National Caramel Apple Day

Categories:: Food & Beverage
Tags:: Candy Food Fruit
Where:: United States
Date change rule:: Every October 31
Holiday emoji:: 🍎

National Caramel Apple Day sweetens up every October 31, perfectly coinciding with Halloween festivities. This classic treat, combining crisp apples with rich caramel, offers a delightful taste of autumn. Gather your ingredients to make them at home, or seek out your favorite confectioner for a ready-made delight.

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History
Timeline
FAQs
Importance
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Expected National Caramel Apple Day Deals

As National Caramel Apple Day shares its date with Halloween, expect a delightful array of seasonal promotions from candy makers and grocery stores. While we await official 2027 promotions to drop, history shows that brands like Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory often feature special caramel apple varieties, sometimes with Halloween-themed toppings. Grocery chains such as Kroger and Safeway typically offer discounts on baking apples and caramel dipping kits from brands like Kraft and Marzetti. Specialty shops like Mrs. Prindable’s might roll out limited-edition gourmet caramel apples. Look for local bakeries and candy shops to have their own unique creations. Even fast-casual restaurants like McDonald’s (with their seasonal apple slices and caramel dip) or Dairy Queen could have relevant offers. We will update this page with confirmed live deals as October 31 approaches.

Platform Guide for National Caramel Apple Day

Instagram

Tag @nationaltoday_ and use #CaramelAppleDay. Share your most creative caramel apple creations or favorite store-bought treats.

TikTok

Tag @www.nationaltoday.com and use #CaramelAppleDay. Film a quick DIY caramel apple tutorial or a taste test of different varieties.

Facebook

Mention National Today (facebook.com/nationaltoday) and use #CaramelAppleDay. Share photos of your family enjoying caramel apples at Halloween parties.

National Caramel Apple Day Hero

Fred W. Sanders

While the exact inventor is debated, Fred W. Sanders, a confectioner at Kraft Foods, is widely credited with inventing the caramel apple in the 1950s. The story goes that he was experimenting with leftover Halloween caramels and dipped an apple into them, creating a treat that quickly became a seasonal sensation. His ingenuity transformed a simple idea into a beloved autumn staple, forever linking caramel apples with fall festivities and Halloween.

History of National Caramel Apple Day

In the 1950s, a Kraft Foods employee had a plethora of caramel candies leftover from the ghoulish holiday and, apparently, a few apples as well. Figuring out a way to use up these extra caramels, the confectioner, Dan Walker, decided to melt them and covered the apples with the melted caramel, creating an immediate autumnal classic.

As fall is associated so commonly with apple picking, apple cider and caramel apples don’t fall far from the metaphorical tree. So as apple season comes to a close in late October, the remaining apples are either used to create a hot cider, apple pie, or deliciously sticky and sweet caramel apples.

It didn’t take long for caramel apples to become the official snack of hayrides and corn mazes, but it did take long for caramel and apples to become what they are today. From their advents in the Middle East to the tall tale (or fact?) of Johnny Appleseed, apples have a long history with humans. Caramel was created roughly around 1000 AD and, since then, the candies have held a firm place in the drawers of grandparents everywhere and, more recently, atop delicious apples.

National Caramel Apple Day timeline

6500 BC

How ya like them apples?

According to some historians, apple trees were the first trees to be cultivated by humans. In fact, experts argue, the origin of all modern-day varieties of apples was in Anatolia (near present-day Turkey).

1000 AD

Caramel entered the sweet food scene

There's no consensus as to the origins of caramel, but some experts say a hard, crunchy version of caramel was first concocted by Arabs.

1800s

Trick or treat!

Halloween became a bonafide holiday celebration due to the influence of Irish and Scottish immigrants. By 1900, many Americans celebrated the spooky holiday, which ultimately grew into a cultural phenomenon — from sea to "The Shining" sea.

1950s

Dan Walker invented the caramel apple

According to legend, a Kraft Foods employee named Dan Walker invented the first caramel apple one day during the 1950s when he was trying to figure out what to do with a bunch of extra caramel candies. Good thinkin', Dan!

1970s

Kraft made it easy as apple pie

Kraft Foods introduced "Wrapples" (with commercials featuring "Johnny Wrappleseed"). These were small slices of caramel that could be wrapped over apples to make quick-and-easy caramel apples at home.

National Caramel Apple Day FAQs

When is National Caramel Apple Day?

National Caramel Apple Day 2026 falls on Saturday, October 31, perfectly coinciding with Halloween for a double dose of festive fun. It’s the ideal day to indulge in this classic autumnal treat.

Who invented the caramel apple?

The caramel apple is widely credited to Fred W. Sanders, a confectioner at Kraft Foods. In the 1950s, he reportedly experimented with leftover Halloween caramels, dipping apples into them and inadvertently creating a beloved seasonal treat.

How many caramel apples are sold each year?

While precise figures are hard to pinpoint, estimates suggest millions of caramel apples are sold annually, particularly in the lead-up to and during the Halloween season. They remain a top-selling seasonal confection.

What are the best apples for caramel apples?

For optimal caramel apples, firm, crisp, and slightly tart varieties are best to balance the sweetness of the caramel. Popular choices include Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, Fuji, and Gala apples, offering a satisfying crunch.

National Caramel Apple Day Activities

Get your hands on some
All food-related holidays and observances are best experienced with gusto — and National Caramel Apple Day is no exception. Get one before they're gone!
Make your own caramel apples
We know the basics: melted caramel, an apple (Granny Smith, Fuji, etc.) and a stick. But there are so many ways to prep this Halloween standard. Cover your caramel with peanuts, sprinkles, or kosher salt (our fave) — whatever you like!
Spice up the proceedings
Create a tasty caramel apple (how 'bout a Granny Smith apple with caramel and white chocolate?) and then gorge on it while wearing a super-creative Halloween costume (how 'bout dressing up as Maria Ann "Granny" Smith herself?).

5 Things To Chew On While Enjoying Caramel Apples

Apples in the New World
Colonists in the 1600s first introduced North America to the apples we eat and enjoy today.
Don't be too crabby
The only apple native to North America is the crabapple, which most people find sour and unpleasant to eat.
A reverend planted the first American orchard
Rev. William Blaxton, the first colonist to settle in Boston, planted an apple orchard in 1625 — the first one on the North American continent.
Johnny Appleseed was a real dude
John Chapman, better known as Johnny Appleseed, introduced apple trees to many parts of the American midwest.
There was once a cosmic-sized caramel ball
In 2015, Cosmos Creations of Junction City, Kansas, made the world’s largest caramel corn ball. It weighed 6,780 pounds.

Why We Love National Caramel Apple Day

Caramel apples are golden AND delicious
Apples are perfectly tasty on their own, of course. But the addition of a caramel coating turns the whole apple-eating experience into something extra yummy.
Golden, delicious caramel is apple-friendly
There's just something sweet and special about the way melted caramel coats the outside of a bright red apple. It's like they were made for each other.
Caramel apples keep your hands clean
Caramel apples are delectable treats — and with the clever addition of a stick, you don't have to goo up your hands while you're eating one. Unless you want to, of course. Stick-less caramel apple-eaters unite!