When I was looking for a dessert topping for my prune clafoutis dessert I developed this amazing apple cider caramel sauce. It's a delicious fall inspired combination of fresh apple cider, heavy cream, brown sugar, and vanilla. As one reader put it's sweet, tangy, and unique. It's the perfect caramel sauce for fall and the perfect dessert topping for your favorite fall dessert.
Why You'll Be Making This Caramel Sauce More Than Once
When I first made this apple caramel sauce, it was a last minute inspiration. I had apple cider in the refrigerator and I needed a dessert topping, so I decided to experiment with the apple cider and I'm so glad I did.
This apple cider caramel sauce it tangy, full of apple flavor, and creamy. It has only 5 ingredients and is incredibly easy to make. And because it's cooked to a lower temperaure than my salted caramel sauce, it stays soft and creamy even after being refrigerated.
How to Use This Apple Caramel Sauce
I first made this sauce for my prune clafoutis recipe because I wanted a topping to complement the sweetness of the clafoutis. It tastes great as a topping on my choux buns with apple compote, and it's amazing on my apple bread pudding recipe.
Key Ingredients for Apple Cider Caramel Sauce
Here are the key ingredients for this delicious apple caramel sauce.
- Fresh Apple Cider: Use fresh apple cider. It has a distinct, sweet, and slightly tart apple flavor and it thickens as it's reduced down. Don't use apple cider vinegar or regular apple juice. Vinegar is too tart and apple juice is too sweet and doesn't have the same applely flavor of fresh cider.
- Dark Brown Sugar: You can use light brown sugar but dark brown sugar has more molasses and produces a more distinct toffee and caramel flavor.
Full ingredients, measurements, and instructions are in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
How to Make Apple Cider Caramel Sauce
Step 1: Reduce the apple cider to 1/2 cup.
Step 1: Reduce the apple cider to 1/2 cup.
Step 2: Add brown sugar to the reduced apple and simmer until it's reduced to 1/3 cup and thickened.
Step 3: Add the warm heavy cream to the apple cider.
Step 4: Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the vanilla. Pour the caramel into a heatproof container.
Tips for Making This Apple Caramel Sauce
Here are some tips for successfully make this delicious and easy apple caramel sauce.
- Use fresh apple cider and make sure it hasn't fermented. If it has fermented it will have a lot of bubbles and taste carbonated.
- Use an instant-read thermometer to check the temperatures as the caramel cooks. Cooking to the right temperature will ensure that it thickens as it cools.
- Heat the heavy cream before adding to the apple cider. Add cold cream to the cider will rapidly cool and may even cause it to harden.
If you make this creamy apple cider caramel sauce please leave a rating and a comment below.
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Apple Cider Caramel Sauce
Ingredients
- 2 cups (480 ml) apple cider
- 1/4 cup (50 grams) packed dark brown sugar
- 1 cup (240 ml) heavy cream
- 1-1/2 tablespoons (21 grams) unsalted butter
- 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- Note: Use an instant-read thermometer to check the temperature of the caramel as it’s cooking.
Make the Caramel
- Pour the apple cider into a 2 or 3 quart saucepan and bring it to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer until the apple cider is reduced to 1/2 cup.
- Add the brown sugar to the cider and simmer it over medium heat until it is reduced to 1/3 cup and noticeably thickened. While the apple cider mixture is simmering, warm the cream to about 120°F.
- Once the apple cider-sugar mixture is reduced gradually add the warm heavy cream while stirring. The mixture will bubble up, so be cautious. Return the saucepan to the heat and stirring frequently cook the caramel over medium heat until it reaches 240°F and is reduced to about 1 cup.
- Remove the pan from the heat whisk in the butter until it’s incorporated. Next whisk in the salt and the pure vanilla extract.
- Pour the caramel into a heatproof container. Cool it to room temperature and then store it in the refrigerator if not using it immediately.
Storing the Caramel
- Store the cooled caramel in a closed container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. It may last longer.
Serving the Caramel
- Each serving of the caramel is about 2 tablespoons unless you're pouring over a dessert like Apple Bread Pudding. Spoon it over ice cream or your favorite fall dessert.
Marlene Sabrina says
Love it!! So good and yummy!
jojo says
I've made this recipe 4 times now and i'm obsessed! I use it as drizzle on my cookies, ice cream and coffee! 10/10 recipe. Well written and easy to follow.
Cheryl Norris says
Hi Jojo
Thank you for leaving this review and letting me know how much you like this caramel sauce. The coffee is such a good idea and now I'm going to try it in my tea.