Cream Cheese Caramel Apple Dip
This quick and delicious Cream Cheese Caramel Apple Dip makes it easy to enjoy all the flavor of a caramel apple with half the effort! Treat your family and friends to the perfect dessert dip layered with flavor and topped with crunchy toffee bits!
If you are hosting a get-together this fall, this dip should definitely be served! It’s an easy and fun way to serve caramel apples to a crowd–without all the effort of a traditional caramel apples recipe.
This creamy dip starts with a base of soft, whipped cream cheese, then smooth caramel dipping sauce, and topped with the perfect crunch of toffee bits. Serve it with slices of crisp apples–or any other dippers you love–and it’s sure to be a hit!
This dip is really the perfect party food. Everyone loves a spin on an old classic, and this Cream Cheese Caramel Apple Dip makes it easy to completely customize to your liking.
You can serve it as a snack, a dessert, or even an appetizer alongside these Mummy Pigs in a Blanket! And the dipping options are endless.
I love a good dessert dip! If you do, too, check out my recipes for Dunkaroo Dip, Booty Dip, and Brownie Batter Dip for other delicious No Bake Desserts!
Why Make This Recipe
- Nostalgia: This dip is a new twist on a classic caramel apple. It has all the smooth caramel flavor you love but it makes it even easier to share, enjoy and customize.
- Make Ahead: This dessert dip is easy to make and store until you’re ready to serve. If you’re planning the ultimate fall party, this is the perfect dish to choose!
- Adjustable: The toffee topping on this dip really adds a beautiful depth of flavor and texture but if you’re not a fan of toffee you can easily leave it off or replace it with something you do love on a caramel apple. Replace it with crushed oreos, mini chocolate chips, mini M&Ms or peanuts. You could also place those items in their own dishes and let your guests decide what to dip their apple in!
Ingredients to Make Cream Cheese Caramel Apple Dip
Here is a visual overview of the ingredients in the recipe. Scroll down to the recipe at the bottom for quantities.
- Cream Cheese: Let your cream cheese come to room temperature before you mix to make mixing it much easier. You can use low fat cream cheese if you want to cut some of the fat.
- Powdered Sugar: This makes your cream cheese layer light and fluffy.
- Vanilla: Vanilla extract really enhances the flavor of the cream cheese.
- Cinnamon: Cinnamon is always the perfect compliment to apples. Feel free to also include nutmeg if you want more fall flavor!
- Caramel Dip: You can use any brand you prefer. I use the Marzetti brand.
- Toffee Bits: Toffee bits have the perfect flavor and texture for this dip. Toffee bits aren’t hard like a heath bar, but they add a beautiful little crunch!
- Chopped Peanuts: These are optional but add another layer of flavor and crunch. If you don’t like peanuts, you can also substitute walnuts or pecans, or leave nuts off entirely.
- Apple Slices: Classic caramel apples are made with Granny Smith but you can use any apples you prefer. Honeycrisp and Fuji are great choices. If you’re serving a crowd feel free to use several different kinds of apples!
Tools
- Mixing Bowl
- Electric Hand Mixer
Recipe Variations
This recipe is easy to switch up to your liking!
The most obvious and easy change to make is the final layer on top. Feel free to switch out the toffee and peanuts for any caramel apple toppings you love. You can use any of the following:
- Crushed Oreos
- Mini chocolate chips
- Mini M&Ms
- Pecans
- Walnuts
- Cashews
- Graham cracker crumbs
- Pretzels
- Cookie crumbs
- You could also leave that top layer off completely!
Another great substitution is using brown sugar in your cream cheese layer instead of powdered sugar. You will end up with a slightly different texture but the brown sugar adds a rich flavor to the dip that is reminiscent of this Apple Pie Caramel Apple.
How to Make This Recipe
Step 1: Combine the cream cheese, powdered sugar, vanilla, and cinnamon together until it is fully combined and fluffy with no lumps.
Step 2: Spread the cream cheese mixture into the bottom of a shallow bowl to create the first layer of your dip.
Step 3: Heat up the caramel to make it pourable. Then pour the warm caramel dip over the top of the cream cheese mixture.
Step 4: Top with toffee bits and chopped peanuts, then serve with sliced apples. Enjoy!
Expert Tips
- Be sure your cream cheese is softened to room temperature before you begin mixing. This helps you achieve the perfect, fluffy texture. If it is cold you’ll create more work for yourself but you may also end up with lumps of cream cheese in your dip.
- Be cautious warming your caramel dip. You want it warm enough to pour but not too warm that it melts the cream cheese layer. Pour and spread it carefully to avoid disturbing the bottom layer.
- You can split this dip into smaller individual-sized cups for serving if you want to avoid the risk of double dippers!
- Slice your apples just before serving to keep them from going brown. You can also mix them with a little bit of lemon juice to help preserve their color.
- If you want Caramel Apple Taste but don’t want a full caramel apple, you can also try making these Caramel Apple Slices!
What to Serve With Cream Cheese Caramel Apple Dip?
The obvious choice for this dip is apples but it is not your only option!
You can enjoy this dip with any dippers you love. I recommend:
- Graham crackers
- Oreos
- Pretzels
- Vanilla Wafers
- Strawberries
- Pear Slices
- Shortbread Cookies
- Gingerbread Cookies
- Biscoff cookies
If you do stick with apples, you don’t have to choose one kind! You can add some beautiful color to your presentation with a variety of apples. I like to use Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, Sugar Bee, Braeburn, Pink Lady or Fuji. It would be fun to do a taste test and see which apples everyone prefers!
Recipe FAQs
This dip is a great make-ahead dish. You can mix it up, cover it with plastic wrap and put it in the fridge for later. It will stay good for about 4 days in the fridge! You can simply cover the serving dish with plastic wrap.
When you are ready to serve it’s a good idea to take it out of the refrigerator about 20 minutes before you serve to give the cream cheese a chance to soften.
This dip is best served cold or at room temperature. It is not meant to be served warm.
Did you enjoy this Cream Cheese Caramel Apple Dip recipe? If so, make sure to check out these other recipes I picked out just for you:
- Apple Pie Baked Beans
- Cream Cheese Salsa Dip
- Applesauce Cookies with Brown Butter Cream Cheese Frosting
If you tried this Cream Cheese Caramel Apple Dip Recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below!
Cream Cheese Caramel Apple Dip
Equipment
- Mixing Bowl
- Electric Hand Mixer
Ingredients
- 8 oz Cream Cheese, softened
- ½ cup Powdered Sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla
- ⅛ tsp cinnamon
- ½ cup Caramel Dip, I use Marzetti brand
- 2 Tbsp Toffee Bits
- 2 Tbsp Peanuts, chopped
- Apple Slices, for serving
Instructions
- In a medium mixing bowl, use an electric hand mixer to combine the cream cheese, powdered sugar, vanilla, and cinnamon together.
- Spread the cream cheese mixture into the bottom of a shallow bowl.
- Put the caramel dip in a small, microwave safe bowl. Heat it up in the microwave for about 30 seconds, until it is pourable.
- Pour the warm caramel dip over the top of the cream cheese mixture. Use a rubber spatula or the back of a spoon to lightly spread the caramel around, covering the top of the dip.
- Top with toffee bits and chopped peanuts. Served with sliced apples. Enjoy!
Notes
- Cream Cheese: Let your cream cheese come to room temperature before you mix to make mixing it much easier. You can use low fat cream cheese if you want to cut some of the fat.
- Cinnamon: Feel free to also include nutmeg if you want more fall flavor!
- Caramel Dip: You can use any brand you prefer. I use the Marzetti brand.
- Chopped Peanuts: These are optional but add another layer of flavor and crunch. If you don’t like peanuts, you can also substitute walnuts or pecans, or leave nuts off entirely.
- Apple Slices: Classic caramel apples are made with Granny Smith but you can use any apples you prefer. Honeycrisp and Fuji are great choices. If you’re serving a crowd, feel free to use several different kinds of apples!
- Be sure your cream cheese is softened to room temperature before you begin mixing. This helps you achieve the perfect, fluffy texture. If it is cold you’ll create more work for yourself but you may also end up with lumps of cream cheese in your dip.
- Be cautious warming your caramel dip. You want it warm enough to pour but not too warm that it melts the cream cheese layer. Pour and spread it carefully to avoid disturbing the bottom layer.
- You can split this dip into smaller individual-sized cups for serving if you want to avoid the risk of double dippers!
- Slice your apples just before serving to keep them from going brown. You can also mix them with a little bit of lemon juice to help preserve their color.
