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Caramel Apple Dessert Cups Recipe

Caramel Apple Dessert Cups Recipe
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★★★★★

5.1 from 27 reviews

Delight in these luscious Caramel Apple Dessert Cups featuring a spiced apple compote, a buttery vanilla wafer crust, and a rich caramel mousse topping. Perfect for an easy, make-ahead dessert that balances sweet, creamy, and fruity flavors in every bite.

Ingredients

Scale

Apple Filling

  • 4 cups apples, peeled and chopped
  • ½ cup light brown sugar
  • 1 tsp cinnamon

Crust

  • 2 cups vanilla wafer crumbs
  • ¼ cup butter, salted or unsalted, melted

Caramel Mousse

  • 1 package instant vanilla pudding mix (3.4 ounces)
  • 1 cup milk
  • ⅓ cup salted caramel sauce
  • 1 ½ cups heavy cream

Garnish

  • Additional caramel sauce for drizzle

Instructions

  1. Cook Apples: In a medium saucepan, combine peeled and chopped apples, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the apples soften and the liquid thickens, about 8-10 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.
  2. Make Crust: In a mixing bowl, combine vanilla wafer crumbs with melted butter. Stir until the crumbs are evenly coated and mixture holds together.
  3. Assemble Crust in Cups: Using a small cookie scoop, portion vanilla wafer crumb mixture into twenty-eight 2-ounce plastic cups. Press the mixture down firmly with the back of a cup or spoon to form a compact crust layer.
  4. Prepare Pudding Mix: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together instant vanilla pudding mix and milk until smooth. Chill the mixture in the refrigerator for 5 minutes to set slightly.
  5. Add Caramel: Stir in the salted caramel sauce into the vanilla pudding mixture. Using an electric hand mixer on medium speed, blend until smooth and fully combined.
  6. Whip Cream: Pour the heavy cream into the caramel pudding mixture. Whip with an electric hand mixer for 3-5 minutes until the mixture becomes thick and creamy, forming a luscious caramel mousse.
  7. Pipe Mousse: Transfer the caramel mousse into a large piping bag and pipe it evenly over the vanilla wafer crust in each plastic cup.
  8. Add Apple Topping: Spoon the cinnamon-spiced apples gently over the mousse layer in each cup. Drizzle with additional caramel sauce to enhance the flavor and presentation.
  9. Chill and Serve: Seal the cups with lids and refrigerate. These dessert cups can be served immediately or stored in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 days for flavors to meld perfectly.

Notes

  • Use tart apple varieties like Granny Smith for a balanced sweet-tart flavor.
  • Vanilla wafers can be substituted with graham cracker crumbs if desired.
  • For a lighter dessert, substitute heavy cream with whipping cream or use a reduced-fat caramel sauce.
  • Prepare the apple filling and crust ahead of time to save time when assembling.
  • Chilling the pudding mixture before whipping helps achieve a better mousse texture.
  • Seal cups tightly to maintain freshness if storing for multiple days.

Nutrition

Keywords: Caramel apple dessert cups, caramel mousse dessert, no bake dessert cups, apple cinnamon dessert, easy fall dessert

Find it online: https://yumwithmia.com/caramel-apple-dessert-cups-recipe/