You're just three ingredients away from sweet and creamy Caramel Apple Dip, which tastes just like caramel apple cheesecake! It's a simple, scrumptious recipe for game day, Halloween parties, Thanksgiving dessert, or just about any special occasion or get-together!
1 ¼ to 1 ½cupsHomemade Caramel Sauceat room temperature (OR store-bought caramel sauce), plus additional for garnish
1cuproughly chopped roasted & salted cashews
Sprinkle of sea saltoptional
FOR SERVING:
Thinly sliced applestossed with lemon juice
Pretzel twists
Instructions
Use an electric mixer to beat cream cheese until creamy. Blend in 1 ¼ cups caramel sauce. Taste and add an additional ¼ cup caramel sauce if you'd prefer the dip a little sweeter.
Spread the mixture into a bowl. Top with chopped cashews (if they won't all fit initially, you may add remaining nuts to the top of the dip once some of it has been eaten). Drizzle dip with some leftover caramel sauce and sprinkle with a pinch of sea salt, if desired. Serve immediately with apple slices and pretzel twists, and refrigerate any leftovers.
Notes
Serving this dip in a wide, shallow bowl (as opposed to a narrow one) will provide more surface area on which to sprinkle the cashews.
Depending on the size of the apples you use, you will probably need at least 4 large or 6 medium apples to have enough dippers (although I always like to keep a couple extra apples on hand, just in case the dippers run out).
If you plan on making this with Homemade Caramel Sauce, the sauce needs to be at room temperature before proceeding with the recipe (if it's warm, it may melt the cream cheese). I recommend making the Homemade Caramel Sauce the day before and then refrigerating it, as directed. Then when you are ready to soften your cream cheese, set out the chilled Homemade Caramel Sauce at the same time to allow both ingredients to come to room temperature.
This dip is best made just before serving so that it's soft and easy to dip. If you need to make it ahead of time, you may want to wait until just before serving to add the nuts, as they may become soggy in the fridge. Also, be sure to set out the dip a short time before serving so that it has a chance to soften and come to room temperature.