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Caramel Apple Punch

Caramel Apple Punch is a chilled, caramel-cider punch made by whisking caramel into apple cider until fully dissolved, then topping with ginger ale for bubbles. It features thin-sliced apples and cinnamon sticks, plus caramel-rimmed glasses with a coarse sugar crunch.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Total Time 10 minutes
Servings: 12 servings
Course: Drink
Cuisine: American
Calories: 220
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Caramel Apple Punch
  • 64 oz apple cider Chilled. Use 2 cups for whisking with caramel, then top the punch bowl with the remaining cider.
  • 0.5 cup caramel sauce Plus more for rimming glasses.
  • 2 L ginger ale Chilled; added just before serving.
  • 1 cup vanilla vodka Optional.
  • 2 apples Thinly sliced; add to the bowl.
  • 4 cinnamon sticks Add to the bowl for fragrance.
  • 1 ice Add when serving so the punch stays cold and fizzy.
  • 1 coarse sugar For rimming glasses.

Method
 

Make the caramel cider base
  1. Whisk caramel sauce into 2 cups of the apple cider until fully dissolved, with no caramel streaks left.
  2. Pour the caramel cider into a punch bowl and add the remaining apple cider; stir to combine.
  3. Add vanilla vodka to the punch bowl if using, then give it a gentle stir.
Add fruit and spice
  1. Add thinly sliced apples and cinnamon sticks to the punch bowl.
Rim glasses and finish
  1. Dip the rim of each glass in caramel sauce, then dip into coarse sugar to coat the edge.
  2. Just before serving, pour in the chilled ginger ale and add ice to keep it sparkling.
  3. Ladle the punch into the rimmed glasses, making sure each glass gets apple slices and a cinnamon stick.

Notes

Pro tip: Rim glasses right before serving so the caramel-sugar edge stays crisp. Refrigerate cider and ginger ale until cold; keep the punch bowl mixed without ginger ale for up to 24 hours (add ginger ale and ice just before serving). Freezing isn’t recommended because ginger ale loses carbonation. For a lower-alcohol option, omit the vanilla vodka and use extra apple cider or a splash more ginger ale.