Caramel Apple Donut Cake Pops
These Caramel Apple Donut Cake Pops are an addictingly sweet riff on classic cake pops, designed to incorporate the ambrosial flavors of market-fresh fall confections and mimic mini caramel apples.
Servings: 28 cake pops
Equipment
- 1 Large spoon
- 1 Saucepan
Ingredients
- 12 apple fritters or glazed apple cider donuts
- 2-4 tablespoon apple butter add one tablespoon at a time; will differ based on moisture and glaze level of the donuts used
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
- 10 oz Werther's Original chewy caramels
- 3 tablespoon heavy whipping cream
- chopped peanuts
- cake pop or lollipop sticks optional
- cupcake liners (mini) optional
Instructions
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and lightly grease.
- Cut up the apple fritters or glazed donuts into bite-sized pieces. Turn on the Kitchen Aid to crumble the pieces completely before adding any wet ingredients.
- Once all the pieces are crumbled add vanilla bean paste and begin adding apple butter, one tablespoon at a time. Add in gradually, until it reaches a moist consistency resembling cookie dough, but not gooey like cake batter.
- The dough should form into a large ball and hold when you roll it, without crumbling.
- Use a 1-ounce cookie scoop to evenly portion and roll the dough into balls.
- In a microwaveable bowl, combine about a handful of caramels and a third of the heavy whipping cream in a small bowl. Warm in the microwave in 10-second increments, stirring after each round, for a total of 30 seconds. This will help you ensure the caramel doesn't burn.
- Dip the ends of your bare cake pop sticks in the bowl with the caramel you just melted. This will help the balls of dough adhere to the sticks so they don't fall off while being dipped.
- Then, dip the caramel coated end of the stick about half of an inch into the dough balls you have rolled, and place them on the baking sheet.
- Once you have dipped all the sticks into the dough balls, place them in the freezer for about 15-20 minutes. (this step is optional, but freezing the cake pops to the stick makes them easier to dip in caramel)
- While the cake pops are firming up, chop peanuts and place them in a bowl. And, prep cupcake liners.
- Heat up the remaining caramel and heavy whipping cream in a saucepan on low heat. Continuously stir until the mixture is smooth and melted.
- Scoop the warm melted caramel with a large spoon and twirl the cake pop around in the spoon rather than dipping it.
- Immediately after twirling the cake pops in the hot caramel, dip them in the chopped peanuts then place in a cupcake liner.
- Chill cake pops in the refrigerator to preserve shape and maintain freshness. Remove from refrigerator at least 10 minutes prior to serving.