Caramel Dip for Apples (with Butterscotch Chips)

A bowl of creamy caramel dip with chocolate chips, drizzled with caramel sauce, surrounded by sliced apples and a small pitcher of caramel.

Caramel Dip for Apples (with Butterscotch Chips)

This caramel apple dip combines cream cheese, brown sugar, homemade caramel sauce, and butterscotch chips into a creamy, indulgent fall dessert dip served with crisp apple slices. Easy make-ahead party recipe.

Course Appetizer, Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword butterscotch caramel dip, caramel dip for apples, easy caramel dip

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 19

Chill Time 30

Servings

Calories 465kcal

Ingredients

18 oz Cream Cheese softened (2 and 1/4 eight-ounce packages)
6 tbsp Brown Sugar scant 1/2 cup
1.5 cups Homemade Caramel Sauce about 12 ounces; recipe below
3/4 cup Butterscotch Chips

Homemade Caramel Sauce

1 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup water
5 tablespoons unsalted butter room temperature
1 cup heavy cream warmed
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 flaky sea salt optional

Instructions

Combine sugar and water in a saucepan; heat over medium until dissolved and amber-colored (5–8 minutes).
Remove from heat. Whisk in butter, then warm cream (mixture will bubble).
Add vanilla extract and salt. Let cool to room temperature.

Assembly

Mix softened cream cheese with brown sugar until smooth.
Blend in 1.5 cups cooled caramel sauce.
Stir in butterscotch chips.
Chill and serve with apple slices.

Notes

Do not stir the caramel while it's cooking. Stirring causes the sugar to crystallize and produces a grainy, seized caramel rather than the smooth, glossy sauce you want. Swirl the pan gently if needed but keep the spoon out of it.
Warm the heavy cream before adding it to the hot sugar. Cold cream hitting scorching hot caramel can cause it to seize. Thirty seconds in the microwave is enough.
The cream cheese must be fully softened — room temperature for at least an hour. Cold cream cheese produces a lumpy dip that no amount of mixing will fix.
Make the caramel a day ahead if you want to simplify the process. It keeps refrigerated for up to two weeks and the dip comes together in five minutes once the caramel is ready.

Nutrition