Apple Cider Caramel Sauce Recipe | Little Spice Jar (2024)

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Apple cider in a caramel sauce, it’s the perfect fall treat! This caramel sauce is perfect as a dip for apple slices, on top of pancakes, drizzle for cinnamon french toast, or as a filling for cinnamon rolls. Any way you choose to have this apple cider caramel sauce, it is absolutely delish!

I have been dying to make some delish caramel sauce all. year. long.And it’s finally (!!) the season for both caramel sauce and apple cider. And the only way I can ensure that I get enough of both is to combine the two.

In the words of the famous Uncle Jessie,“Have mmmercyyy” .Things are absolutely about to get sticky, buttery, salty, sweet, and incredibly fall perfect up in here.

What are the benefits of making your own apple cider caramel sauce you ask? Well let me tell you:
1.) The house does this wonderful thing where it smells totally amazeballs because of the sheer amount of delish sugar and cinammon and butter and apple cider that goes into this recipe.
2.) Caramel sauce is available to you 24 hours a day from the time you make it till the time you literally lick the mason jar clean. Yes, it’s that gosh darn good.
3.) It’s the ideal topping for, um lets see, EVERYTHING. Drizzle it on shortbread cookies, a dip for apples, garnish cupcakes, pumpkin spice lattes, and even as sauce for your cinnamon french toast or buttermilk pancakes!

That drizzle of caramel sauce that’s dripping off that spoon, makes me want to stick my face underneath it and just ladle it directly into my mouth. TMI? I think so.

This recipe is really quite simple and requires only a few ingredients. There is no need for a fancy schmany candy thermometer or anything else. All you need other than the ingredients is a spatula or spoon and a small saucepan. It takes about 15 minutes to make the recipe itself but make sure to allow enough time for cooling. The sauce will look just a littttttle thin when you’re done cooking it, but worry not, it will thicken while it cools.

And the most important reason why you need to make this: It’s literally like taking the liquid form of a caramel apple and drizzling it over your breakfast (pancakes, french toast, cinnamon rolls) or your dessert (cupcakes, cookies, apples). Who wouldn’t like that?

And Oh My G, how did I not think of this earlier – this apple cider caramel sauce would be amazing drizzled on popcorn too!

Yield: ~ 2 cups

Apple Cider Caramel Sauce

Cook Time20 minutes

Total Time20 minutes

Apple cider in a caramel sauce, it's the perfect fall treat! This caramel sauce is perfect as a dip for apple slices, on top of pancakes, drizzle for cinnamon french toast, or as a filling for cinnamon rolls. Any way you choose to have this apple cider caramel sauce, it is absolutely delish!

Ingredients

2 cups apple cider
1 cup light brown sugar, packed
5 tablespoons SALTED butter
3/4 cup heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon powder
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 pinch sea salt

Instructions

Add the apple cider to a medium sauce pan over medium-high heat and bring to boil. Allow the apple cider to cook down to about 1/3 cup. Reduce the heat and add the brown sugar, butter, heavy cream, and cinnamon and increase the heat back to medium-high heat. Continue to cook for 10-15 minutes until the caramel thickens and starts to become dark in color. Remove from heat, add the vanilla and the pinch of sea salt; stir to combine. Set aside to cool, the caramel sauce will thicken a little once it cools.

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Desserts Sweet Treatsapple cider apple cider juice apple juice brown sugar butter candy corn caramel apples caramel sauce fall desserts fall recipes fall treats

originally published on Sep 22, 2014 (last updated May 19, 2020)

26 comments Leave a comment »

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26 comments on “APPLE CIDER CARAMEL SAUCE”

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Crystal | Apples & Sparkle — September 22, 2014 @ 5:59 pm Reply
This sounds completely heavenly! Pinned! : )
- Marzia — September 26, 2014 @ 10:14 am Reply
  I am literally drizzling this caramel sauce on everything!
Marcia Stepp — October 9, 2014 @ 2:36 pm Reply
This is seriously the BEST caramel dip ever! To make it easier, I used 1/3 c. frozen apple juice concentrate instead of boiling down cider. It works great!
- Marzia — October 10, 2014 @ 7:57 am Reply
  So glad you enjoyed the caramel sauce, Marcia. That’s a great idea, thanks for sharing! 🙂
Rick — November 9, 2014 @ 7:42 pm Reply
So if Apple juice okay, I can use pasteurized cider, right? Thanks. Looking forward to making this recipe.
- Marzia — November 10, 2014 @ 8:01 am Reply
  Hi Rick,
  Yes, pasteurized cider is fine to use. 🙂
Rose Bur — November 10, 2014 @ 4:48 am Reply
Can you can this with either a hot water bath or pressure canner?
- Marzia — November 10, 2014 @ 8:02 am Reply
  I’m not sure if this recipe can be canned or not. If you decide to can it, please let me know if it’s suitable for canning.
  Thanks! 🙂
Sandra — November 10, 2014 @ 6:53 am Reply
See Also
RUSTIC NO-KNEAD CRANBERRY ORANGE BREAD: simple overnight recipe
Sounds great, can’t wait to try it. Does it need to be refrigerated or can it sit on the counter? I’m thinking about Christmas giving.
- Marzia — November 10, 2014 @ 8:07 am Reply
  Hi Sandra,
  The sauce can be kept in an air-tight container at room temperature for 3 days and up to 3 months in the refrigerator.
Jen — November 10, 2014 @ 7:05 am Reply
How do you store the sauce after it is prepared? I’d love to give these out as Christmas gifts 🙂
- Marzia — November 10, 2014 @ 8:09 am Reply
  Hi Jen,
  Thats a great idea. The sauce can be kept in an air-tight container at room temperature for 3 days and up to 3 months in the refrigerator.
Michael — October 7, 2015 @ 7:24 pm Reply
Would it be thick enough for filling macarons?
- Marzia — October 13, 2015 @ 8:14 pm Reply
  Hmmm. I think it would be thick enough once it’s had a chance to cool. Not too sure about the spreadability though!
- Melissa — October 30, 2021 @ 12:53 am Reply
  
  I used this recipe for macrons and it was so, SO good! I used a piping bag to apply the carmel.
  5
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Britt — August 17, 2018 @ 10:56 am Reply

I stumbled across your caramel sauce while reading your veg enchilada recipe, which also looks delish and I plan to make. 🙂
Just wanted to mention yet another use for the sauce…drizzled over apples in a pie! Years ago I had an apple pie recipe that contained a cider reduction and it was declared “the best apple pie I’ve ever tasted” by a chef/restaurant owner friend of mine. Misplaced the recipe a few years back and am so thrilled to find your caramel sauce recipe! Looking forward to picking wild apples at the cabin in the fall, cooking up some cider and resurrecting an old favourite.
Oh, also scrumptious drizzled over morning oatmeal on chilly mornings!
Thank you from the bottom of my tastebuds 🙂
5
Wendy — November 29, 2018 @ 7:32 pm Reply

Just made this delicious and easy recipe. But just as an FYI, it doesn’t work as an ice cream topping! It completely firms up. But no problem, plenty of other, non cold, uses!
4.5
Kelly — October 4, 2020 @ 7:49 am Reply
Going to try my hand at canning some today!! I’ll let you know
Julie — October 16, 2020 @ 8:10 am Reply

This is amazing sauce! Drizzled warm over an apple coffee cake. So good! Thanks!
5
Kathleen — May 17, 2022 @ 12:20 am Reply

I made this caramel sauce and the flavor was delicious but my sauce was not glossy and smooth, more grainy. Was I supposed to stir the sauce once all the ingredients were added to the cider?
4
Karen Gahm — October 7, 2022 @ 8:47 pm Reply
What happens when you reduce the cider? Why not start with 1/3 cup?
- Mickey — March 27, 2023 @ 11:07 am Reply
  Because the flavor of the cider intensifies greatly when reduced. Definitely worth reducing.
Someone — October 18, 2022 @ 4:38 pm Reply

Very good caramel! I will be saving this recipe but will half the cinnamon next time.
5
Makena — November 11, 2022 @ 6:40 pm Reply

Very yummy! I will say, the recipe timing is very misleading. It probably took 20 mins to reduce down the apple cider, then another 10-15 to boil the caramel, so closer to 35-40 mins total.
5

Apple Cider Caramel Sauce Recipe | Little Spice Jar (2024)

FAQs

How do you thicken jarred caramel sauce? ›

To thicken a caramel sauce, use one tablespoon of cornstarch or tapioca starch (sometimes known as tapioca flour) and one tablespoon of water per cup of caramel. Then simmer the caramel, stirring it constantly with a wooden spoon until it becomes thick.

Keep Reading ›

How do you make store bought caramel sauce better? ›

I emptied the bottle into a small saucepan and brought it to a boil. Then I added about half a teaspoon of kosher salt and let it continue boiling for 10 minutes. It thickened and darkened significantly, which I took as a good sign.

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Why isn't my caramel going brown? ›

U need to add a very small amount of water at the beginning and cook it down with the sugar and just wait patience is key.

See Details ›

Why is my caramel not setting? ›

If caramels are too soft, that means the temperature didn't get high enough. Again place the caramel back into a sauce pan with a couple of tablespoons of water and heat to 244°F. If you don't have a candy thermometer, you can test with a cold water test. Details on how to use this method can be found here.

How do you fix separated caramel sauce? ›

If the sauce has separated then warming it gently and stirring occasionally should help it to come back together. If it still has a film of fat on the surface after warming then whisking in a tablespoon of hot water (from a freshly boiled kettle) can also help.

What happens if you stir caramel? ›

Should you stir caramel as it cooks? Stirring caramel as it cooks isn't necessary—and it can even be detrimental, as it can cause the sugar solution to splash onto the sides of the pan, where the water will evaporate quickly and the sugar can form back into crystals.

Learn More Now ›

Does caramel sauce thicken when cooled? ›

As it cools, it will thicken. You will need to store the caramel sauce in the refrigerator, so it will firm up even more once chilled. Just bring it back to room temperature and microwave before drizzling or dipping! Note: Add 1-2 tablespoons more cream to thin it more before serving, if preferred.

How do you thicken store bought dulce de leche? ›

Tip: To thicken stovetop dulce de leche, make a slurry of 1/2 tablespoon cornstarch with 1 1/4 teaspoons milk. Bring it to a very slow boil over medium heat, whisk this slurry into the dulce de leche, and continue to boil slowly for five minutes before removing from heat and cooling.

Read The Full Story ›

How do you soften caramel sauce that is too hard? ›

If the temperature gets too hot and the caramel becomes too hard as it cools, you can put it back in the pan with a couple of tablespoons of cold water to try and save it.

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How do you thicken Nestle caramel treat? ›

Melt 200g of butter in the microwave (in a large microwavable bowl) for 2-3 minutes, then add the condensed milk and golden syrup. Whisk the mixture well until the butter is thoroughly incorporated. Heat for 6-7 minutes until it is boiling, stirring thoroughly every minute.

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