The fall season is full of apples. But once you have enough cider, what can you do with the excess produce? You could make a batch of caramel apple or shrunken apple heads for Halloween. These unique decorations are made of peeled apples, then carved and dried to make wrinkled faces. This Halloween craft can be used to make extra apples or to add a spooky atmosphere to your restaurant.
Are you ready to begin peeling?
Shrunken Apple Heads Instructions
You can make DIY apple heads as a natural decoration for Halloween. Follow the steps below to get started. Because they are easier to carve, choose apples that have firm flesh.
Shrunken Apple Head Ingredients
- Granny Smith apples, unbruised and firm
- Paring knife
- Apple Peeler
- Medium mixing bowl
- 2 Tbsp. Salt
- 2 cups lemon juice
Shrunken Apple Head Directions
- In a bowl, combine the salt and juice.
- The top and bottom stems of the apple should be removed. If you’re peeling large quantities of apples, an apple peeler will save you time.
- For 20 minutes, soak the apples in the lemon juice and salt mixture
- To carve faces in the apples, use a Paring knife.
- Submerge the carved apple in the salt-lemon juice mixture.
- Use a string or an open paperclip to hang the apples. After a few days, the apple will shrink and dry.
- You can dry the heads of shrunken apples faster by placing them in a vegetable dryer or heating the apples in the oven for about 3-6 hours at 200 degrees Fahrenheit.
How to Use Dried Apple Heads?
You’ve now perfected your dried apple heads. Now it’s time for them to be displayed! These decorating ideas will help you get started:
- Place a bamboo skewer in the bottom of each apple. Push the bamboo skewer far enough that the apple can be held upright in a mason jar or flower vase. Add some fall foliage and gnarled branches to make a creepy floral arrangement.
- To decorate Halloween cakes and other treats, you can use carved apple heads on skewers instead of using flowers.
- To make centerpieces for your table, place the carved apple faces into a basket filled with dried fall berries or mini pumpkins.
- Attach kitchen twine to the stems of the apples and hang the shrunken heads from the ceiling. To add some Halloween spirit, hang apple heads from the trees of your restaurant patio or beer garden.
Are Dried Apple Heads Bad for You?
The lemon juice and salt combination preserves the apples and keeps them from waste. A well-made shrunken apple can last for several months or even years. It will shrink, develop wrinkles and become more unique over time.
The fall season isn’t just about pumpkins. This year, think outside the box and highlight other fall flavors in your menu. Also, check out our tutorial on how to make shrunken apple heads.
Now it’s time to decorate your shrunken apple heads. Use a dab of tacky glue to adhere eyes and teeth. To create a body, use sharpie markers to decorate a popsicle stick and poke it into the bottom of the apple.
