Caramel Apples are the perfect seasonal homemade gifts.
- They are quintessential Fall and Halloween treats.
- They are loved by kids and adults alike.
- They can be made ahead and stored for several days--easy to have on hand.
- They make an impression--especially if you fancy them up a bit like my
Easy Caramel Apples With A Gourmet Flair and the cute tags I have ready for you to download and print. - They're perfect for gifts for neighbors, co-workers, hostesses, and friends.
- They're great party food and party favors.
- They are popular classroom treats.
Here's how I turn these delicious treats into fun, festive gifts. If you have bags, colorful ribbon, and a cute tag, your set.
It's easy to make your own caramel apples. Click below for my step-by-step instructions for making 10 different varieties:
Easy Caramel Apples With A Gourmet Flair
Assemble these supplies to make caramel apple gift bags:
- caramel apples
- clear cellophane or plastic bags (mine are 5x11); available on Amazon
- muffin top paper cup liners (optional); available on Amazon
- gift tags (3 different options are downloadable--see below)
- hole punch and pen
- ribbon, string, or yarn
- scissors
Here are the step-by-step instructions:
Step 1. Put your apples in bags.
Wrap each of them individually in cellophane bags. I set each apple in a muffin top paper cup before putting it in the bag--that makes it easier to get them in and out of the bag without sticking. You can also cut wax paper circles and set the apples on those inside the bag.
view on Amazon: muffin top paper cups, cellophane bags
Step 2. Select and print out a sheet of gift cards.
You can print on whatever paper or card stock you like. I used plain white card stock for mine. If you don't have a printer or card stock, stop by a Kinkos or an office supply store that has a printing center. They can print sheets of tags for you; it doesn't cost much. You can copy the gift tags file onto a flash drive to give them; or tell them our TheYummyLife.com web address and let them access the tags on their computer.
I'm providing 3 different Halloween tag designs to choose from. Two are specifically for caramel apples gifts--one can be personalized, one is for anyone. The "BOOtiful" tag is a more generic Halloween tag that can be used on any gift or treat.
Here's a caramel apple gift tag for any time of year (not just Halloween). Click on the image to download a sheet of these tags:
Step 3. Cut a gift card from the sheet, cutting carefully just outside the border.
Step 4. Use a hole punch to make a hole in either upper corner of the gift card. If you're using the tag that can be personalized, fill out the "To" and "From" with a pen. view hole punch on Amazon
Step 5. Thread your string or ribbon through the punched hole, center the tag in the front of the bag, wrap the string/ribbon around a time or two, and tie a bow in the front. I tied this bag with raffia. view raffia on Amazon
This bag is tied with an orange raffia ribbon.
view orange raffia on Amazon
This bag has a ribbon and tag that scream HALLOWEEN!
See what fun, festive gift bags these make? Friends of all ages will love these.
Storage tip: Keep these bagged caramel apples out of the fridge and stored at room temperature. They will keep for several days this way. If you refrigerate them after they're bagged, when you take them out they will sweat inside the bags. That will make for runny, ugly, unappealing caramel apples. So, no refrigerating.
Update 6 days later: I sliced and ate one of these caramel apples that had been bagged and stored at room temperature for 6 days. It was still fresh and delicious. As long as you are using fresh, in-season apples, it looks like you can count on caramel apples being good for at least a week. What a great make-ahead treat!
Now it's time to party! I gave these to our guests as they left our lake party yesterday. It took them awhile to choose their favorite flavor, but they all left happy.
Make it a yummy day!
Other post about gifts from the kitchen:
- Make a Spiced Hot Drink Mix Gift Jar
- Say "Thanks" With A Cookie Gift Bag
- Make A Banana Bread Mix Gift Jar
- Make A Granola Gift Jar
Other seasonal posts that may interest you:
- Make Easy Caramel Apples With A Gourmet Flair
- How to Cut and Serve Perfect Caramel Apple Slices
- Caramel Apples--More Tips
- Maple Pumpkin Spice Lattes--A Big Batch Party Recipe
- How to Prevent Apple and Pear Slices from Browning
- Three Easy Dips--Pumpkin Pie, Caramel, and Peanut Butter.
- Many Easy Sweets from 3 Toppings
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