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Cotton Candy Apples Recipe
Ash Tyrrell

Cotton Candy Apples Recipe

I made these cotton candy apples for the first time for my daughter's birthday party, and honestly, I haven't stopped making them since. There's something about that crackly, colorful candy shell paired with a fluffy puff of cotton candy on top that makes every single person reach for one.
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Total Time 50 minutes
Servings: 6
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 6 medium apples washed, dried, and stems removed — dry apples are essential, since any moisture stops the candy coating from sticking
  • 3 cups white sugar — the base of your candy shell giving it that classic crisp crunch
  • ½ cup light corn syrup — helps prevent the sugar from crystallizing while it cooks
  • 1 cup water — thins the syrup so it melts and coats evenly
  • 2 tablespoons white liquid food coloring — gives the candy shell an opaque pastel base instead of a clear one
  • 1 –2 teaspoons gel food coloring any color — this is where you get that signature cotton candy pink, blue, or purple
  • 1 teaspoon cotton candy flavoring — the flavor that ties the whole treat back to the fair
  • Candy apple sticks or wooden skewers — gives you a sturdy handle for dipping and eating
  • 1 package cotton candy for topping — the fluffy finishing touch that makes these so fun

Method
 

  1. Wash and thoroughly dry each apple, since any leftover moisture will keep the candy coating from sticking properly later. Insert a candy apple stick firmly into the top of each apple where the stem used to be. Lightly grease your cookie sheet or line it with parchment paper and set it aside.
  2. In your saucepan, combine the sugar, corn syrup, water, and white liquid food coloring, then stir over medium heat until the sugar fully dissolves. Clip your candy thermometer to the side of the pan, making sure the tip doesn't touch the bottom. Bring the mixture to a boil without stirring any further.
  3. As the syrup boils, use your wet pastry brush to wipe down any sugar crystals forming on the sides of the pan. Let it continue cooking undisturbed until the thermometer reads 300 to 302°F, which is the hard crack stage that gives candy apples their signature crunch. This usually takes around 10 to 15 minutes depending on your stove.
  4. Once the syrup reaches temperature, remove the pan from the heat immediately to stop the cooking process. Stir in your gel food coloring and cotton candy flavoring quickly, since the syrup will start to thicken and set as it cools. Work fast here so you still have time to dip all your apples.
  5. Holding each apple by its stick, tilt the pan slightly and dip the apple into the hot syrup, twirling it to coat evenly on all sides. Lift it out and let any excess syrup drip back into the pan for a few seconds. Place the coated apple onto your prepared tray to set.
  6. While the candy shell is still slightly tacky, gently press or wrap a small tuft of cotton candy around the top of each apple. Work quickly since the shell hardens fast and the cotton candy needs something slightly sticky to cling to. Let the apples finish cooling completely at room temperature before serving.

Notes

  • I always calibrate my candy thermometer first, since even a few degrees off can mean a shell that's too soft or too brittle.
  • I make sure my apples are completely dry and even at room temperature before dipping, since cold, damp apples cause the coating to slide right off.
  • I keep a bowl of ice water nearby to test a small drop of syrup if I don't fully trust my thermometer reading.
  • I work with one color at a time so my dipping pan doesn't turn muddy from mixing shades.
  • I add the cotton candy topping the moment I set each apple down, since waiting even a minute makes it much harder to stick.