Classic Caramel Apple Dessert Cups
These delightful dessert cups feature tender, spiced apples layered with crunchy cookies or granola, rich caramel, and fluffy whipped cream for an easy and impressive treat.
Equipment
- medium saucepan
- dessert cups
Ingredients
Spiced Apples
- 4 medium, firm apples (Honeycrisp, Fuji, Gala, or Granny Smith recommended)
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- Pinch salt
Assembly
- 1 cup caramel sauce (homemade or good quality store-bought)
- 1 cup chilled whipped cream (or Cool Whip)
- 1/2 cup crushed cookies (graham crackers, shortbread) or crunchy oat granola
- extra caramel for garnish
- crushed cookies/granola for garnish
Instructions
Preparation
- Peel, core, and dice apples into small, uniform 1/2-inch pieces.
Cooking Apples
- Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add diced apples, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt; cook for 8-12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until apples are tender but hold their shape. Cool completely.
Topping Preparation
- Crush cookies finely or ensure granola is chunky.
Assembly
- Layer 1-2 tablespoons of crushed cookies or granola at the bottom of each dessert cup.
- Spoon a generous layer of cooled spiced apples over the cookie/granola.
- Drizzle a spoonful of caramel sauce over the apples.
- Top with a dollop of whipped cream.
- Repeat layers (cookies/granola, apples, caramel, whipped cream) for taller cups.
- Garnish with extra caramel drizzle and a sprinkle of crushed cookies/granola.
Chilling
- Refrigerate dessert cups for at least 30 minutes before serving to meld flavors and chill thoroughly.
Notes
For best results, allow the apples to cool completely before assembling the cups to prevent the whipped cream from melting. Adjust the amount of cinnamon and nutmeg to your personal preference. These dessert cups are best enjoyed fresh, but can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.