Halloween , Grilled Apples , Salted Caramel , Almonds , Peanut Butter
Best for: A warm fall dessert with a playful Halloween finish.
Thick apple wedges get lightly grilled, then paired into smiling mouths with almond teeth. Peanut butter helps the pieces stay together, and salted caramel adds a sweet finishing drizzle.
Grill: Direct medium heat, 350–375°F. Equipment: Knife, tongs, spoon, grill-safe small saucepan. Course: Dessert.
Ingredients
6–8 minutes Cooling: 5 minutes. Total: 31–33 minutes.
- 2 large firm apples, such as Honeycrisp or Pink Lady
- 1 tablespoon neutral oil
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ cup smooth peanut butter
- ¼ cup slivered almonds
- ⅓ cup prepared caramel sauce
- 1 tablespoon water
- ⅛ teaspoon fine sea salt, or less if sauce is already salted
Directions
Preheat the grill. Core each apple and cut into 8 thick wedges, for 16 wedges total. Keep the skins on to help the pieces hold their shape.
Toss apple wedges gently with oil and cinnamon. Place over direct medium heat, positioning them across the grate so they cannot fall through.
Grill for 3–4 minutes per cut side, until lightly marked and just tender. Avoid softening them so much that they collapse. Transfer to a tray and cool for 5 minutes.
Warm caramel sauce with water in a small saucepan over gentle heat, stirring until pourable. Taste and add salt as needed, up to ⅛ teaspoon.
Spread a little peanut butter on one cut face of each wedge. Pair wedges with coated faces inward and red skin outward, leaving a small opening at the front. Press almond slivers into the peanut butter as teeth and gently join each pair at the back.
Arrange 8 mouths on a platter. Drizzle with warm salted caramel and serve immediately, with 2 mouths per serving.
Grilling tip: A slight char and firm center work best; fully softened apples will not hold the mouth shape.
Allergens: Peanuts, tree nuts (almonds), and usually milk in caramel. These contain crunchy almond pieces.
