This easy caramel apple dip went viral on TikTok and Facebook for a reason! With only four-ingredients, it’s simple to make and it’s absolutely delicious. The cream cheese, powdered sugar, caramels, and toffee bits combine together in the ultimate dessert dip – you’ll never want to buy store-bought apple dip again!
The Best Caramel Apple Dip
I’m a huge fan of caramel apples but they’re not great for serving up at a party – just too time-consuming unless you’re going to do a DIY caramel apple bar. So I’ve started serving this cream cheese caramel apple dip instead and let me tell you, it’s always gone so fast!
And people are always asking me for the recipe. Every single time I serve it!
This cream cheese caramel apple dip is my new go-to fall party recipe because it’s so easy to make and pretty much everyone loves it. And it’s definitely one of my favorite apple party ideas!
I mean what’s not to love? Caramel, cream cheese, sugar. Plus, the toffee bits on the top don’t even taste like toffee, they just taste like more yummy flavor! I don’t like toffee and I love this!
Serve this up with a little caramel apple bark for the most amazing apple spread ever! It’d be a huge hit as an after school snack, party dessert dip, or just a yummy dessert for this time of year!
Why you’ll love this Dip
- Easy – just combine the simple ingredients, top it with some caramel and toffee bits and you have a delicious dip to pair with fresh apples!
- Stores well – make this ahead of time or make it right before your party, it doesn’t matter because it tastes just as good a day or two later! There’s a reason this sweet dip is my go-to for fall gatherings! It’s also good at room temperature so that’s always a hit!
- Toffee topping – when I said the toffee doesn’t taste like toffee, I wasn’t kidding. Toffee bits aren’t hard like a cut up Heath Bar, they’re soft but still with that yummy toffee flavor! And it goes really well with the caramel sauce!
Ingredients
Ingredient Notes
- Cream cheese – remove the cream cheese from the fridge 30-60 minutes before you’re ready to make the dip so it’s soft enough to mix with the other ingredients!
- Lemon juice – fresh or bottled lemon juice works fine in this recipe!
- Apples – any kind of apples work well to dip in this recipe. I typically like to serve a variety of sweet and tart green apples (granny smith apples are my favorite nice tart apples) like Disney uses for their Disneyland Halloween treats! If the fresh apple slices will be out for a while, I like to coat them with a little lemon juice to avoid them browning.
- Toffee bits – while you could do something like chopped up a Heath Bar, this recipe is best made with a bag of these toffee bits that you can get in grocery stores! But it’s also good with Heath bits, whatever you want!
- Caramel sauce – you can use caramel ice cream topping or your favorite caramel sauce. Just don’t try to use melted caramels – they’ll harden and that’s not what you want for this dip!
How to make this caramel apple dip
Okay so I already mentioned this recipe is super simple. And when I’m saying super simple, I mean simple as 1, 2, 3.
You ready? Here we go!
- Beat the cream cheese, powdered sugar, vanilla, and lemon juice in a bowl. You can do this either by hand using a whisk, a hand mixer, or do it in a stand mixer. Use whatever works best for you as long as you can get it all nice and creamed together to make your cream cheese layer!
Important!
Make sure your cream cheese is soft before you do this. If it’s still cold and too hard, you’ll end up with little chunks of cream cheese in the dip – not the fluffy caramel apple dip we’re going for.
- Transfer the dip to a shallow bowl or serving dish of some sort. This will make it so the dip is not as deep and give people more surface area for dipping into – kind of the same reason I put this buffalo chicken dip in a 9×13 pan instead of a 9×9 one!
- Pour the thick caramel sauce on top of the cream cheese dip to make the caramel layer.
- Top the caramel with the toffee bits, making sure to get bits all over the dip. This is a toffee apple dip after all! You really want every bite in the dip to have the cheesecake layer, the caramel, and the toffee bits.
Serve with fresh sliced apples, other fresh fruit, or other dippers for the yummiest, creamiest, caramel apple dip ever! Or caramel apple cream cheese dip I guess I should say!
There’s a reason this easy caramel apple dip was a crowd pleaser on TikTok – so easy and so delicious! It’s perfect for holiday parties all fall long!
What to Serve with Caramel Apple Dip
Even though I’m calling this an apple dip, that doesn’t mean you can only serve it with apples! This is also great served with:
- Graham crackers
- Vanilla Wafers
- Pear slices
- Pretzels (hello sweet and salty)
- Gingerbread cookies – the hard kind, not the soft ones
- Cinnamon sugar pita crisps or tortilla chips
- Shortbread cookies
Tips & tricks
Make these into individual dips by putting a tablespoon of the cream cheese mixture into little condiment cups like these. Top with caramel and toffee bits then let people take their own individual dips and crisp apple slices on their plates rather than trying to spoon it out or dip out of the main dish!
Store leftovers in the fridge in an airtight container for up to four days. You can either cover or just wrap tightly with a layer of plastic wrap.
Slice the apples right before serving to keep them from getting brown. Or toss in a bag with a little bit of lemon juice!
Try it with brown sugar instead of powdered sugar. One of my followers on Instagram swears by this alternative, and I have to agree it’s a good option to try! But this creamy caramel dip is good no matter what type of sugar you use!
Recipe FAQs
This cream cheese caramel apple dip needs to be refrigerated because of the cream cheese in it. Store it in the fridge covered or in an airtight container for up to four days before disposing in the trash.
This dip is best served cold straight out of the refrigerator. The texture of the dip changes if you warm it up.
You can make this caramel apple dip ahead of time! Do everything per the recipe instructions other than adding the toffee bits on top. Refrigerate for up to three days and when you’re ready to serve, simply add the toffee bits and serve.
More Easy Dips
If you like dips, these are some of our favorites – dessert dips and savory ones! Dips are always a crowd favorite at any party I host!
- Cream cheese fruit dip – this super simple fruit dip combines cream cheese and citrus in a refreshingly delicious dip!
- Taco dip with meat – you’ve probably had taco dip but you’ve never had it like this! It’s like eating tacos but in dip form and so much better than the other stuff!
- Christmas tree cheese ball – let people dip crackers and chips into this super festive holiday cheese ball!
- Queso fundido recipe – cheese, chorizo, and spices make this one of the best Mexican inspired dip recipes you’ll ever try!
- Spinach dip in bread bowl – if you’ve never eaten your spinach artichoke dip in a bread bowl, you’re missing out! This is the best way to make and eat spinach dip!
Cream Cheese Caramel Apple Dip Recipe
Ingredients
- 8 ounces cream cheese softened
- ¼ cup powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ tsp lemon juice
- ¼ cup caramel sauce
- 2 TBS toffee bits
- apples for serving
Instructions
- Combine the softened cream cheese, powdered sugar, vanilla, and lemon juice in a bowl. Beat until smooth.8 ounces cream cheese, 1/4 cup powdered sugar, 1 tsp vanilla extract, 1/2 tsp lemon juice
- Move the cream cheese mixture to a shallow dish.
- Top the cream cheese dip with caramel sauce and toffee bits, making sure to cover every part of the cream cheese layer.1/4 cup caramel sauce, 2 TBS toffee bits
- Serve chilled with sliced apples.apples
Marj Kiehlbauch says
What a delicious easy recipe. I added a little cinnamon to the cream cheese just to add a little flavor associated with caramel apples.
shoni b says
I took this to a family gathering last night, and the cousin who is very much a savory over sweet person asked for the recipe!! I call that a HUGE win!!
I put it into an 8″ x 8″ square pan and feel like I should have doubled the recipe for that size dish. I’ll either use a different dish next time or double it for that pan.
As another variation, I used the Fleur de Sel caramel from my Trader Joe’s as the caramel, and it added a bit of umami to the dip.
The toffee bits definitely gave it a bit of texture, as well. I really enjoyed that, as my apples were a little soft.
Overall, very delicious, and will make again!
Britni Vigil says
I’m glad you enjoyed it!
Louise Conn says
This is GREAT, Party favorite!! TY
Sheila Eaton says
This was so good. My family love fall foods and apples!
Debbie Checkle says
Love the individual cups idea!! It is so yummy everyone stood around the table to get some before it was demolished!!
Trisha says
Can’t wait for our next women’s get together so I can try this. I love apples and caramel!
Sherry Bjorklund Garcia says
Yummy dip. I added cinnamon to the cream cheese.
Joan Lombardi says
It’s that time of year to make this one!
Fran says
Super easy and Super Good!
I don’t know who enjoyed it more parents or children!!
karen moore says
I made this for a block party this weekend. It was super easy and yummy. I was not sure how the toffee chips would taste with it but it all really came together. Perfect for the start of fall. Think it would also be good with graham crackers as a spread.