Apple Nachos with Vegan Caramel Sauce

These apple nachos with a vegan caramel sauce make the perfect healthy treat, snack or appetizer! They’re easily customizable and great for the whole family! Who could resist a plate of these apple nachos!? {Gluten-free & Vegan-friendly}

Why Make this Recipe

• Easy – Although it looks complicated, this snack is actually super simple to whip together. Prepare a batch of the healthy caramel sauce in advance to cut down on prep time even more!
• Kid-friendly – If you’re looking for a fun way to incorporate more fresh produce and healthy fats into your kids’ menu, these apple nachos are the perfect healthy treat! Get your kids involved by letting them drizzle on the “caramel sauce” and choose the toppings!
• Perfect for serving a crowd – This recipe is always a hit with family and friends! You can serve these apple nachos up on a tray or arrange them buffet style. Either way, this healthy treat will not disappoint!
• Easily customizable – You can use the suggested toppings or sub in your own favourites! It can be adapted according to your taste preferences and can easily be made nut-free and dairy-free if there are any allergies or intolerances.

Ingredient Notes

• Apples – The apple slices form the base of this recipe and add a nice sweet crunch that pairs perfectly with the healthy “caramel sauce.” See below for suggestions on which types of apples to use.
• Nuts – Nuts add a great crunch to this recipe. I used sliced almonds and roughly chopped pecans, but feel free to sub in chopped peanuts, walnuts, cashews or seeds like pumpkin, Hemp or sunflower seeds to make the recipe nut-free.
• Chocolate chips – Choose dark chocolate chips with a higher percentage of cocoa for a healthier option with more antioxidants! You can use regular or mini chocolate chips, or opt for ones that are dairy-free if desired.
• Almond butter – The almond butter makes the perfect healthy substitute for caramel sauce, especially when combined with some maple syrup and vanilla extract! Look for one that has no added salt or sugar. I also prefer to use one that’s smooth and a little more runny since it’s easier to drizzle over the apple slices. You can also sub in another nut butter like natural peanut butter or cashew butter or a nut-free option such as Wow butter, sun butter or pumpkin seed butter, if desired.
• Maple syrup – The maple syrup adds a bit of sweetness to the caramel sauce and a pleasant maple flavour. Use 100% pure maple syrup if possible.

Step by Step Instructions

Step 1 – Slice the Apples

Slice up the apples thin enough so that it would be easy to eat the slice in one or two bites. Lightly spritz the apples with lemon juice or use one of the other methods described below to keep them from browning too fast. Evenly distribute the apple slices onto a large plate in a single layer.

Step 2 – Make the Vegan Caramel Sauce

In a small bowl, mix almond butter, maple syrup, and vanilla extract together until it reaches a smooth, caramel-like consistency.

Step 3 – Drizzle the Caramel Sauce

Using a spoon or squeeze bottle, drizzle the almond butter mixture onto the apples.

Step 3 – Top the Apple Nachos with All the Things

Top the apple slices with a sprinkle of unsweetened coconut flakes, sliced almonds, chocolate chips, and chopped pecans (or sub in any preferred toppings). This healthy chocolate granola or any of the flavours of this almond butter granola would taste amazing on them too!

Drizzle a little more of the caramel sauce onto the apple slices. Enjoy!

Recipe Tips

• To prevent the apples from browning, spritz with some lemon juice mixed with water before adding the sauce and toppings or use one of the other methods suggested below.
• For best results, slice the apples right before serving so that they stay nice and fresh.
• You may wish to add a bit of water to the “caramel” mixture to thin it out a bit and make it easier to drizzle over the apple slices. Start with one tablespoon and adjust to achieve desired consistency.
• Make up a larger batch of the caramel sauce to eat throughout the week. You can even keep it in a squeeze bottle in the fridge. That way, when ready to serve, you simply have to chop up the apple slices, drizzle on the sauce and top with all the things. It makes a great after school or mid-afternoon snack!

Recipe FAQs

What type of apples should I use?

You can use your favourite type of apple or whatever apples you have on hand. I’ve had good luck using Gala and Cortland since I found that these apples didn’t brown as quickly. You can either use apples that are on the sweeter side or more tart depending on the taste you’re going for.

Some apples that are on the sweeter side include Gala, Honeycrisp, Ambrosia and Golden Delicious, while apples that tend to be more on the tart side include Granny Smith, Cortland and MacIntosh.

I’ve used a variety of different apples for this recipe and it turned out equally tasty each time!

How to slice an apple

There are a number of ways to slice an apple, but my favourite way is using the following method:

1. Cut the apple in half through the core.
2. Cut each half in half.
3. Using a sharp knife, cut out the core from each quarter.
4. Then slice each quarter into thin slices.

And BOOM, that’s it!

How to prevent apples from going brown

The most important thing you can do to avoid browning once the apple has been cut is to reduce the apple’s exposure to air. One of the simplest methods to limit browning is to submerge the apple slices in a bowl of water and place a clean piece of paper towel on top to ensure that the apples stay under the water since they will naturally want to float to the top.

You can also spritz them with a little bit of lemon or citrus juice (like pineapple juice or orange juice) before adding the toppings and “caramel sauce” or place the apple slices in a bowl of water with about two tablespoons of citrus juice added. The citrus juice contains citric acid which can help to slow the chemical reaction and prevent browning.

Or you can place the apples in a bowl of water with about 1/8th of a teaspoon of salt.

Take your pick — these methods can all help to prolong the browning process from occurring for a few hours.

Can I make these ahead of time?

Yes! If you do choose to make the apple nachos in advance, I recommend using one of the methods above to help prevent the apples from browning and store the apple slices in an air-tight container or Ziploc bag to prevent them from being exposed to the air and browning prematurely.

That being said, for best results and optimal freshness, slice the apples the same day that you plan on serving.

Storage guidelines

You can store these apple nachos in the fridge for up to two days. I recommend that you place them in an air-tight container or cover tightly with saran wrap to limit air exposure and keep them looking and tasting as fresh as possible.

Serving guidelines

There are a number of ways that you can serve up these nachos. You can lay out the apple slices on a big plate or tray, drizzle on the sauce and toppings and allow everyone to dig in.

Alternatively, you can create individual servings in decorative foil, plastic or paper serving cups.

Place several apple slices in a cup, drizzle with the sauce and sprinkle on the toppings or allow everyone to make their own cups buffet style. This makes a cute little appetizer or party snack, similar to my “Caramel” Apple Skewers!

Either way, they’re sure to be a hit with family and friends!

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This recipe was originally posted September 2018 and has been updated October 2020 to include better recipe tips and photos.