(20 Minute!) Healthy Low Carb Caramel Apples
Crisp juicy apples are coated with my (15 minute!) keto caramel for a healthier and refined sugar free version of this special fall treat. And yet, these low carb caramel apples vary little (if at all) from the traditional ones!
Servings 5 caramel apples
Calories 218kcal
Ingredients
For the keto caramel
- 56 g grass-fed butter salted or unsalted*
- 1/4-1/2 cup allulose or xylitol**
- 118 ml heavy whipping cream
- 1/4-3/4 teaspoon kosher salt to taste (I omit if using salted butter)
- 1 teaspoon blackstrap molasses optional**
For the caramel apples
- 5 small apples
Instructions
For the caramel apples
- Pick apples that are small and, needless to say, ultra crisp and flavorful. Granny Smith are a popular choice here as their tartness contrasts beautifully to the caramel. But Fuji or Honeycrisp will great work too (and tbh, anything that is crisp and tasty- don't overthink it too much!). Skewer them and set aside while you prepare the caramel.
For the keto caramel
- Add butter to a small saucepan over medium/low heat and simmer, stirring every so often, until fully browned (about 5 minutes). (My top tip: I like to use salted butter for a salted caramel version!) Add in the sweetener, heavy cream and salt (leave out if using salted butter), stirring until fully combined. Add in the molasses (optional), and stir briefly until just combined.
- Simmer over very low heat for 15 minutes (don't stir at all!), taste for seasoning. Your caramel should be sticky and thick, but still totally pourable. The caramel will thicken up in the fridge (as does regular dulce de leche), so either bring it back to room temperature or heat it up with a little more heavy cream (or say almond milk!) to thin it out a bit.
- Note: if your caramel splits (too high temperature is usually the culprit!), you might still be able to save it. Remove it from the heat, allow the mixture to cool down for about 5 minutes, bring it back on the stovetop over low heat, and gently whisk in a tablespoon of water until it comes back together (should happen almost instantly).
To assemble
- Remove caramel from heat and allow to cool for a few minutes before dipping your apples. Allow the excess to drip off and place them on a lined baking sheet. Enjoy right away or allow the caramel to set in the fridge for a few minutes.
Notes
*I looove salted caramel, and using salted butter adds an incredible depth that you simply don't get by just adding salt. Just be sure to taste for seasoning, as you may not need to add more salt (varies from brand to brand!).
**Please see section on sweeteners for full deets! How much sweetener? Now this is the question. Traditional caramel uses about 1 cup of sugar, but in my opinion 1/3 cup of sweetener for keto palates is more than enough. As allulose is 30% less sweet than sugar (and xylitol), I did 1/2 cup (but you can probably do with just 1/3 cup for a lightly sweetened caramel). With xylitol I tried with 1/4 and 1/3 cup and they both worked great (just depends how sweet you like it, and what you're using it for). Keto sweet buds are all over the place guys, but the neat thing here is that you can adjust to taste!
Please note that a batch yields roughly 3/4 cup, and nutrition facts were estimated per tablespoon. The blackstrap molasses adds 0.4g net carbs a serving (i.e. half the amount of sugar of a strawberry!).
Nutrition
Serving: 1caramel apple | Calories: 218kcal | Carbohydrates: 15g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 56mg | Sodium: 207mg | Potassium: 149mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 681IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 27mg | Iron: 1mg