Spooktacular Salted Caramel Sauce Cake Pops

TGIF and Happy Friday, friends!! 

We have a busy festival filled weekend coming up! On Saturday we are heading to Lilburn Daze and bright and early Sunday morning we are picking up my mom and heading to North Georgia for the Georgia Apple Festival!!

I was flipping through my Taste of the South Holiday Baking Magazine the other night and came across (TONS of recipes) a super savory recipe for a salted caramel sauce. 

I've never actually made my own caramel sauce, and what better way to enjoy some fresh Georgia apples than in a delicious dipping sauce, so I thought I'd give it a whirl...two words, simple and delectable! 

I picked up these "Spooky Sprinkles" about a month ago at TJ Maxx and have been dying (no pun intended) to use them. What better excuse than some salted caramel drizzled cake pops!

Salted Caramel Sauce:

• 1 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup water
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
• 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream at room temp
• 1/2 teaspoon of Kosher salt

In a saucepan, mix sugar and water. Let it boil over medium heat, WITHOUT stirring...you just want to stick a spoon in there and stir, but don't do it! Instead use a brush dipped in water and ring the sides of the pan to prevent a sticky sugary buildup. Once the sugar water mixture starts boiling it will change to a beautiful golden tan hue; at this point take off the heat and add the butter, cream, and salt. It's going to bubble like a cauldron, FYI--let cool to room temperature before using.

I poured mine into a Ball Mason Jar for easy storage! Yum!!

Cake Pops:

• Cake mix
• Lollipop sticks
• Chocolate of your choice
• Sprinkles

Super simple, whip up a cake recipe...I just used a vanilla cake mix I had in the pantry.

I use the Baby Cakes Cake Pop Maker. It's like a waffle iron for cake pops.

Let this bad boy heat up and start filling the round reservoirs.

Don't be an asshole, the clean up is killer. I find that a tablespoon in each little basin is a perfect amount. 

Let bake for 5 minutes, viola...cake balls!

Melt chocolate, dip end of lollipop stick into chocolate, stick into cake ball, and let cool--this acts like glue for the stick and cake.

Next, take your cake ball on a stick and roll it around the melted chocolate. Gently tap stick to remove any excess candy. Let them solidify "standing up." I have always used an old egg crate for this process, but I've heard that a Styrofoam block works much better.

Drizzle with salted caramel sauce.

Add sprinkles of your choice.

Refrigerate the cake pops until all candy coatings have completely hardened.

The salted caramel sauce adds just another decadent layer of flavor to these sweet pastries and the sprinkles give it a great fall baking vibe!!

Let them eat cake...pops!! 

Mommy Daughter Halloween

She may not be able to ring a doorbell. She may not be able to say "trick-or-treat!" But Maggie does have the cutest outfits for her first Halloween (and so does her mom!!). Halloween was always incredibly special when I was growing up and I plan on making it equally as spooktacular for Mags! 

I found this super cute "Keep the Tricks" onesie from Cuter Than Words on Etsy. The long-sleeved top has adorable orange glitter details and let's be honest, we are here for the treats! 

We will be "trick-or-treating" at my in-laws, my moms, and my sister-in-laws the day before and on Halloween we are going to be heading up to the university my mom works at for a Halloween costume contest and then heading over to my husband's office. We will have a busy few days so I plan on making (and doing a tutorial) her a sweet little tutu out of orange, black, and white tulle. I thought this would be perfect to change her costume up a bit.

I had a VERY successful shopping trip to Hobby Lobby. All their Halloween items were on deep discount so I snagged a cheeky large hair bow, my 1st Halloween bib, and the most charismatic cat diaper cover ever!

Even though Maggie isn't even remotely close to being able to consume candy...I will gladly help her with that with this adorable kitty cat treat bag from the Dollar Spot at Target!

Since I'm a mom now, Halloween costumes are a bit more umm...conservative, than they used to be in the past. Again, Etsy came through for a sister with this darling skeleton racerback tank from Wild Hearts USA (this shop has some seriously witty tops, guys!).

Another Hob Lob purchase is this batty for you scarf! Because one can never have too many scarves!

Halloween calls for a bit of whimsy--this polka dotted fascinator headband is also from Hobby Lobby.

Last but certainly not least, I talked about my love for Brin and Bell in my post of September Hits. Again, this store came through for me with this darling dainty skull bracelet--just the perfect amount of additional flair!

What are you and your kiddos dressing up for Halloween?

Candy Apple Pops

Not to sound incredibly "basic," but I LOVE autumn! I love scarves. I love layering clothes. I love the sound of leaves falling from the trees and blowing through the air. I DO NOT love PSL's (I know, egad!). And I absolutely love candy apples!

I don't know what kick started my love for candy apples. Perhaps it was the fact that I grew up in Michigan and Bayne's Apple Valley Farm was the field trip you looked forward to all year or the Mrs. Prindable's Gourmet Caramel Apples my Granny used to order when I was a Wee Mags. Either way...I have an obsession!

Since I am down to my last few pounds of baby weight this recipe I stumbled across on Pinterest seemed like a deliciously legit alternative to drenching an entire apple in chocolate, caramel, and sugary goodness and gobbling it up!

Candy Apple Pops:

The key to a good candy apple is a tart apple--I used Granny Smith and Golden Delicious. Cut slices large enough where you can insert a lollipop stick without it popping out the side. With paper towels, pat the slices dry so that the chocolate and caramel can stick.

Now here's where my scathingly brilliant plan went slightly off track. I was planning on making my own salted caramel sauce, but somehow I completely forgot to get whipping cream while at the grocery store. So plan B came about--using salted caramel candy melts from Hobby Lobby that I had in my baking pantry.

After giving each slice a good sugary bath, let dry on parchment paper. 

While the candy coating in cooling, I chopped up some of my favorite sweet toppings: Reese's Peanut Butter Cups and Peanut M&M'S...also some salted peanuts! 

I drizzled white chocolate and the remainder of the milk chocolate and salted caramel over the apple segments. Then added the toppings while the chocolate was still warm.

These candy apple pops are sinfully scrumptious--let's just say I did a pretty intense Ashtanga yoga session today to make up for yesterdays gluttony. 

But you know the old saying: "An apple a day keeps the doctor away!" In my opinion, even sugarcoated apples!!

These were a super easy treat to make, I knocked them out (including dishes) while the little doll was down for her afternoon nap! What are your favorite autumnal confectionery delights?