This Jolly Rancher Candy Apple recipe is a great way to make custom candied apples that will fit every season and every party you have. When you make candy apples with Jolly Ranchers it’s easy get bold flavor and bright colors.
They look gorgeous on a tray, and the colors can be customized for various themes and holidays!
We loved creating them and included colored melting chocolate to create a mermaid candied apples theme.
Scroll to the bottom for a printable version of this Jolly Rancher candy apple recipe.
Jolly Rancher Apple Recipe
- 12 apples (red or green apple)
- 2-3 bags Jolly Ranchers hard candies
- 1 cup blue candy melts
- 1 cup teal candy melts
- 1 cup purple candy melts
- 2-3 Tablespoons shortening or coconut oil
- Mermaid sprinkle mix
or coconut oilKitchen Tools to help you make Jolly Rancher Apples:
- Popsicle sticks
- Baking tray or cutting board with parchment paper or silicone mat over the top
- Microwave-safe bowls
or 
How to make Jolly Rancher Candy Apples
Insert a popsicle stick
or candy stick
into the top stem area of each apple and set aside.
Unwrap your Jolly Rancher hard candy and separate them into 3 bowls to create your clear candy dip. I mixed half green apple Jolly Rancher and blue for a pretty teal candy mixture and added some pink to the purple candies to lighten it up.
The final bowl was just blue jolly ranchers.
One at a time, place each bowl in the microwave for 30 seconds to one minute, until your Jolly Ranchers are slightly bubbling.
Carefully remove them from the microwave and dip your apples into the mixture.
You may need to tip the bowl to swirl and coat fully.
Let the excess candy drip off before placing the candy apple on a silicone mat-lined baking tray to set.
Reheat for 20-30 seconds in between each apple.
Repeat with the same Jolly Ranchers coating for 3 more apples, and then repeat the entire process with the other colors of Jolly Ranchers and the remaining apples.
You will end up with 4 apples coated with each of the three colors.
Let the apples set for two hours or overnight.
Place the blue candy melts in a microwave-safe bowl and heat for 30 seconds.
Stir well and reheat as needed until fully melted. Stir in the shortening or coconut oil for a smooth and runny consistency.
Take each of the blue Jolly Rancher coated apples and dip them into the blue candy coating.
Let the excess candy drip off and then immediately sprinkle on your mermaid sprinkle mixture.
Place back on the silicone mat and repeat with the remaining blue apples.
Repeat this entire process with each color of candy melt and apples.
Let Jolly Rancher apples sit for 1 hour or overnight before serving.
Mermaid Desserts
We did our candy apples in a mermaid theme. Need additional mermaid desserts? Try Mermaid Rice Krispie Treats or Mermaid Bark, both magical choices!
Jolly Rancher Candy Apples Recipe
Jolly Rancher Candied apples are a great way to bring a custom look and flavor to any party. You can even make mermaid candy apples!
- 12 apples
- 2-3 bags Jolly Ranchers hard candies
- 1 cup blue candy melts
- 1 cup teal candy melts
- 1 cup purple candy melts
- 2-3 Tablespoons shortening or coconut oil
- Mermaid sprinkle mix
- Kitchen Tools:
- Popsicle sticks
- Baking tray or cutting board with parchment paper or silicone mat overtop
- Microwave-safe bowls
- Insert a popsicle stick or candy stick into the top stem area of each apple and set aside.
- Unwrap your candies and separate into 3 bowls to create your clear candy dip. I mixed half green and blue for a pretty teal, and added some pink to the purple candies to lighten it up. The final bowl was just blue candies.
- One at a time, place each bowl in the microwave for 30 seconds to one minute, until slightly bubbling.
- Carefully remove from the microwave and dip your apples into the mixture. You may need to tip the bowl to swirl and coat fully. Let the excess candy drip off before placing the candy apple on a silcione mat-lined baking tray to set.
Reheat for 20-30 seconds in between each apple. Repeat with the same Jolly Ranchers coating for 3 more apples, and then repeat through the entire process with the other colors of Jolly Rancher's and the remaining apples.
- You will end up with 4 apples coated with each of the three colors.
- Let set for two hours or overnight.
- Place the blue candy melts in a microwave-safe bowl and heat for 30 seconds. Stir well and reheat as needed until fully melted. Stir in the shortening or coconut oil for a smooth and runny consistency.
- Take each of the blue Jolly Rancher coated apples and dip into the blue candy coating. Let the excess candy drip off and then immediately sprinkle on your mermaid sprinkle mixture.
- Place back on the silicone mat and repeat with the remaining blue apples.
- Repeat this entire process with each color of candy melt and apples.
- Let set for 1 hour or overnight before serving.
FAQs
Q: How do you melt Jolly Ranchers for candied fruit?
A: Put Jolly Ranchers in a microwave-safe bowl, then microwave them for 30-seconds at a time, stirring after every 30 seconds, until they’re melted.
Q: How are you supposed to eat candy apples?
A: Candy apples and caramel apples are a confusing, yet popular, Fall treat. You can hold it upside down by the stick and take bites, but this is really hard on your teeth and gums. The stick is really for dipping the apple, not for eating it. The best way to eat it is to take it off the stick and slice it into wedges so you can take smaller bites. This is much less messy and easier on your mouth.
Q: What do you wrap candy apples in?
A: If you need to wrap candy apples to give them away later, the most important step is to let them sit and fully harden – ideally overnight. Cellophane sheets work best for wrapping candy apples because it’s stiffer than plastic wrap so it doesn’t stick as badly. Place the apple in the middle of a square of cellophane, pull the edges up around the apple, then secure the cellophane with a piece of ribbon.