This Salted Caramel Cider features warm cider, flavored with spices and syrup and topped with whipped cream. It’s the ultimate cozy drink, perfect for any fall night!

Hot apple cider is one of my favorite fall drinks, and this recipe for salted caramel apple cider is especially delicious because of the addition of a few extra ingredients.
This recipe works because it’s:
- Easy to make. The slow cooker method is especially easy because you can set it and forget it. The drink is warm and available all night long.
- Customizable. Don’t want the whipped cream, caramel, or cinnamon stick? Leave them off.
- Perfect for parties. You can easily double this recipe and serve 16 or more.
- A taste of fall! This drink is like a creamy caramel apple in a mug. Yum!
Step-by-Step Instructions

Slow Cooker Version
ADD 8 cups (64 ounces) of apple cider, 5 cinnamon sticks, 1 tablespoon of whole cloves, and 1/2 cup salted caramel syrup to the slow cooker. Stir well.

HEAT on high heat for 1-2 hours until warm. Once the cider is hot, reduce the heat to warm.
USING a fine-mesh sieve, strain out the cloves. You can leave the cinnamon sticks if desired.

TO serve, add 8 ounces of cider to a glass and top with whipped cream, caramel dessert sauce, and a cinnamon stick, if desired.
Stove Top Version
ADD 8 cups (64 ounces) of apple cider, 5 cinnamon sticks, and 1 tablespoon of whole cloves to a large stockpot.
HEAT on medium-high heat until cider is simmering. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 20 minutes.
REMOVE the cider from the heat and let cool for 2-3 minutes.
USING a fine-mesh sieve, strain out the cloves. You can leave the cinnamon sticks if desired.
POUR 1/2 cup salted caramel syrup into the cider and stir well.
TO serve, add 8 ounces of cider to a glass and top with whipped cream, caramel dessert sauce, and a cinnamon stick, if desired.
SERVE immediately.
Microwave Version
ADD 1 cup (8 ounces) of apple cider, 1 cinnamon stick, and 4-5 whole cloves to a microwave-safe mug.
HEAT for 1 minute 30 seconds until cider is warm.
REMOVE the cinnamon stick and cloves from the cider using a spoon (you can reuse the spices in other mugs).
ADD 1-2 tablespoons of salted caramel syrup into the cider and stir well.
TOP with whipped cream, caramel dessert sauce, and a cinnamon stick, if desired.
Recipe Tips and Substitutions

There is a big difference between the caramel syrup and caramel sauce needed for this recipe.
I tried the recipe with two different caramel sauces (or dessert toppings) with no success. The sauce never fully mixed into the cider and coagulated and swirled around in the mug.
I finally realized that you need to use caramel syrup, the coffeehouse syrup that you add to flavored sodas and coffees, to make this cider smooth and not cloudy. Torani and Starbucks make this kind of syrup. It’s clear and usually comes with a pump.
You do however want to use a caramel sauce for the top of the cider. Brands like Hershey’s, Smuckers, and even Torani make this kind of sauce. This is thick and is often used to top ice cream and desserts.

If you can’t find salted caramel drink syrup, feel free to use regular caramel syrup.
More Like This

Looking for more cozy drinks? You’ll love these!
- Cinnamon White Hot Chocolate
FAQs

Yes!
Most grocery stores will have apple cider on full display in October and November. You can often find it by the apples in the produce section, on the end of an aisle display, or by the other bottled juices.
If you can’t find it easily, grocery store apps will often list the aisle that products are found on or you can ask an employee.
Apple cider is made from a pressed apple mash and often contains pulp and other fragments. It has a richer flavor than apple juice.
Apple juice is filtered and pasteurized and is clearer than cider. You’ll want to use cider to make this recipe.
You can, but the drink will have a lot of “extras” in it with the pulp from the cider. Whole spices also have more flavor in them than ground spices.
If you want a smooth drink with a strong flavor, use whole spices.
If you want to use ground spices because that’s all you have, use 1 teaspoon of cinnamon for every stick and 2 1/4 teaspoon of ground cloves for every tablespoon of whole.
I hope your family loves this salted caramel apple cider! If you make it, be sure to take a picture and tag me on Instagram with @ashcroftfamilytable and use the hashtag #ashcroftfamilytable!
And if you’d like to get a 4-week meal plan featuring my recipes, just enter your email in the form above and you’ll get it straight to your inbox!

Salted Caramel Apple Cider
Ingredients
- 8 cups apple cider, not apple juice
- 5 cinnamon sticks
- 1 Tablespoon whole cloves
- ½ cup salted caramel drink syrup, from brands like Torani or Starbucks
- whipped cream, to taste
- caramel dessert sauce, to taste
Instructions
Slow Cooker Instructions
- Add apple cider, cinnamon sticks, whole cloves, and salted caramel syrup to the slow cooker. Stir well.
- Heat on high heat for 1-2 hours until warm. Once the cider is hot, reduce the heat to warm.
- Using a fine-mesh sieve, strain out the cloves. You can leave the cinnamon sticks if desired.
- To serve, ladle 1 cup (8 ounces) of cider into a mug and top with whipped cream, caramel dessert sauce, and a cinnamon stick, if desired.
Stove Top Instructions
- Add apple cider, cinnamon sticks, and whole cloves to a large stockpot.
- Heat on medium-high heat until cider is simmering. Turn heat to medium-low and simmer for 20 minutes.
- Remove the cider from the heat and let cool for 2-3 minutes.
- Using a fine-mesh sieve, strain out the cloves. You can leave the cinnamon sticks if desired.
- Pour salted caramel syrup into the cider and stir well.
- To serve, ladle 1 cup (8 ounces) of cider into a mug and top with whipped cream, caramel dessert sauce, and a cinnamon stick, if desired.
- Serve immediately.
Microwave Instructions
- Add 1 cup (8 ounces) of apple cider, 1 cinnamon stick, and 4-5 whole cloves to a microwave-safe mug.
- Heat for 1 minute 30 seconds until cider is warm.
- Remove the cinnamon stick and cloves from the cider using a spoon (you can reuse the spices in other mugs).
- Add 1-2 tablespoons of salted caramel syrup into the cider and stir well.
- Top with whipped cream, caramel dessert sauce, and a cinnamon stick, if desired.