My visit to Stokoe Farms was sponsored by the Christmas Tree Promotion Board and their “It’s Christmas, Keep It Real.” campaign, but all opinions and recipes — including my version of Stokoe Farms’ 2 Minute Pull Apart Caramel Apples — are my own.
I have a lifelong love for the warmth and magic of the Christmas season. From childhood, the comfort of family, togetherness, and general goodwill made Christmas my favorite time of year. From Thanksgiving onward, when we bundled up to pick our family tree, everything felt wrapped in a cozy glow that carried us through the winter.
My parents insisted our tree be real. I remember being bundled against the cold, searching the lot for the biggest tree we could fit in our modest house. My dad carefully straightened and secured it in the stand while the fresh pine scent filled the room — a scent I still associate with the holidays.
When the Christmas Tree Promotion Board invited me to visit Stokoe Farms, I jumped at the chance and brought my son. It was late September and the farm was kicking off harvest festivities: a corn maze, a Susan B. Anthony reenactor, a busy gift shop, pumpkin displays, a petting zoo, and concession stands serving house-made fudge and other treats.
The concessions’ standout was a 2-Minute Pull Apart Caramel Apple — a crisp apple cored and sectioned for easy sharing, coated in warm caramel, topped with whipped cream, and dusted with cinnamon. My son Aidan and I loved them and decided to recreate the treat at home.
Photo Credit: Aidan Lindamood
That day I met three generations of the Stokoe family — patriarch, daughter, and grandson — who clearly take pride in preparing for Christmas all year. I was struck by the effort behind every tree: planting, cultivating, and hand-harvesting trees for families to enjoy.
Photo credit: Aidan Lindamood
It takes about nine years on average to bring a tree to market maturity at Stokoe Farms, and most trees are planted by hand — often by Suzanne Stokoe herself. Buying real trees supports farmers like the Stokoes, who plant and nurture trees as a bona fide agricultural crop. All real Christmas trees sold in the U.S. are grown in North America.
Photo credit: Aidan Lindamood
Suzanne’s father, Larry Scott, drove Aidan and me for a quiet tour of the fields and shared the family’s history and pride in caring for the land. Their stewardship and attention to detail stood out in every row of trees.
Photo credit: Aidan Lindamood
Suzanne and her son, who is developing a farm-to-table program at the farm, reinforced why I support the “It’s Christmas, Keep It Real.” message. Real trees are environmentally responsible: they’re replanted, they grow for 8 to 12 years, sequester carbon while releasing oxygen, provide habitat for wildlife, and help condition soil. After the holidays, many towns recycle trees into mulch, returning the resource to the land.
Artificial trees eventually end up in landfills and can last for centuries; a real tree is a renewable, natural choice. As Suzanne put it, “Why would you want to spend all that money on a glorified green toilet brush? It’s Christmas, Keep It Real!”
Our family is excited to return to Stokoe Farms to choose our tree and enjoy more 2 Minute Pull Apart Caramel Apples. Searching for and selecting a real tree creates memories that a fake tree can’t replicate — the scent, the ritual, and the shared experience are truly unique.
Cook’s Notes
- Choose crisp, juicy, fresh apples. Tart varieties like Crispin work well, but pick your favorite.
- Homemade caramel is ideal, but a high-quality store-bought caramel sauce is a convenient substitute.
- I prefer unsweetened whipped cream here, since the apple and caramel add sweetness; use lightly sweetened cream if you prefer.
- A little cinnamon goes a long way — use a fine sifter for a light, even dusting.
Connect with It’s Christmas, Keep It Real.
2 Minute Pull Apart Caramel Apples
Rebecca Lindamood
Ingredients
- 2 fresh apples
- ½ cup warm caramel sauce preferably homemade
- whipped cream
- ground cinnamon for dusting
Instructions
-
Core one apple with an apple corer/section maker and separate into wedges. Arrange the sections in a bowl like a flower. Drizzle half the warm caramel over the apple, top with a generous dollop of whipped cream, and finish with a light dusting of cinnamon. Serve immediately and enjoy with your hands.
Nutritional information is an estimate. Calculate nutrition using the exact ingredients you use if you need precise values.
Here’s a virtual visit to learn more about real Christmas tree farmers.
Video courtesy of Two Talking Heads Video Productions.
