1. Thoroughly wash and dry the apples to remove the wax. (If there is wax or water on the apple, the coating will not stick.) Remove each stem and replace with a wooden stick (or twig) halfway into the apple. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper to prevent the caramel from sticking.
2. Prepare the caramel. Whisk honey, coconut milk, vegan butter, and salt in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-high heat until it begins to bubble, then immediately reduce the heat to medium. Insert a candy thermometer to gauge the temperature of the caramel. Continue to boil and stir the caramel until the temperature reaches 260 degrees Fahrenheit (about 25 minutes). The caramel should be a rich brown color. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla extract. Please use caution as it is very hot.
3. Prepare an ice bath (bowl filled with ice and cold water). Pour hot caramel into a mixing bowl and place bowl in the ice bath, taking care not to splash water into the hot caramel. Stir the caramel until it is uniformly cooled and it begins to thicken just a bit (the temperature will be 200 degrees Fahrenheit).
4. Roll the apple in the caramel, turning and evenly coating all sides, then quickly roll it in the brown butter crunch. You will need to work quickly because when the caramel becomes too cold it doesn’t stick to the apples as easily. (If this happens, reheat the caramel.)
5. After you coat and dip the apples, place them in the fridge and cool completely.
