Start with a clean medium-sized saucepan and add the sugar, water, cream of tartar.
Turn the heat on to medium. The sugar water will start to boil. Don’t stir, just pick up the saucepan and swish around the sugar if needed.
Watch the sugar mixture closely! After it boils for about 6-8 minutes, it will start to get slightly darker and smell like caramel. At this point let it boil for about 10-20 more seconds to let it turn a medium brown color (this color change will be slight when using vegan unbleached sugar).
Remove from heat and immediately add coconut oil and stir with a long-handled metal whisk for a few seconds.
Add the soy milk (It will bubble up and may spatter, so be careful)! Continue to stir until smooth and everything is well mixed. Then allow the mixture to cool to room temperature.
Reheat the caramel sauce until it begins to bubble and allow it to bubble on low heat for 45 seconds.
Allow it to cool for about 10 minutes until it starts to slightly firm up and get sticky.
Coat the apples in the caramel sauce
While your caramel is cooling, take out the apple stem, then wash and dry the apples well. Place a popsicle stick in the top of each apple.
Cover a tray or cookie sheet with parchment paper to put the apples on after they are dipped in caramel.
Once your caramel has a thick, sticky consistency, roll the apples in the caramel, coating the whole apple. (You can use a spoon to help you coat the apple completely).
Allow to drip for a few seconds and then place it on the parchment paper.
Put the tray of apples in the fridge to cool completely. (They will easily come off of the parchment paper once cool).
Video
Notes
Watch the caramel closely as it's cooking, don't walk away from it!
You will know your caramel is done cooking when it smells like caramel. The smell is as important as the color change in determining when to remove it from the stove.
Make sure to remove it from the burner completely before adding the oil and soy milk. Don't just turn off the heat.
If your caramel starts to get too thick add a few drops of water or soy milk and reheat it until you get a smooth consistency.