Posted by Brittany Woolley on 3/26/2020 to Recipes
Updated: September 2026

This is the appetizer that gets swarmed at every fall gathering — and it takes ten minutes to make. Melted caramel folded into a lightly sweetened cream cheese base, served warm with sliced Cortland apples for dipping. It's practically foolproof, feeds a crowd, and the sweet-tart apples cut through the richness so you keep going back for one more slice.

The apple you pair with the dip actually matters. Our top pick is Cortland because it resists browning better than almost any variety — meaning your platter still looks beautiful an hour into the party. Honeycrisp and CandyCrisp both work wonderfully too if you prefer extra sweetness. All three are shipped fresh from our orchard — order online here.

Ingredients (serves 6–8)

  • 16 individually-wrapped caramels, unwrapped
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 8 oz cream cheese, softened
  • 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • Pinch of flaky sea salt (optional, for salted-caramel version)
  • 2 Cortland apples, sliced (or Honeycrisp/CandyCrisp)

Directions

  1. In a medium saucepan over medium-low heat, melt the caramels with the water, stirring frequently until smooth. Remove from heat and let cool for 5 minutes so it doesn't melt the cream cheese.
  2. In a medium bowl, beat the cream cheese, brown sugar, and vanilla until light and fluffy.
  3. Fold the melted caramel into the cream cheese mixture until well combined. Sprinkle with a pinch of flaky sea salt if you like.
  4. Transfer to a serving bowl and serve immediately with the sliced apples.

Tips & Variations

  • Keep it warm. Serve in a small slow cooker on "warm" for parties — the dip stays perfectly scoopable for hours.
  • Add crunch. Top with toasted pecans or crushed pretzels just before serving.
  • Bourbon. A tablespoon of bourbon whisked into the caramel adds grown-up depth.
  • Prevent browning. If you slice the apples ahead, toss them with a squeeze of lemon or store in a bowl of cold salted water for up to 4 hours.
  • Dipper alternatives. Graham crackers, gingersnaps, pretzel rods, pear slices, and vanilla wafers all work beautifully alongside the apples.

Made this? Send us a photo — we'll send you a coupon for 20% off your next order. Comment below or email [email protected]. Enjoy!