Go Back

Caramel Apple Punch

Caramel apple punch is a spiced apple cider drink finished with ginger ale for gentle bubbles. It uses caramel sauce and cinnamon, plus optional caramel vodka or butterscotch schnapps, then chills for a smooth, lightly sweet flavor.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
chilling 30 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings: 10 servings
Course: Drinks
Cuisine: American
Calories: 260
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 plus extra for the rim
  • 2 tbsp brown sugar
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 2 cup caramel vodka or butterscotch schnapps spiked version option
Garnishes and glass rim
  • 1 apple thinly sliced
  • 4 cinnamon sticks
  • 1 ice
  • 1 extra caramel sauce for caramel rim on glasses
  • 1 cinnamon sugar for caramel rim (caramel sauce + cinnamon sugar)

Method
 

Rim the glasses
  1. Dip the glass rims in caramel sauce, then coat in cinnamon sugar, creating a sticky, speckled rim. Refrigerate the glasses until the rim sets, about 30 minutes.
Mix the punch base
  1. Whisk caramel sauce, brown sugar, and cinnamon into the apple cider until fully dissolved and smooth. Add caramel vodka or butterscotch schnapps if using, and stir to combine.
  2. Refrigerate the punch mixture for 30 minutes so the flavors meld and the drink chills.
Finish and serve
  1. Just before serving, add ginger ale (or sparkling water) and ice to the chilled punch. Stir gently so the bubbles stay lively.
  2. Garnish each glass with thin apple slices and cinnamon sticks for a visible caramel-apple look.

Notes

Make-ahead: mix the apple cider, caramel sauce, brown sugar, and cinnamon up to 24 hours ahead and refrigerate (add ginger ale and ice only right before serving). Refrigerate the finished unsparkled punch 1–2 days; freeze is not recommended because ginger ale will lose carbonation. Pro tip: if your caramel sauce is thick, warm it briefly so it coats the rims evenly. Dietary swap: for a nonalcoholic version, skip the caramel vodka/schnapps and use extra caramel sauce to keep the flavor punchy.