Dessert Nachos - Caramel Apple Cake Chip Nachos Topped with M&M's® Pecan Pie

Dig into a plate of the most amazing dessert nachos you'll ever eat. These Caramel Apple Cake Chip Nachos Topped with M&M's® Pecan Pie blend all the wonderful flavors of fall into a totally unique sweet treat. This post is sponsored by: #CollectiveBias #BakeInTheFun

These nachos aren't your ordinary dessert nachos, built on cinnamon sugar tortilla or pita chips. Nope, the chips used in these sweet nachos are made from crispy wedges of toasted cake.

Thin layers of cake are baked, cut into wedges, sprayed with coconut oil and baked again until golden brown and crispy. Then they are topped with a layer of lusciously creamy cheesecake fluff and gooey caramel glazed cinnamon apples. As if that's not delectable enough, the nachos are drizzled with chocolate and caramel sauce and sprinkled with toasted pecans.

To push this already unbelievable dessert over the edge, you toss on some of the new M&M's® Pecan Pie.

Can you say, YUM?

Have you tried the new M&M's® Pecan Pie?

They have a rich chocolate flavor with hints of toffee and pecans. You can even detect the flavor of pie crust in these tiny morsels of goodness.

I bought one bag, but am heading back to Walmart for a few more. I can't wait to use them in cookies, on white chocolate popcorn, and more. You can even use this link to save a dollar when you purchase two bags.

These M&M's® really pair perfectly with gooey cinnamon caramel glazed apples.

I love baking with apples in the fall. There's just something so intoxicating about the smell of cinnamon apples filing your kitchen. It reminds me of time spent at my aunts. She makes the best apple pies. It's a skill I've not yet mastered, so I try to incorporate my apples into other fall desserts.

For this sweet treat, I combined the flavors of apple pie with cheesecake, pecan pie, and cake. Oh, yeah, and there's chocolate in there too. Because desserts are always better with a little chocolate.

Don't you just want to reach inside your screen right now and grab one?

The cake chips are crisp enough that you can pick them up and eat them just like you would any other nachos. There are so many ways you can top these dessert nachos, but I totally recommend you start by trying this recipe.

I know you are going to love them as much as I do.

This recipe does require you to take a few steps, the first of which is to go to Walmart to grab the ingredients. I whisked through the store and quickly grabbed a 9 ounce bag of M&M's® Pecan Pie, a Mott's® Apple Juice 1 gallon jug, a couple Snapple® Apple Single 16oz bottles, and box of Pillsbury™ Moist Supreme® Yellow Cake Mix.

I whipped up a simple chocolate ganache to drizzle over my nachos, which I highly recommend, but realize it is a bit more work, so if you prefer to skip this step, be sure to grab a jar of your favorite chocolate sauce while in Walmart.

You can make the components of this dessert all in one day or you can bake the cake chips, sauté the caramel cinnamon apples, and make the cheesecake fluff a day in advance then assemble the dessert before you are ready to serve it.

To keep the cake chips nice and crisp, it's best to assemble the nachos just before you serve them. They stay crunchy for a few hours once topped, but if refrigerated they start to soften. They still taste great, you'll just have to eat them using a fork instead of your hands.

To make your dessert nachos, I suggest making the cake chips first.

To do so, spray the inside of two 9 inch round cake pans with baking spray and line the bottom of each pan with a round of parchment paper.

You'll measure out 1 ¼ cups of the cake mix (⅓rd of a box,) and combine it with 1 large egg, ⅓ cup water, and 3 tablespoons oil. Beat it on low speed using an electric mixer for 30 seconds, then beat on medium speed for 15 seconds. You just want to combine the ingredients and not beat a lot of air into the cake.

Evenly divide the batter and spread it into the bottom of the cake pans and bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for about 10 minutes until the tops just begin to brown. When you press a finger in the center of the cake, the indentation should spring back.

Allow the cakes to cool for 5 minutes, then remove them from the pans and peel off the parchment paper. Cut each cake into 8 wedges.

Spray a baking sheet with coconut oil spray (or vegetable oil spray) and set the wedges on the pan. Spray the coconut oil over top of the wedges and return them to the oven for 10 minutes. Remove and flip the wedges over and bake for another 10-12 minutes until golden brown on both sides.

Remove and set on a cooling rack. Cool completely.

Go ahead and take a bite. They are delicate yet crispy and taste a bit like a crunchy doughnut.

I realize you now have ⅔rd's of a cake mix leftover. You are going to want to make these many times, so just seal the bag and save the mix for next time you make cake chips. You could also use it to make some cupcakes, waffles, or even pancakes.

While your cake chips are cooling, make the caramel glazed apples and caramel sauce.

Peel 3 large Granny Smith Apples and cut into ¼ - ½ inch cubes and place in a bowl. Toss them with 1 teaspoon cinnamon and 3 tablespoons Mott's® Apple Juice.

In a skillet, melt 3 tablespoons butter over medium heat. Add ¾ cup brown sugar and stir constantly until the sugar begins to dissolve.

Add the apples and toss to coat. Continue to stir until the sugar completely dissolves. Reduce heat to medium low and let apples simmer for 4-6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the apples are tender.

Pour the apples into a strainer set over a bowl. Let the syrup drain then pour it back into the skillet. Increase heat to medium, and stir constantly until thickened into a nice caramel sauce. You'll know it's done when you can drag a spatula through the caramel and you see a trail through the sauce. Remove the sauce from the heat and allow it to cool.

Before you can assemble your dessert nachos, you'll need to make the cheesecake fluff. Beat 4 ounces of cream cheese with 2 tablespoons of sugar until light and fluffy. Add 1  ½ cups of whipped topping and beat to combine.

Spread or pipe the cheesecake fluff over top of the cake chips. Sprinkle on the caramel glazed apples. Drizzle with some chocolate sauce and the cooled caramel sauce. Sprinkle on some toasted pecan pieces and, last but not least, sprinkle on some M&M's® Pecan Pie.

This is definitely my new favorite fall dessert. I'll surely be using the rest of my cake mix to make more of these nacho treats.

I enjoyed my Caramel Apple Cake Chip Nachos with a bottle of Snapple® Apple. I hadn't had a Snapple® in years, and am so glad I rediscovered it. The apple flavor is tart and crisp and really refreshing.

Be sure to check out more delicious dessert recipes here.

What's your favorite fall dessert? Do you love apple, pecan, or pumpkin pie? How about a nice spice cake or pumpkin cake roll? Or are you a die hard chocolate fan, no matter the time of year?

I'd love to hear what your prefer in the comments below, so I can be sure to include some of your favorites in my recipe creations this fall.

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Caramel Apple Cake Chip Nachos Topped with M&M's® Pecan Pie

Prep Time

20 mins

Cook Time

25 mins

Total Time

45 mins

 

Cake chips topped with cheesecake fluff, caramel glazed cinnamon apples, chocolate and caramel sauce, toasted pecans and M&M's® Pecan Pie.

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: caramel apple, cheesecake, dessert nachos

Servings: 16 slices

Author: Beth Klosterboer

Ingredients

Cake Chips

• 1 ¼ cups Pillsbury™ Moist Supreme® Yellow Cake Mix
• 1 large egg
• ⅓ cup water
• 3 tablespoons oil
• Coconut Oil Spray or vegetable oil spray

Caramel Glazed Apples and Caramel Sauce

• 3 large Granny Smith apples
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 3 tablespoons Motts® Apple Juice
• 3 tablespoons butter
• ¾ cup brown sugar

Cheesecake Fluff

• 4 ounces cream cheese
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 ½ cups frozen whipped topping thawed

Nacho Toppings

• 3-4 tablespoons chocolate sauce
• ¼ cup toasted pecans chopped
• 50-64 M&M's® Pecan Pie

Instructions

1. CAKE CHIPS:
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
3. Spray two 9 inch round baking pans with cooking spray and line the bottoms with a round of parchment paper.
4. Combine cake mix, egg, water and oil.
5. Beat it on low speed using an electric mixer for 30 seconds, then beat on medium speed for 15 seconds.
6. Evenly divide the batter and spread it into the bottom of the cake pans and bake for about 10 minutes until the tops just begin to brown. When you press a finger in the center of the cake, the indentation should spring back.
7. Allow the cakes to cool for 5 minutes, then remove them from the pans and peel off the parchment paper.
8. Cut each cake into 8 wedges.
9. Spray a baking sheet with coconut oil spray (or vegetable oil spray) and set the wedges on the pan.
10. Spray the coconut oil over top of the wedges and return them to the oven for 10 minutes. Remove and flip the wedges over and bake for another 10-12 minutes until golden brown on both sides.
11. Remove and set on a cooling rack. Cool completely.
12. CARAMEL GLAZED APPLES & CARAMEL SAUCE:
13. Peel apples and cut into ¼ - ½ inch cubes.
14. Place in a bowl.
15. Toss them with cinnamon apple juice.
16. In a skillet, melt butter over medium heat.
17. Add brown sugar and stir constantly until the sugar begins to dissolve.
18. Add the apples and toss to coat. Continue to stir until the sugar completely dissolves.
19. Reduce heat to medium low and let apples simmer for 4-6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the apples are tender.
20. Pour the apples into a strainer set over a bowl.
21. Let the syrup drain then pour it back into the skillet.
22. Increase heat to medium, and stir constantly until thickened into a nice caramel sauce.
23. CHEESECAKE FLUFF:
24. Beat cream cheese with sugar until light and fluffy.
25. Add whipped topping and beat to combine.
26. ASSEMBLE NACHOS:
27. Spread or pipe the cheesecake fluff over top of the cake chips.
28. Sprinkle on the caramel glazed apples.
29. Drizzle with some chocolate sauce and the cooled caramel sauce.
30. Sprinkle on toasted pecan pieces and M&M's® Pecan Pie.
31. Enjoy!

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This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone.

• Author
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Beth Klosterboer

Hi, I'm Beth Klosterboer, a professional chocolatier & baker, cookbook author, and event planner. I love sharing recipes for happy occasions here on Hungry Happenings. I also create easy fudge recipes to share at HowToMakeEasyFudge.com, rice krispie treat recipes at HowToMakeCerealTreats.com, and easy cookie recipes at HowToMakeEasyCookies.com

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