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Caramel Apple Punch

Caramel apple punch made with chilled apple cider whisked with caramel sauce for a golden, lightly spiced base. Finished with ginger ale and ice for a fizzy drink with visible apple slices and cinnamon sticks.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Total Time 10 minutes
Servings: 12 servings
Course: Drink
Cuisine: American
Calories: 190
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Caramel cider base
  • 64 oz apple cider Chilled (use 1/2 gallon total).
  • 0.5 cup caramel sauce Plus extra for rimming glasses.
  • 2 L ginger ale Chilled; added just before serving.
  • 1 cup vanilla vodka Optional.
  • 2 apples Thinly sliced; for floating in the punch.
  • 4 cinnamon sticks For flavor and visual garnish.
  • 1 ice Use as needed, added just before serving.
  • 1 coarse sugar For rimming glasses.

Method
 

Make the caramel cider base
  1. Whisk caramel sauce into 2 cups of the chilled apple cider until fully dissolved, keeping the mixture smooth and golden.
Build the punch bowl
  1. Pour the caramel cider into a punch bowl, then add the remaining apple cider; add vanilla vodka if using.
  2. Add the thinly sliced apples and the cinnamon sticks to the bowl so they float through the drink.
Rim the glasses
  1. Dip the glass rims in caramel sauce, then press the rims into coarse sugar to coat evenly.
Finish and serve
  1. Just before serving, pour in the chilled ginger ale and add ice to keep the punch fizzy.
  2. Ladle the punch into the rimmed glasses, using apple slices and cinnamon sticks from the bowl to garnish each serving.

Notes

For the clearest apple slices floating, chill the cider and ginger ale well before mixing, and rim glasses right before serving so the sugar doesn’t dissolve. Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator up to 1 day; add fresh ginger ale and ice when reheating for best fizz. Freezing isn’t recommended because carbonation will be lost. For a lighter option, use vodka-free punch and reduce caramel sauce to 1/3 cup while keeping the rim caramel and sugar.