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Caramel Apple Punch

Caramel apple punch made with chilled apple cider and ginger ale for a sweet, lightly sparkling drink. Caramel-dipped, sugar-rimmed glasses and floating apple slices with cinnamon sticks make every ladle look festive.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Total Time 10 minutes
Servings: 12 servings
Course: Drink
Cuisine: American
Calories: 240
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Apple cider
  • 0.5 gallon apple cider chilled
Caramel sauce
  • 0.5 cup caramel sauce plus more for rimming glasses
Ginger ale
  • 2 L ginger ale chilled
Vanilla vodka (optional)
  • 1 cup vanilla vodka optional
Apples
  • 2 apples thinly sliced
Cinnamon sticks
  • 4 cinnamon sticks
Ice
  • 1 ice
Coarse sugar
  • 1 coarse sugar for rimming glasses

Equipment

  • 1 punch bowl

Method
 

Make the caramel cider base
  1. Whisk caramel sauce into 2 cups of the chilled apple cider until fully dissolved, with no caramel streaks remaining.
  2. Pour the caramel cider and the remaining cider into a punch bowl, and stir in the vanilla vodka if using.
  3. Add the thinly sliced apples and cinnamon sticks to the punch bowl so they float through the mixture.
Rim the glasses
  1. Dip each glass rim into caramel, then into coarse sugar to form a thick, even sugar ring.
Finish and serve
  1. Just before serving, pour in the chilled ginger ale and add ice for the sparkling effect.
  2. Ladle the punch into the rimmed glasses, making sure each serving includes apple slices and cinnamon.

Notes

Chill all liquids (apple cider and ginger ale) before mixing so the punch stays cold and fizzy longer. Store leftovers in the refrigerator up to 24 hours, but add ginger ale and ice only right before serving for best sparkle. For a non-alcoholic option, omit the vanilla vodka; the punch will still have the same caramel-apple flavor and aroma.