This post may contain affiliate links, please see our privacy policy for details.
You don’t need to be a professional baker to make this deliciously easy fall treat. Layers of rich dark chocolate, salted mini pretzels, sweet apples, and the most delicious salty caramel sauce come together in this fun homemade candy. You can use store-bought caramel in a pinch, but my apple cider caramel (made with butter, brown sugar, and cider) makes this extra special. Each chocolate-covered caramel apple wedge is sweet, salty, crunchy, chewy — and so perfect for both Halloween and Thanksgiving entertaining!
Half Baked Harvest At Home
20+ new recipes for wholesome comfort food made with everyday ingredients. Pre-order today! HBH At Home will be released on Tuesday, February 23rd!
I never thought I could love a caramel apple recipe this much. Especially because, as a kid, I didn’t even like caramel apples! My mom used to buy those sheets of caramel wrappers from the grocery store — do you remember those? They only showed up in the fall, complete with little sticks for making caramel apples at home.
I always thought the caramel was too hard to eat — it stuck to my teeth and was just too much, especially once I got braces in middle school. But without fail, my mom would make them every year. And in true chocoholic fashion, she always took things a step further by slicing the apples and dipping those caramel-covered wedges into melted chocolate. It was her signature touch!
It’s only fairly recently that I’ve come to love caramel apples again. First, with this magical caramel apple cake I made a few years ago. And now with my go-to homemade cider caramel dip that’s soft, chewy, and never too sticky.
But this bark? This bark takes things to another level. It’s so fun and easy to make. Layers of melty chocolate, buttery apple cider caramel, salty pretzels, and crisp honeycrisp apples. A final sprinkle of flaky sea salt brings everything together.
It’s the most perfect homemade fall candy — sweet, salty, crunchy, chewy, and totally irresistible!
These are the details
Ingredients
- dark chocolate chips – you can use semi-sweet too
- mini salted pretzel twist
- honeycrisp apple – though a granny smith is just fine too
- caramel sauce – store-bought is OK if you have to, but homemade is best!
For the Cider Caramel Sauce
- salted butter
- brown sugar
- apple cider
- flaky sea salt
Kitchen Tools
You’ll need a cookie sheet, parchment paper, and I use a small pot to melt the chocolate on the stove. Then, that same pot is used to make the caramel sauce.
Steps
Step 1: Melt the chocolate
Melt the dark chocolate chips, then spread the melted chocolate out on a sheet of parchment paper. I like to form it into a small rectangle — about the size of a 9×13-inch baking dish — as the base layer for the bark.
Step 2: Make the apple cider caramel
This is my no-fail, no-fuss caramel. Simply boil apple cider with brown sugar and butter for about 8 to 10 minutes, until the sauce bubbles and thickens. The longer you boil, the firmer the caramel will be. Ideally, you want a pourable sauce, so stick to that 8–10 minute window.
Once thickened, stir in a pinch of sea salt, then drizzle the warm caramel over the chocolate layer.
Step 3: Add the toppings
With the caramel in place, scatter on the pretzels and apple slices. Drizzle over a bit more caramel, then finish with an extra layer of melted chocolate — about 1 cup — to help hold everything together. Sprinkle with flaked sea salt for that perfect salty-sweet finish.
Step 4: Chill and serve
Chill the bark in the fridge until hardened, then break it into pieces. It will keep well in the fridge for a day, but I recommend freezing it after that to keep the apples from getting soggy.
When you’re ready to serve, let the bark sit at room temperature for about 5 minutes — the caramel is softest and chewiest then, which is how we love it most.
Sweet, salty, chocolatey, and just the right amount of chewy — this bark has it all. It’s the easiest treat to make and always disappears fast. Pack it up for Halloween parties, bring it to Thanksgiving, take it as a hostess gift, or keep a stash in the freezer for cozy fall and winter nights!
Looking for other fall sweets? Here are my favorites:
Black Widow Peanut Butter Bars
Hocus Pocus Spellbook Brownies
BOO! Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars
Milk Chocolate Stuffed Jack-O’-Lantern Cookies
Lastly, if you make this Salted Chocolate Caramel Apple Bark, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Salted Chocolate Caramel Apple Bark
Ingredients
Brown Sugar Cider Caramel
- 6 tablespoons salted butter
- 1 cup dark brown sugar
- 1/2 cup apple cider
- 1 teaspoon flaky salt
Instructions
- 1. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Melt 2 cups of chocolate chips.2. Spread the melted chocolate out into a 9×13 inch or slightly smaller rectangle. Drizzle with warm caramel, layer with pretzels, apples, and another drizzle of caramel, using around 1/4 cup to 1/2 cup. 3. Melt 1 cup of chocolate and drizzle it on top. Add flakes of sea salt. Chill in the fridge until firm, 1 hour. Break into pieces and enjoy! Keep any leftovers in the freezer to prevent the apples from getting soggy.
Brown Sugar Cider Caramel
- 1. Add the butter and brown sugar to a large pot set over medium heat. Let the butter melt, then add the cider. Bring to a boil and cook, stirring constantly, until the sugar has melted and the mixture is dark, bubbling, and thickened, about 8 to 10 minutes. 2. Stir in the salt. Drizzle the warm sauce over the melted chocolate.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Did you make this recipe? Please rate & comment below.
Whew this was a rough one.
Justice for this recipe! After reading reviews, I almost backed out of making this. I am glad i didn’t! I am not sure what I did vs others to find success, but it was delicious. Everyone at my fall night loved it. I will say, I broke it up and served it straight out of the freezer. It’s delicious and crunchy that way. If I let it thaw too much, i think i’d have problems with the apples. Going on day two and the apples are maybe a TINY bit discolored, but no more than an apple on the counter for a few minutes. So yummy. Also, there is no need for a temperature guide on the caramel, just go off of thickness 🫢
Hey Ashleigh,
Happy Friday!! I appreciate you making this recipe and your comment, I am so glad to hear it was a hit!
The apples turned brown even in the freezer and it turned soggy when attempting to thaw out.
Sorry to hear this, Tori. Thanks for trying the recipe and sharing your feedback.
Can I store in the fridge?
Hi Chelsea,
Yes, that is just fine for you to do! I hope you love this recipe!
Yum!
Mine turned out great! 👌How could I make this more for Christmas ? .
Like what else can you add to make it a great teachers gift For Christmas ?
Thanks 😊
Dee
Hi Nadine,
Awesome! So glad to hear you enjoyed this recipe:)
The bark is super versatile, you can really add any toppings you like. For a Christmas version, it might be fun to do smashed candy canes and holiday M&M’s!
If you make it for teachers, it really needs to stay chilled, so I would just be aware of that. I hope this helps!
So good! I followed the instructions for the caramel sauce and waited for it to thicken and turn darker brown (mine took about 9 min) and it was perfect. I immediately put it into the freezer and served it that night at a dinner party, it was a hit! No brown or mushy apples. A very unusual bark but in the most delicious way possible
Hey Lexie,
Yay! Thank you so much for trying this recipe. I am so glad to hear it was enjoyed. Have a great week!
The caramel didn’t turn out at all, I followed the instructions but it turned out tough. The apples made the bark soggy & overall this was just a bad recipe.
Hi Alison,
Very sorry to hear you had issues with the recipe. It sounds like the caramel was boiled for too long. Again, so sorry!
Really frustrating that you refuse to give a temp for the caramel & say “that’s just what works for me.” Many others are making your recipes, not just you.
Hi Molly,
So sorry, but if I had a temp I would absolutely share it with you all, that’s just not how I make my caramel:) The instructions that I shared are what should be followed if you want to make this recipe. Please let me know if I can help in any other way!
I was hoping this would be a fun Halloween night treat to make for my party, but it didn’t work well at all. The apples browned and released moisture so the bark was soggy. I’m glad I tested it beforehand or I would have had some very disappointed guests!
Very sorry to hear this, Jacie. Thanks for trying the recipe and sharing your feedback. Have a great week!
I had the same issues as the other commentators below. I think this recipe definitely needs some reworking.
Thanks for sharing your feedback, Britt. Sorry you did not enjoy this recipe.
I let my Carmel cool a bit and set up then drizzled on the melted chocolate, then pretzel, then apple, drizzle Carmel on top. My family owned a chocolate factory at one point, we usually had to let the caramel cool a bit before dipping Carmel apples or it would slide off the apple. This recipe is easy and amazing! ❤️
Hey Stephanie,
Happy Sunday!🎃 Thanks for giving this recipe a whirl, so glad it turned out nicely for you!
This was probably a good concept in theory, but it did not work well at all practically.
Thanks for your comment, Jenna. Sorry to hear this recipe did not turn out for you. Have a nice weekend!
Absolutely delicious, I added dried cranberries and pecans. Will make again.
Hey Leslie,
Happy Friday! I really appreciate you making this recipe and reporting back. Thrilled it turned out well!
Why do you not give exact temperature for caramel making? It is really hard when you tell people 8 to 10 minutes as everybody’s stoves can be different….
Thanks for your feedback, Chandler. This is just what works best for me and the recipe. Sorry to hear you had issues.
I boiled my caramel for 10 min, it was harder than I would have liked. I wish you would give temps instead of time which is much more helpful when making caramel or any candy. Like others have said the apples do turn brown and release moisture so best to eat this treat right away, or perhaps try with dried apples.
Thanks for sharing your feedback, Jordan! Sorry to hear you had issues with the caramel and the apples. I appreciate you giving this a try!