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I cannot make enough of this easy fall dessert appetizer! My Caramel Apple Fruit Dip is the first dish to be empty at parties, and I have to keep copies on the recipe in my purse to share with everyone.
If tailgating, fall parties, potlucks, appetizer-only gatherings are your deal, you absolutely need to print this recipe. It comes together in minutes, and you just need to slice up apples before serving!
This caramel apple fruit dip has a cream cheese and brown sugar base, and it is topped with store-bought thick caramel sauce. The toffee bits on top are optional, but so very delicious! The balance of saltiness and plenty of vanilla extract make this sweet appetizer irresistible! Do not skip the vanilla or salt in this recipe, please!
Ingredients
- Cream Cheese. One 8-ounce block of cream cheese, softened to nearly room temperature.
- Brown Sugar. One-quarter cup of brown sugarโit can be light or dark brown sugar.
- Vanilla. One teaspoon of vanilla extract brings so much flavor here.
- Salt. Please do not skip the 1/2 teaspoon of fine sea salt. I know it seems like a lot, but it really balances the sweetness of the caramel!
- Caramel. You need one-half cup of store-bought caramel sauce. Itโs best if itโs a thick caramel, but you can also use my small batch caramel sauce recipe.
- Toffee Bits. One-third cup of toffee bits. I buy the ones not coated in chocolate, but if you want to buy the chocolate ones, itโs your dip!
- Apples. I think this caramel apple fruit dip looks best with sliced red and green apples. I used a mix of Honeycrisp and Granny Smith for their tart taste.
How to Make Caramel Apple Dip
Place the softened cream cheese, brown sugar, salt and vanilla in a bowl.
Beat with an electric mixer until very fluffy. Spread the mixture into a serving dish.
Spread the thick caramel on top.
You can chill this a bit to help the layers hold together. Just before serving, garnish with toffee bits.
How to Serve Caramel Apple Fruit Dip
I chill this caramel apple dip before serving it with lots of sliced apples. The serving plate is prettiest if you mix apple slices (like you see in the photos!) Slice up the apples just before serving so they donโt turn brown. (Alternatively, you can slice them in advance and toss with lemon juice to keep them from browning).
How to Store Leftovers
Because this caramel apple fruit dip contains fresh dairy products, do not leave it out at room temperature for more than 4 hours. After 4 hours, move it to the refrigerator. It will keep for up to 3 days.
Recipe Tip
This caramel apple fruit dip recipe serves 4 people. However4, it easily doubles or triples to serve a larger crowd!
Caramel Apple Fruit Dip
Ingredients
- 8- ounce package of cream cheese softened
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1/2 cup thick caramel sauce
- 1/3 cup of toffee bits
- 4 apples 2 red; 2 green, sliced for serving
Instructions
- Place the cream cheese in a bowl with the brown sugar, vanilla, and salt. Beat with an electric mixer until fluffy.
- Spread the cream cheese mixture in a serving dish (like a shallow pie plate or cute dish).
- Spread the caramel on top, and garnish with toffee bits.
- Serve with apple slices.
Had these at football 2 weeks in a row now, they get DEVOURED! SO good ๐คค
Caramel apples are my favorite, but I think this tops it! The cream cheese mix is incredible with the caramel and tangy apples. I didnโt have toffee chips, so used crushed salted peanuts and it was amazing.