These Candy Apple Lollipops have a crunchy candy coating with crisp Granny Smith apple on the insides. They’re a bite-sized treat that need to be on your menu this fall.
Course Desserts, Snacks
Cuisine American
Keyword candy apple lollipops
Diet Dairy-Free, Gluten-Free, Vegan, Vegetarian
Occasion 4th of July, Birthdays, Easter, Game Day, Halloween, Valentine's Day
Apples: Prepare a large bowl of water with a pinch of salt mixed into it. Peel each apple, then use a melon ball scooper to scoop ball shapes from each apple. Toss the apple balls into the bowl of water to prevent browning while you scoop the rest. When finished, pat dry with paper towels and set on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Stick a lollipop stick into each, then set in the freezer for 15 minutes.
Candy: Meanwhile, prepare the candy coating. Add the sugar, water, food coloring, and lemon to a medium sauce pan over medium/high heat, stirring once to combine. Bring to a boil then reduce heat and continue cooking until a candy thermometer reads 300 to 310 degrees F, then remove from heat. This is the “hard crack” stage. Test that it has reached this stage by dropping a bit of the molten candy into a cup of cold water. It should become brittle and hard.
Assemble: Working quickly, dip each apple pop into the candy and evenly coat (be careful not to touch the candy, it’s VERY hot). Set upright on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. When finished coating the lollipops, pop them back in the freezer for a few minutes to fully set.