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Caramel Apple Punch

Caramel apple punch with chilled apple cider, ginger ale, and caramel-rimmed glasses for a fizzy, sweet sip. Thin-sliced apples and cinnamon sticks float through the golden punch bowl for a festive look.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Total Time 10 minutes
Servings: 12 servings
Course: Drink
Cuisine: American
Calories: 210
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

apple cider
  • 64 oz apple cider chilled; split into 2 cups for mixing and the remaining for the punch bowl
caramel sauce
  • 0.5 cup caramel sauce plus more for rimming glasses
ginger ale
  • 2 l ginger ale chilled
vanilla vodka
  • 1 cup vanilla vodka optional
apples
  • 2 apples thinly sliced
cinnamon sticks
  • 4 cinnamon sticks
ice
  • 1 ice for serving
coarse sugar
  • 1 coarse sugar for rimming glasses

Method
 

Make the caramel cider base
  1. Whisk 1/2 cup caramel sauce into 2 cups of the chilled apple cider until fully dissolved, with no caramel streaks remaining.
  2. Pour the caramel cider mixture and the remaining chilled apple cider into a punch bowl, then add vanilla vodka if using.
Add fruit and spice
  1. Add the thinly sliced apples and the cinnamon sticks to the punch bowl so they float through the golden mixture.
Rim glasses and finish right before serving
  1. Dip the glass rims in caramel, then coat them in coarse sugar to form a sweet outer ring.
  2. Just before serving, pour in the chilled ginger ale and add ice to keep the punch bubbly.
  3. Ladle the punch into the rimmed glasses so apples and cinnamon sticks distribute evenly.

Notes

Pro tip: keep the apple cider, ginger ale, and (if using) vodka chilled, and only add the ginger ale and ice right before serving so the sparkle lasts. Store any leftover punch base (before topping with ginger ale) in the refrigerator up to 2 days; freeze is not recommended because apples and carbonation won’t hold well. For a lighter swap, use low-sugar caramel sauce and omit the vodka for an alcohol-free version.