12 Caramel Apple Desserts & Treats for Fall

Caramel and apple are fall's dream team, and this collection celebrates the pairing in every form — from gooey bars and cozy crisps to sippable shakes.

Whether you're baking for a party or just craving something sweet, these caramel apple desserts deliver warm, buttery comfort in every bite.

Below you’ll find 12 reader-favorite recipes, each with a photo, ingredients, and step-by-step instructions. Save your favorites and enjoy!

1. Classic Caramel Apple Slices

Crisp apple slices dipped in buttery homemade caramel and finished with flaky sea salt.

Ingredients

• 4 large Honeycrisp apples
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 6 tbsp unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp flaky sea salt
• 1 tbsp lemon juice

Instructions

1. Slice apples 1/2-inch thick and toss with lemon juice.
2. Melt sugar in a heavy saucepan over medium heat until deep amber, 6-8 minutes.
3. Stir in butter until melted, then slowly whisk in the cream.
4. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla and half the salt.
5. Drizzle warm caramel generously over the apple slices.
6. Sprinkle with remaining salt and let set 10 minutes before serving.

2. Caramel Apple Dump Cake

A 4-ingredient wonder: spiced apple filling under a buttery cake crumble with caramel drizzle.

Ingredients

• 2 cans (21 oz each) apple pie filling
• 1 box spice cake mix
• 3/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
• 1/2 cup caramel sauce
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• Vanilla ice cream, for serving

Instructions

1. Heat oven to 350°F and grease a 9×13-inch pan.
2. Spread the apple filling evenly and sprinkle with cinnamon.
3. Scatter the dry cake mix evenly over the filling.
4. Drizzle melted butter over the entire surface.
5. Bake 40-45 minutes until golden and bubbly.
6. Warm the caramel sauce and drizzle over each warm serving with ice cream.

3. Caramel Apple Cheesecake Bars

Creamy cheesecake bars on a graham crust with cinnamon apples and a caramel swirl.

Ingredients

• 2 cups graham cracker crumbs
• 1/2 cup butter, melted
• 16 oz cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 apples, diced
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/3 cup caramel sauce

Instructions

1. Heat oven to 325°F. Mix crumbs and butter; press into a lined 9×13 pan.
2. Beat cream cheese, sugar, eggs, and vanilla until smooth; pour over the crust.
3. Toss diced apples with cinnamon and scatter over the filling.
4. Drizzle with caramel sauce and swirl with a knife.
5. Bake 35-40 minutes until just set.
6. Chill at least 3 hours before slicing into bars.

4. Caramel Apple Oatmeal Bake

A cozy make-ahead breakfast bake with tender apples, hearty oats, and a caramel drizzle.

Ingredients

• 3 cups old-fashioned oats
• 2 apples, chopped
• 2 cups milk
• 2 eggs
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 cup caramel sauce
• 1 tsp vanilla

Instructions

1. Heat oven to 375°F and grease a 9×13 dish.
2. Whisk milk, eggs, brown sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla.
3. Stir in oats, baking powder, and chopped apples.
4. Pour into the dish and bake 35 minutes until set.
5. Warm the caramel sauce and drizzle over the top before serving.

5. Caramel Apple Cider Donuts

Baked apple cider donuts rolled in cinnamon sugar with a glossy caramel glaze.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 1/2 cup apple cider
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup applesauce
• 1 egg
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 cup caramel sauce
• 1/2 cup cinnamon sugar

Instructions

1. Simmer the cider until reduced to 1/3 cup; let cool.
2. Heat oven to 350°F and grease a donut pan.
3. Whisk flour, sugar, baking powder, and cinnamon; stir in reduced cider, applesauce, and egg.
4. Pipe batter into the pan, filling each cavity 3/4 full.
5. Bake 10-12 minutes until springy to the touch.
6. Roll warm donuts in cinnamon sugar, then drizzle with caramel.

6. Caramel Apple Hand Pies

Flaky handheld pies stuffed with cinnamon apples and finished with caramel icing.

Ingredients

• 2 refrigerated pie crusts
• 2 apples, finely diced
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tbsp flour
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 2 tbsp caramel sauce

Instructions

1. Heat oven to 400°F. Toss apples with brown sugar, cinnamon, and flour.
2. Cut crusts into 8 rounds; spoon filling onto half of each round.
3. Fold over, crimp edges with a fork, and cut small steam vents.
4. Brush with beaten egg and bake 18-20 minutes until golden.
5. Whisk powdered sugar with caramel and drizzle over cooled pies.

7. Caramel Apple Bread Pudding

Custardy bread pudding with caramelized apples and a warm caramel pour-over.

Ingredients

• 8 cups cubed brioche, day-old
• 2 apples, sliced
• 4 eggs
• 2 cups half-and-half
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1/2 cup caramel sauce

Instructions

1. Heat oven to 350°F and butter a 9×13 dish.
2. Layer bread cubes and apple slices in the dish.
3. Whisk eggs, half-and-half, sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla; pour over the bread.
4. Rest 20 minutes so the bread soaks up the custard.
5. Bake 45-50 minutes until puffed and golden.
6. Warm the caramel sauce and pour over each serving.

8. Caramel Apple Trifle

Layers of pound cake, cinnamon apples, caramel mousse, and clouds of whipped cream.

Ingredients

• 1 pound cake, cubed
• 3 apples, diced
• 2 tbsp butter
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 1/2 cups caramel sauce
• 2 cups heavy cream, whipped
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans

Instructions

1. Sauté apples in butter with brown sugar and cinnamon until tender, about 6 minutes.
2. Fold half the caramel into half the whipped cream to make a mousse.
3. Layer pound cake, apples, and caramel mousse in a trifle bowl.
4. Repeat the layers, finishing with plain whipped cream.
5. Drizzle with remaining caramel and sprinkle pecans; chill 2 hours.

9. Old-Fashioned Caramel Apple Crisp

Buttery oat crisp over jammy cinnamon apples with rivers of warm caramel.

Ingredients

• 6 apples, sliced
• 3/4 cup brown sugar, divided
• 1 cup old-fashioned oats
• 3/4 cup flour
• 1/2 cup cold butter, cubed
• 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/3 cup caramel sauce

Instructions

1. Heat oven to 375°F. Toss apples with 1/4 cup brown sugar and 1 tsp cinnamon; spread in a baking dish.
2. Mix oats, flour, remaining sugar, and cinnamon; cut in butter until crumbly.
3. Sprinkle the topping evenly over the apples.
4. Bake 40-45 minutes until bubbly and golden.
5. Drizzle with warm caramel and serve with ice cream.

10. Caramel Apple Cinnamon Rolls

Pillowy cinnamon rolls stuffed with tender apples and topped with caramel cream cheese glaze.

Ingredients

• 1 can refrigerated cinnamon roll dough
• 1 apple, finely diced
• 2 tbsp brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 4 oz cream cheese, softened
• 1/4 cup caramel sauce
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 2 tbsp milk

Instructions

1. Heat oven to 375°F. Unroll the dough and sprinkle with apple, brown sugar, and cinnamon.
2. Roll back up and slice into 8 rolls; arrange in a greased round pan.
3. Bake 20-22 minutes until golden.
4. Beat cream cheese, powdered sugar, milk, and caramel until smooth.
5. Spread the glaze over warm rolls and serve immediately.

11. Caramel Apple Milkshakes

Thick vanilla shakes blended with apple butter and swirled with caramel.

Ingredients

• 4 cups vanilla ice cream
• 1 cup milk
• 1/2 cup apple butter
• 1/4 cup caramel sauce, plus more for drizzling
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• Whipped cream
• 2 tbsp crushed graham crackers

Instructions

1. Blend ice cream, milk, apple butter, caramel, and cinnamon until thick and smooth.
2. Drizzle caramel inside two tall glasses.
3. Pour in the shakes and top with whipped cream.
4. Finish with a caramel drizzle and graham crumbs; serve with wide straws.

12. Caramel Apple Popcorn Balls

Crunchy popcorn balls studded with dried apple bits and coated in chewy caramel.

Ingredients

• 10 cups popped popcorn
• 1 cup dried apple chips, crushed
• 1 bag (11 oz) caramels, unwrapped
• 3 tbsp butter
• 2 tbsp heavy cream
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp salt
• Cooking spray

Instructions

1. Toss popcorn and apple chips in a large buttered bowl.
2. Melt caramels with butter, cream, cinnamon, and salt, stirring until smooth.
3. Pour caramel over the popcorn and toss to coat evenly.
4. Spray hands with cooking spray and shape into 10 balls.
5. Cool on parchment 30 minutes until firm.

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