Hello, hello! I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving filled with lots of stuffing and pie!! (Or chocolate cake, in my family’s case!) We had a fantastic holiday weekend full of delicious food and laughter. Couldn’t ask for anything better.
Now it’s back to the kitchen to work on some new holiday treats! First up are these super delicious spiced cider caramels.
Now don’t be afraid of making caramels! I know they may seem tricky, but let me tell you they are waaayyy easier to make than you think. This was my first time making a candy like these and I was pleasantly surprised by the result.
There’s really just one piece of specialty kitchen equipment you should have on hand when making these caramels, a good candy thermometer. This will allow you to correctly measure the temperature of your candy mixture to ensure the texture turns out perfectly. You can find a candy thermometer for less than ten bucks on, where else…Amazon.
As I mentioned, these are super simple to make. Literally dump all the ‘liquid’ ingredients into a large pot and let boil. Seriously, you can make this!
The flavor of these caramels is perfectly fitting for the fall/holiday time of year. A good apple cider (not juice!) will add such a fun twist along with the spices that bring the warm and comforting flavors we’ve all come to love.
These spiced cider caramels will make a wonderful addition to a homemade holiday gift or maybe even used in another recipe…caramel brownies or cookies anyone?! Hmmm, ideas are sparking! 😉
Spiced Cider Caramels
- Prep Time: 5 mins
- Cook Time: 20 mins
- Total Time: 25 mins
- Yield: 64 caramels 1x
Description
Perfectly chewy caramels flavored with apple cider and classic fall spices.
Ingredients
- 2 cups heavy whipping cream
- 1 cup light corn syrup
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 6 TBS unsalted butter
- 1/2 cups boiled cider
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ginger
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg
Instructions
- Line an 8″x8″ baking pan with parchment paper leaving an overhand on opposite sides, lightly grease paper.
- Combine cream, corn syrup, sugar, butter, and boiled cider in a large deep saucepan, at least a 4-quart size. Bring to a boil over high heat, gently mixing to dissolve the sugar.
- Reduce heat to medium-high and cook, without stirring, until mixture reaches 248°F, about 20-30 minutes.
- Once temperature has been reached, remove from the heat and stir in salt and spices.
- Pour the hot mixture into the prepared pan and let sit overnight or at least 12 hours at room temp. Cut into desired size and wrap in squares of parchment paper. 1″x1″ squares will yield 64 caramels.
Notes
1. Boil at least 1 cup cider until reduced by about half. The more concentrated the greater the flavor!
2. I chose to cut my caramels into a smaller size, roughly 1/2″x1″, which will yield a higher number of individual caramels. Great for sharing!
Happy baking!
xo
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