The Genius Method For Making Caramel Apples Last Longer (We Wish We Had Known Last Year)

For such a beloved treat, caramel apples have a lot of downsides. The autumn icons are unwieldy and difficult to balance on a thin stick. The caramel coating disappears fast, leaving the rest of the apple bland and caramel-less. And they spoil faster than their non-coated counterparts; that innocent little stick can introduce contamination. 

Want a way to keep caramel apples — or, at least, caramel-apple-adjacent-treats — fresh for longer? Chop up apples, put the pieces into donut molds, and douse them in caramel. Then, pop them in the freezer and let them set. 

The hack doesn't just help preserve the apples; it mitigates other annoying caramel apple problems, too. The treats will be easier to eat than classic caramel apples, and the caramel-to-apple ratio is up to you. Mix things up by adding chocolate or peanut butter to the molds in lieu of caramel. 

You can chill your treats in the refrigerator, too, but they won't last as long as they would in the freezer. Frozen food theoretically keeps indefinitely, though fruit starts to lose its freshness after a few months. If you decide to store your caramel apple rings in the fridge, eat them within a few days.

The beauty of caramel apple rings is their versatility. If you go the classic caramel route, you can melt down caramel candies for your apples, use a homemade caramel recipe, or buy a tub of the pre-melted stuff. Remember, different types of caramel will result in different textures. If you plan to eat the apples fresh from the freezer, go with something softer.

If caramel isn't your go-to candy, combine the apple chunks with chocolate or nut butter. Peanut butter may be a classic pairing for the fruit, but you can give the treats an extra touch of autumn by using pumpkin butter instead. Don't go overboard with the sweet fillers, though — too much could come off as cloying. Use tart apples, like Granny Smiths, to balance the caramel's sweetness.

You don't have to limit yourself to donut-shaped creations, either. Add your caramel apple mixture to a popsicle mold for the on-the-go convenience of the original treat, or use smaller molds for a bite-sized version.

If you're a pumpkin spice lover, sprinkle the blend into the mixture — or take a cue from Gordon Ramsay's favorite apple spice mix and flavor the caramel with black pepper, star anise, and cloves. For a little texture, mix in chopped nuts, raisins, chocolate chips, or pretzel pieces. Interested in a tropical twist? Try dried coconut or pineapple. You could even set up a DIY caramel apple topping bar as a Halloween party activity.