Sugar Skull Caramel Apples

Check out these sugar skull caramel apples! For Dia de Los Muertos, the traditional sugar skull is made of sugar, water and merengue powder. It’s hardened, then decorated with Royal icing. The sugar represents the sweetness of life and the skull signifies death.

In this tutorial, Jeshua puts a clever and creative spin on that tradition and made these gorgeous Sugar Skull Caramel Apples!

He says, “With Halloween and Dia De Los Muertos coming up, I meshed two of the best treats into one by making Sugar Skull Caramel Apples!”

What you’ll need to make sugar skull caramel apples:

Granny Smith apples, washed and thoroughly dried

Lollipop sticks

Package of chewy caramel candies (about a cup and a half)

1 teaspoon butter, 1 teaspoon Milk, 1 package of Wilton white candy melts, 1 package Wilton black candy melts, Assortment of Wilton colored candy melts for added decoration

Sandwich bags, mixing bowls

Supplies to make Sugar Skulls Caramel Apples

Create the caramel

Add butter, milk and caramel to a saucepan, heat over on medium low heat.

Stir consistently until caramels are completely melted and smooth.

Stick the lollipop sticks into the tops of the apples.

Dip apples, one-by-one into the caramel.

Place on a baking sheet covered in wax paper.

Place the baking sheet into the fridge for 30 minutes to an hour to allow the caramel to set.

While the caramel is setting, melt your candy melts in the microwave.

Place a handful of melts in a microwave-safe bowl and heat on high for 30-second increments. Stir in between until creamy and melted. Add a small amount of vegetable oil helps the candy to look really shiny when dried. And it makes the candy easier to work with.

Melt an entire bag of white candy melts in a bowl or dish, large enough for you to dip the entire apple.

The other colors can really be melted in smaller bowls.

Create the skull!

Once the caramel is set, dip the apples into white candy melts. Place back onto the backing sheet and back into the fridge for the candy to harden (about 5-10 minutes).

While those are hardening in the fridge, melt the other colors.

To decorate the face of my sugar skull apples, I poured the colored melted candies into plastic sandwich bags. Then I snipped off a corner.

Then I simply piped on eyes, teeth and a nose with black candy melts and some fun decorations around the eyes and forehead with various colors.

Pop your sugar skull apples back onto the fridge for 30 minutes, then your sugar skull caramel apples are ready to enjoy!

Tip: The candy melts on your apples will absorb the flavor of any items placed next to them while in the fridge for extended amounts of time (for instance if you make the apples a day ahead) so be sure to place the apples away from any food that could alter the flavor (like onions or garlic).