Go Back

Caramel Apple Punch

Caramel apple punch made with apple cider, caramel sauce, and a salted-caramel style rim. The drink is chilled for a caramel-cinnamon flavor that tastes smooth and lightly spiced, then topped with ginger ale and ice right before serving.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
chilling 30 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings: 10 servings
Course: Drinks
Cuisine: American
Calories: 280
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Caramel apple punch base
  • 4 cup apple cider
  • 1 cup ginger ale or sparkling water Add last, just before serving.
  • 0.5 cup caramel sauce
  • 2 tbsp brown sugar
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 2 cup caramel vodka or butterscotch schnapps Use for the spiked version.
  • 1 apple Thinly sliced for garnish.
  • 4 cinnamon sticks For garnish.
  • 1 ice Add right before serving.
Caramel glass rim
  • 0.5 cup extra caramel sauce Use for dipping rims (amount is approximate).
  • 1 tbsp cinnamon sugar Use to coat rims (amount is approximate).

Method
 

Rim the glasses
  1. Dip each glass rim in caramel sauce, then into cinnamon sugar so the coating sticks evenly.
  2. Refrigerate the rimmed glasses for 30 minutes to set before you make the punch.
Mix the punch base
  1. Whisk caramel sauce, brown sugar, and cinnamon into the apple cider until fully dissolved and smooth.
  2. Add caramel vodka or butterscotch schnapps if making the spiked version.
  3. Refrigerate the punch base for 30 minutes to chill and meld the flavors.
Serve
  1. Just before serving, add ginger ale (or sparkling water) and ice to the chilled punch base.
  2. Garnish each glass with thin apple slices and cinnamon sticks.

Notes

Pro tip: Chill the rimmed glasses and the punch base at the same time so the drink stays cold when you add the ginger ale and ice. Store the uncarbonated punch base covered in the fridge up to 2 days; add ginger ale and ice only at serving. Freezing is not recommended because ginger ale goes flat after thawing. For a lower-sugar option, use reduced-sugar caramel sauce and skip or reduce the brown sugar while keeping the cinnamon garnish.