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    Home » Recipes » Marshmallows

    Caramel Apple Marshmallows

    October 4, 2018 by Amee Leave a Comment

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    These Caramel Apple Marshmallows are a must-have, over-the-top fall treat! You're going to love both the taste and their whimsical presentation!

    Caramel Apple Marshmallow on a small piece of parchment paper in a pool of caramel with a red bow attached to the stick.

    This post may contain affiliate links, and as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. I’ll never link to anything I don’t use and love! Click here for full disclosure and privacy policy.

    These Caramel Apple Marshmallows are fluffy apple marshmallows dipped in homemade salted caramel! Drizzle them with chocolate, coat them in chopped peanuts, or enjoy them plain. They're the ultimate fall treat!

    If you enjoy this recipe, check out the posts for my Marshmallow Frosting, Chocolate Marshmallows, and Caramel Cookies!

    Jump to:
    • Ingredients
    • Instructions
    • Equipment
    • Storage
    • Other Recipes You May Like
    • Caramel Apple Marshmallows
    • 💬 Comments
    An apple marshmallow being dipped into a white bowl of salted caramel, with caramel dripping from the marshmallow.
     

    Ingredients

    Here's everything you need to make this recipe! Measurements for each of the ingredients can be found in the recipe card, below.

    Top view of Caramel Apple Marshmallow ingredients on a white background.

    Apple Marshmallow Ingredients

    • Freeze-Dried Apples - For flavor without adding additional moisture. Make sure you're getting *freeze-dried* apples and not just dried. Freeze dried apples are free of moisture and will grind down to a powder, whereas dried apples will not.
    • Unflavored Powdered Gelatin - Provides structure to the marshmallows and lends them a stretchy, gooey texture. Just let sit in water for five minutes, and it's ready for use.
    • Granulated Sugar - For sweetness. The sugar syrup works with the gelatin to create air bubbles so the marshmallows are soft and fluffy.
    • Agave Syrup -Helps to prevent the sugar from crystallizing. If you prefer, you can substitute with honey or light corn syrup.

    Salted Caramel Sauce Ingredients

    • Granulated Sugar - For sweetness, and the main flavor once it caramelizes.
    • Agave Syrup - Helps the caramel to have a softer, chewier consistency and helps to keep the sugar from crystallizing. You can substitute with honey or light corn syrup if you'd like.
    • Butter - For flavor, richness, and to help make the caramel pourable. Use unsalted butter if you don't want to have salt in your caramel, or you can use salted if you're planning to make the caramel salted anyway. The butter will incorporate into the caramel easier if it's cut into pieces and at room temperature.
    • Heavy (Whipping) Cream - at room temperature
    • Fleur de Sel (optional) - Feel free to use any coarse sea salt. The salt is optional, but I think the salted caramel is a lovely complement to the sweet marshmallows. If you'd like to add a little more vanilla flavor, try using Vanilla Salt!
    • Vanilla Bean Paste - For flavor, and it leaves beautiful black vanilla bean specks in your caramel! If you prefer, you can substitute with an equal measure of vanilla extract.

    Toppings (Optional)

    • Melted Chocolate, Chopped Peanuts, and/or Sprinkles - If you'd like, you can add toppings to your Caramel Apple Marshmallows. I chose chopped salted peanuts, some festive fall sprinkles, and a drizzle of semi-sweet chocolate for mine.

    Instructions

    Here's how to make this recipe, step by step! More detailed instructions are included in the recipe card, below.

    Making Apple Marshmallows

    Steps to making apple marshmallows.
    1. Process the freeze-dried apples in a food processor until ground finely.
    2. Combine sugar, agave syrup, and water in a saucepan. Bring mixture to a boil over high heat. Cook mixture until temperature reaches 240℉. Meanwhile, combine remaining agave and bloomed, melted gelatin to the bowl of a stand mixer.
    3. Once the sugar syrup has reached temperature, gradually pour into the mixer bowl while the mixer is running. Beat until mixture is white, shiny, and has tripled in volume.
    4. Fold the ground apples into the marshmallows.
    5. Pour the marshmallow mixture into a greased and lined 8-inch square pan and smooth the top.
    6. Let the marshmallows set up at room temperature for at least two hours, then cut the marshmallows into 16 squares.

    Making Salted Caramel Sauce

    Steps to making salted caramel sauce.
    1. Pour sugar and agave syrup into a medium saucepan and stir to combine.
    2. Stir over medium-high heat until sugar melts.
    3. Stop stirring and let sugar cook until it is deep amber in color. Add butter (mixture will bubble!) and stir to incorporate.
    4. Remove mixture from the heat and add cream and vanilla bean paste, stirring to combine. Add salt, if desired, and stir until salt has dissolved. Allow caramel to cool to room temperature.

    Dipping the Marshmallows

    • Insert a lollipop stick into each marshmallow and set on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silpat.
    • Dip each marshmallow almost completely in the salted caramel sauce. Let excess caramel drip off, then place on a silpat.
    • Once the caramel is set, you can add chopped peanuts, sprinkles, and/or a drizzle of chocolate, if desired.

    Hint: The coating will be thin (thicker caramel would pull your marshmallow right off the stick). If you'd like the caramel coating to be a bit thicker, you can let the first coating of caramel set up in the fridge, and then dip the marshmallows a second time.

    Closeup of a Caramel Apple Marshmallow with a bite missing from one corner.

    Equipment

    Here are a few things I used when making this recipe that you may find helpful:

    • Food Processor - For grinding the freeze-dried apples into powder. A coffee or spice grinder would also do the job, you will just likely need to do several small batches due to their small size.
    • Candy Thermometer - The best way to ensure your sugar syrup is at the appropriate temperature!
    • Offset Spatula - Not a necessity, but it helps to keep your fingers out of the marshmallow while you spread it in the pan!
    • Pizza cutter - A greased pizza cutter makes quick work of cutting the marshmallows and leaves them with nice clean-cut edges. I have a fancy marshmallow cutter and it didn't do the job nearly as well!
    • Lollipop Sticks - I can never find these in my local grocery store, and end up buying them at a craft store or online. The sticks I used were 6 inches long.
    • Silpats - I used these silicone baking mats to set the marshmallows on after I dipped them. It allowed me to gather up the caramel that had run off the marshmallows onto the mat and scrape it back into the cup I was using for dipping.
    • Bench Scraper - What I used to gather up the dripped caramel so I could use it.
    • Parchment Paper - Parchment can be used instead of silpats, but more difficult to gather the caramel that's dripped back into the bowl for use. I cut small squares of parchment to set each caramel-coated marshmallow on.

    Storage

    The dipped marshmallows can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to three days. I don't recommend refrigerating or freezing your marshmallows, as the humidity will wreak havoc on their texture.

    Other Recipes You May Like

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    An apple marshmallow being dipped into a white bowl of salted caramel, with caramel dripping from the marshmallow.

    Caramel Apple Marshmallows

    Amee
    These Caramel Apple Marshmallows are fluffy apple marshmallows dipped in homemade salted caramel! Drizzle them with chocolate, coat them in chopped peanuts, or enjoy them plain. They're the ultimate fall treat!
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 35 minutes mins
    Cook Time 15 minutes mins
    Resting Time 3 hours hrs
    Total Time 3 hours hrs 50 minutes mins
    Course Dessert
    Cuisine Marshmallows
    Servings 16 marshmallows
    Calories 179 kcal

    Equipment

    • Food processor
    • Candy Thermometer
    • Offset Spatula
    • Pizza Cutter
    • Lollipop Sticks
    • Silpats
    • Parchment Paper
    • Bench Scraper
    Prevent your screen from going dark while you bake!

    Ingredients
     
     

    Apple Marshmallows

    • 1.5 ounces freeze-dried apples (see note; it was 1 heaping cup of apples for me)
    • 4 ½ teaspoons unflavored gelatin (two envelopes; about ½ ounce)
    • ¾ cup water, divided
    • ¾ cup sugar
    • ½ cup agave syrup, divided (or substitute honey or light corn syrup)

    Salted Caramel Sauce

    • ⅔ cup granulated sugar
    • ¼ cup agave syrup
    • 2 Tablespoons butter, cut into pieces, at room temperature (can use salted or unsalted to your preference)
    • ½ cup heavy (whipping) cream, at room temperature
    • 1 teaspoon fleur de sel (or sea salt; optional, see note)
    • ½ teaspoon vanilla bean paste (see note)

    For Finishing

    • 16 lollipop sticks (see note)
    • chocolate for topping, if desired
    • sprinkles for topping, if desired
    • chopped peanuts for topping, if desired

    Instructions
     

    For Marshmallows

    • Coat a 8" square pan with nonstick spray. Line with parchment paper, allowing the parchment to overhang the edges of the pan to form handles. Set aside.
    • Process the freeze-dried apples (see note) in the bowl of a food processor until ground finely. A coffee or spice grinder also works well, though you will have to process small batches of the apples due to the small size of the bowl. The marshmallows will still be delicious if you have some larger pieces of apple, but the marshmallows won't be smooth. Set the powdered apples aside (Keep away from moisture or it will clump. It will even absorb the moisture from the air, so don't grind the apples in advance!)
    • In a small bowl, whisk gelatin and ½ cup water. Set aside to soften for 5 minutes.
    • In a medium saucepan, combine sugar, ¼ cup agave syrup (can substitute with honey or light corn syrup), and remaining ¼ cup water. Bring mixture to a boil over high heat, stirring occasionally. Cook until syrup temperature reaches 240℉ on a candy thermometer (see note).
    • While syrup is boiling, pour remaining ¼ cup agave syrup into the bowl of a stand mixer. Place gelatin mixture in microwave for about 30 seconds, or until it is completely melted. Add gelatin mixture to mixer bowl. Using the whisk attachment, turn the mixer on low and keep it running.
    • Once syrup reaches 240℉, pour slowly and carefully into mixer bowl (while mixer is still running on low). Be VERY careful not to touch the syrup, as it will stick to your skin and cause serious burns!
    • Increase mixer speed to medium and beat 5 minutes. Increase the speed to medium-high and beat 5 more minutes. Then increase the mixer speed to high and beat for another 2 minutes. Mixture will be white, shiny, and will have tripled in volume.
    • Pour half the ground apples into the marshmallow mixture, folding in to combine. Once nearly combined, add the other half of the apples and repeat.
    • Spread marshmallows into prepared pan, smoothing the top (an offset spatula works great for this; see note). Let the marshmallows set up at room temperature at least 2 hours, but 4 is better.

    For Salted Caramel Sauce

    • Pour sugar and agave syrup into a medium saucepan. Whisk over medium-high heat as sugar melts. It will clump and you'll think you're doing it all wrong. You're not!
    • Once sugar is melted, stop whisking and let sugar cook until it is deep amber in color. *Carefully* add butter (mixture will bubble!) and whisk to incorporate.
    • Remove mixture from the heat. Add cream (carefully!) and whisk until smooth. Add salt (if desired, see note) and vanilla bean paste (see note) and stir to incorporate.
    • Pour caramel into a heatproof cup of a size to be able to dip the marshmallows. I used a glass one cup measuring cup. Allow caramel to cool to nearly room temperature (this took about an hour for me).

    For Dipping/Assembly

    • Remove marshmallows from pan and cut into 16 marshmallows (a greased pizza cutter works nicely for this; see note). Insert a lollipop stick (see note) into each marshmallow and set on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silpat (see note).
    • Dip each marshmallow almost completely in the salted caramel sauce. Let excess caramel drip off, then place on a silpat. The coating will be thin (thicker caramel would pull your marshmallow right off the stick). If you'd like the caramel coating to be a bit thicker, you can let the first coating of caramel set up in the fridge, and then dip the marshmallows a second time.
      Caramel that drips off the marshmallows onto the silpat can be re-gathered (I used a bench scraper) and put back into the cup/bowl to be used again for dipping. Once set, you can add chopped peanuts, sprinkles, and/or a drizzle of chocolate, if desired.
    • The dipped marshmallows can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to three days. I don't recommend refrigerating or freezing your marshmallows, as the humidity will wreak havoc on their texture.
      Enjoy!

    Notes

    Note on freeze-dried apples - Make sure that you're using freeze-dried apples and not just dried. Freeze-dried apples will be crunchy, free of moisture, and can be ground into a powder.
    Note on candy thermometer - The best way to ensure your sugar syrup is at the appropriate temperature!
    Note on fleur de sel - You can use any coarse sea salt. The salt is optional, but I think the salted caramel is a lovely complement to the sweet marshmallows.
    Note on offset spatula - Not a necessity, but it helps to keep your fingers out of the marshmallow while you spread it in the pan!
    Note on pizza cutter - A greased pizza cutter makes quick work of cutting the marshmallows and leaves them with nice clean-cut edges. I had a fancy marshmallow cutter and it didn't do the job nearly as well!
    Note on lollipop sticks - I can never find these in my local grocery store, and end up buying them at a craft store or online. The sticks I used were 6 inches long.
    Note on vanilla bean paste - I love the fantastic flavor and beautiful specks of vanilla bean in the caramel! If you'd prefer, you can substitute with an equal measure of vanilla extract.
    Note on silpats - I used these silicone baking mats to set the marshmallows on after I dipped them. It allowed me to gather up the caramel that had run off the marshmallows onto the mat and scrape it back into the cup I was using for dipping.
    Note on bench scraper - What I used to gather up the dripped caramel so I could use it.
    Note on parchment - Can be used instead of silpats, but more difficult to gather the caramel that's dripped back into the bowl for use. I cut small squares of parchment to set each caramel-coated marshmallow on.

    Nutrition Estimate

    Serving: 1 marshmallowCalories: 179kcalCarbohydrates: 29gProtein: 1gFat: 7gSaturated Fat: 4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.3gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 20mgSodium: 226mgPotassium: 21mgFiber: 0.2gSugar: 28gVitamin A: 241IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 8mgIron: 0.1mg

    Nutrition information is provided as a courtesy and is only an estimate.

    Tried this recipe?I'd love to hear all about it! Leave a review below, then snap a pic and tag me on Instagram!
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