Cinnamon Spiced Apple Rings with Red Hots Candy

Old-fashioned spiced apple rings are full of sweet, cinnamon goodness and so easy to make. They're the perfect side dish for pork and turkey. Let them sit in the syrup at least overnight for the best flavor.

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First published October 2017. Last updated April 13, 2025 for editorial improvements.

closeup of bright red spiced apple rings in a bowl.

Table of Contents

🧾 Ingredients
📖 Recipe
🔪 Step by step images
📖 Variations
🥫 How to store leftovers
Marye's Tips
🍽️ Repurpose leftovers
👩‍🍳 FAQs
📚 Related recipes
💬 Comments

Save this recipe by clicking on the ❤️ heart on the right-hand side of the screen or in the recipe card.

My family has always eaten spiced apple rings for holiday meals. It seemed like they mysteriously disappeared from the grocery store shelves during COVID, and never returned. I decided to give this recipe a try, and I am so glad I did - they are absolutely DELICIOUS!! Try it - you won’t regret it!!

Erica

These spiced apple rings are the retro side dish you didn’t know you needed—sweet, cinnamony, and sassier than your Aunt Myrtle’s holiday sweater. They come together in a flash, look gorgeous on a plate thanks to a splash of lemon juice, and taste like a cozy flashback to grandma’s kitchen (if grandma was into efficiency and flair).

Make a batch in minutes, pop 'em in a jar, and store them like the domestic goddess you are—fridge for a week, freezer for months, and yes ma’am, you can reuse that syrup. Waste not, want not!

🧾 Ingredients

The guijillo chile is totally optional but give it a try. It adds a little extra spicy flavor.

📖 Recipe

Spiced Apple Rings Recipe

4.77 from 141 votes

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Course Side Dish

Cuisine American - Southern

Prep Time: 10

Cook Time: 20

Chilling Time: 8

Total Time: 8 30

Servings: servings

Calories:217

Author:Marye Audet-White

Ingredients

▢ ¼ cup lemon juice, keeps apples from darkening
▢ 2 pounds apples, MacIntosh - Granny Smith - Honey Crisp - any firm fleshed apple that holds its shape when cooked
▢ 3 cups water, divided use -more if needed
▢ 2 cups cinnamon candy, Red Hots or Cinnamon Imperials - any hard cinnamon candy
▢ 1 tablespoon whole cloves
▢ 2 cinnamon sticks
▢ 1 guijillo chile, optional - adds a little heat

Instructions

Add the lemon juice to 2 cups of water.
Peel and core apples - slice into ½ inch thick rings.
Drop the apple rings in the lemon juice as you finish each one.
Heat ½ cup of the remaining water and the cinnamon candies in a saucepan.
Stir often until the candy is completely melted, adding water as needed to keep the syrup from getting thick.
Add the guijillo chile (optional), whole cloves, and cinnamon sticks.
Drain the apple rings and pat dry.
Gently stir the apple rings into the syrup.
Cover and simmer, occasionally stirring gently, for 15 minutes or until apples are tender.
Add the rings to a storage container and cover with the cooking syrup.
Cover tightly and refrigerate overnight, or about 8 hours. Remove the cloves and cinnamon sticks before using.
Store unused apple rings in the refrigerator for up to a week.

Notes

CAUTION: DO NOT can this particular recipe. There isn't enough acid to do it safely. Freeze for longer storage

If you use very tangy apples add ¼ cup of sugar to the water with the red hots.
Use firm-fleshed, tart apples like MacIntosh, Honey Crisp, or Granny Smith
Watch the candies carefully as you melt them down. You don't want them to stick and burn.
If you happen to overcook the fruit don't worry about it - process it in the food processor for apple (or pear) sauce.
Save the red cinnamon syrup in the refrigerator. You can reuse it to make more spiced apple rings.

Storage

Store in the refrigerator for up to a week. You can freeze them for up to 3 months but they do get a little mushy when thawed.

Nutrition Facts

Nutrition information is estimated as a courtesy. If using for medical purposes, please verify information using your own nutritional calculator. Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

This recipe has been tested several times. If you choose to use other ingredients, or change the technique in some way, the results may not be the same.

🔪 Step by step images

Peel and core your apples. I use a melon baller spoon to take the cores out. So easy that way!
Slice them and drop them into lemon juice and water in a large bowl to keep them from turning brown.
In a heavy saucepan melt the candy in the water.
Add the prepared apples and spices and simmer briefly. Remove from heat and let the apples soak in the syrup for as long as possible.

📖 Variations

Leave out the chile for less spicy heat.
If you don't have the bright red color after 12 hours you can stir in a few drops of red food coloring.
You can make these with pears, too.
Like it super spicy? Add a pinch of cayenne. It will amp up the cinnamon flavor and tingle even more.

🥫 How to store leftovers

Store any leftover spiced apple rings in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to a week. They make a great snack or addition to salads.

🤫 Cook's secrets -

CAUTION: I wouldn't try to can this particular recipe. There isn't enough acid to do it safely. Freeze for longer storage

Bowl of bright red cinnamon apple rings on a table.

Marye's Tips

If you happen to overcook the fruit don't worry about it - process it in the food processor for apple (or pear) sauce.
Use firm-fleshed, tart apples like MacIntosh, Honey Crisp, or Granny Smith. You can use pears, too!
Watch the candies carefully as you melt them down. You don't want them to stick and burn.
The longer the apples (or pears) sit in the red syrup the more flavorful they will be.
Keep them in glass storage containers - they will dye plastic and I think it gives it a weird taste.
Use toothpicks to stick the apple rings to a ham when you are cooking it and use the syrup in the glaze.

This is such an easy recipe - it's the perfect side dish for French Onion Chicken or Oven Roasted Quail!

🍽️ Repurpose leftovers

Apple Ring Pancakes: Add apple rings to pancake batter for a delicious breakfast.
Apple Ring Salad: Mix with greens, nuts, and diced cubes of white Cheddar cheese for a refreshing salad.
Apple Bread: Chop and use in this Amish Apple Fritter Bread.

If you're looking for a special side dish (or relish) to go on the table this vintage recipe is for you!

👩‍🍳 FAQs

Have other questions? Ask me in the comments!

How do you cut apple rounds?

After you peel and core the apple turn it on its side. Cut it in half through the middle of the fruit horizontally. Now cut in even sized rings.

My apples did not turn out as red as yours. What happened?

There could be a lot of reasons. (1)Different apples have different densities - I used honeycrisp. (2)Letting them cook a little longer helps them to soften enough to soak up more color. (3) Most of all, make them 2 days before serving and just let them sit in the fridge and soak up all the red syrup possible. If they do not turn as red as you'd like add a little red food color.

How do you keep cut apples from turning brown?

Lemon juice will help cut apples to maintain their original color. In this candied apple rings recipe the lemon juice is mixed with water and you just dip the rings in the lemon water for a few minutes.
The nice thing about this recipe is because the apples are red from the cinnamon candy it doesn't show if they turn a little brown.

How do you use red spiced apple rings?

You can use them as a side dish, which is especially good with pork chops or ham, or you can use them as a salad course by serving them on lettuce leaves with other fruit. My mom used to put a scoop of cottage cheese or cream cheese in the center and I like them that way, too. I also like them in ham sandwiches.

Cinnamon apple rings were usually just fished out of the syrup and placed in a relish dish to be passed as an accompaniment to turkey or pork when I was growing up

I'd often sneak into the refrigerator and grab a slice out of the jar - not realizing that the rosy syrup left a telltale stain on my fingertips.

Ooops. How did Mom always know?