a trademarked chocolate-covered caramel produced by the Hershey Company.) Keeping Apples Fresh in Caramel Apple Bites Worried about those apple pieces in your Caramel Apple Bites turning dreary brown? Well, here’s the secret: It’s all in a salted water soak. Let’s clear the air – no, the apples won’t end up tasting like salt — I promise! Here’s the tried-and-true method: Mix water and salt: Into every cup of room-temperature tap water, dissolve ½ teaspoon of fine sea salt. Soak: Immerse those freshly diced apples into the salted water and let them sit for about 5 minutes. Rinse them right: Post-soak, drain those pieces and give them a thorough rinse under tap water. This ensures all the salt is washed away, leaving you with just fresh, untarnished apple pieces. With this salt soak, the apple pieces in your Caramel Apple Bites will remain as fresh and vibrant as ever! Tips for Making Apple and Rolo Pretzel Bites: Apple size: Keep the apple pieces consistent in size. This not only helps with uniformity for the look but ensures the Caramel Apple Bites have a balanced profile. Oven watch: Chocolate can go from perfectly soft to burnt in a matter of seconds. Stay close to the oven during the baking process. Immediate assembly: Work quickly after the pretzels come out of the oven. The Rolos need to be soft to anchor the apple pieces properly. Add salt: If you’re a fan of the sweet-salty combo, sprinkle a tiny pinch of sea salt on top of the Rolos right after pressing the apple piece on. Alternate toppings: Feel adventurous? Try adding other toppings like chopped nuts or coconut shavings to the Caramel Apple Bites for an additional layer of flavor and texture. Whatever extras you choose, add them after taking the tray out of the oven. STORAGE For the best experience, enjoy these bites the day you make them. Fortunately, with the salted water soak, the apple pieces retain their freshness and color even after a day, but once assembled, the treat as a whole will soften and deteriorate. Store any leftover apple pieces in the fridge, and you’ll find them still looking and tasting fresh the following day. You can make more Caramel Apple Bites the next day with the stored apples. More Apple Treats Caramel Apple Bar with our favorite dipping sauces and toppings Apple Bread Recipe with a sugared topping Healthy Apple Cake made without flour or refined sugar Apple Pie our favorite apple pie recipe with a hint of caramel flavor Apple Nachos with lots of variation ideas FOLLOW ALONG! Subscribe to my newsletter and follow along on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram for the latest updates, recipes and content. Caramel Apple Bites 5 from 1 vote - Review this recipe Caramel Apple Bites are a sweet and salty combo of tart green apples and melty caramel chocolate on a crunchy pretzel. Simple, but seriously tasty -- it's a no-fuss flavor-packed snack. SAVE TO RECIPE BOX Print Recipe Caramel Apple Bites 5 from 1 vote - Review this recipe SAVE TO RECIPE BOX Print Recipe Caramel Apple Bites are a sweet and salty combo of tart green apples and melty caramel chocolate on a crunchy pretzel. Simple, but seriously tasty -- it's a no-fuss flavor-packed snack. Course Dessert Cuisine American, Vegetarian Keyword Caramel Apple Bites Prep Time 10 minutes minutes Cook Time 2 minutes minutes Setting Time 45 minutes minutes Total Time 57 minutes minutes Servings 20 Caramel Apple Bites Chelsea Lords Calories 56kcal Author Chelsea Lords Cost $4.12 Ingredients▢ Water, plus fine sea salt▢ 1 Granny Smith apple▢ 20 Rolos unwrapped▢ 20 pretzel snaps or twists InstructionsPREP: Preheat oven to 250 degrees F (120 degrees C). Line a sheet pan with raised edges using either a silicone liner or parchment paper. Lining is essential to prevent sticking.PREP APPLES: Keep the peel on the apple. Slice it into small, bite-sized chunks. In a medium-sized bowl, mix together 1 cup of room-temperature tap water with ½ teaspoon of salt. (Maintain this ratio if you're preparing more than one apple). Soak the apple pieces in this salted water for about 5 minutes. After soaking, drain the apple chunks using a colander and rinse them well under cold tap water. After rinsing, shake off any extra water and pat them dry with a paper towel or a clean kitchen towel.BAKE: Arrange the pretzels in a single layer on the prepared sheet pan. Place one unwrapped Rolo chocolate on top of each pretzel. Place the pan in the oven and bake for approximately 2-4 minutes, or until the Rolos are soft but not entirely melted. ADD APPLES: As soon as you remove the pretzels from the oven, press a piece of dried apple onto the top of each soft Rolo chocolate.SETTING: Allow the pretzel bites to set at room temperature for roughly 45 minutes or until the Rolos have hardened and you can easily lift each candy off the tray. If you're in a hurry, place them in the fridge to speed up the hardening process. I recommend enjoying these treats within a few hours of preparing for the best taste and texture. Video Recipe NotesNote: Baking: It's essential to monitor the chocolate during baking. If it crumbles, it indicates the oven temperature was too high, or they baked too long. Conversely, if the apple pieces don't press into the chocolate smoothly, it means the oven was not hot enough or the chocolates weren't baked long enough. It might be helpful to bake a single Rolo-topped pretzel initially to gauge the ideal baking time for your oven. Once you've done this trial bake, you can adjust the baking time accordingly for the rest. Avoid using the convection setting on your oven. Nutrition FactsCalories: 56kcal | Carbohydrates: 10g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 1mg | Sodium: 86mg | Potassium: 34mg | Fiber: 0.5g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 12IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 11mg | Iron: 0.3mg We do our best to provide accurate nutritional analysis for our recipes. Our nutritional data is calculated using a third-party algorithm and may vary, based on individual cooking styles, measurements, and ingredient sizes. Please use this information for comparison purposes and consult a health professional for nutrition guidance as needed. DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE? I love hearing from you when you've made one of my recipes! Tag me on Instagram at @ChelseasMessyApron or leave me a comment below.
I love this idea! I will try this with leftover Rolos or PB cups from Halloween. Do you think small homemade truffes would work, too? I mean, if they aren’t prone to melting. Reply
Hmm I’m not sure truffles would work, I think they might just melt, but if you give it a try let me know! Thanks so much Stephanie! 🙂 Reply
