Apple Cider Infused Maple Syrup Caramel Sauce

Elevate your fall desserts with this tart, sweet, and perfectly creamy apple cider caramel made with maple syrup.  Inspired by my popular maple syrup caramel sauce, this homemade caramel recipe infuses apple cider into buttery maple syrup to make the best fall-inspired caramel sauce.  

Apple Cider Caramel Sauce

It’s fall, and that means all things apple, pumpkin, caramel, and even some chocolate. This caramel recipe is like a mash-up of my maple syrup caramel sauce and apple cider caramel candies. Buttery maple syrup is paired with an apple cider reduction to make the creamiest tart and sweet caramel sauce.  

I like to use this caramel sauce as the binder in popping caramel apple candy truffles.  But it would also be delicious drizzled over a slice of apple spice bread.

Everything To Love About This Apple Caramel

• Buttery maple syrup – Maple syrup already has caramel notes and it cooks into the best caramel sauce that is rich, thick, and full of pure flavor.
• Pronounced apple cider – Apple cider is reduced to infuse an intensely sweet, tart, and crisp flavor into the caramel sauce.
• It is refined sugar free – Still sugar, but less refined!
• Only 5 ingredients – Caramel is relatively easy to make, and with only 5 ingredients, this may be your go-to recipe this season!
• The best fall dessert side dish – A little drizzle over any dessert will evoke apple harvest vibes!

5 Easy Ingredients

• Apple Cider – Look for actual apple cider and not apple juice.  Apple cider is unfiltered and has all the yummy goodness of a fresh apple.  Apple juice will be filtered and likely diluted with water.
• Pure Maple Syrup – Make certain it is pure maple syrup and not pancake syrup to make apple cider caramel.
• Heavy Cream – I recommend heavy cream to impart a rich and creamy texture.
• Butter – A little pat of unsalted butter will finish the caramel sauce with a velvety texture and flavor.
• Salt – Just a little pinch of salt to balance the flavors.

How To Make This Homemade Caramel Sauce

1. Reduce the apple cider – Simmer the apple cider until it has reduced to 1/4 cup.  This will leave a bold, sweet apple cider syrup.  We do this in the apple cider donuts recipe as well.
2. Add the rest of the ingredients – Into the same pan (less mess!), and stir until the butter has melted.
3. Cook to 230 degrees – Stop stirring and just let the caramel sauce cook and thicken.  
4. Don’t overcook – Check the sauce often with the thermometer to cook to temperature.  Any warmer than 230 degrees and you will end up with thick caramel, akin to candy!
5. Cool in the pan, then cool in a jar – Leave the apple cider caramel sauce at room temperature to cool in a glass jar.
6. Refrigerate until needed – Unless you are going to use it right away, refrigerate the sauce.
7. Heat for a few seconds before serving – The sauce will thicken in the fridge.  Microwave for a few seconds to loosen it.

Tips For Success

• Reduce the apple cider – It may seem like an unnecessary step, but if you want pronounced apple cider flavor, reducing it will strengthen the flavor.
• Don’t stir the caramel while cooking – Stir to melt the butter, but then let the apple cider caramel cook on its own.  Too much stirring may cause the caramel to crystalize.
• Watch the caramel temperature – Unless you want to make candy caramels, remove the caramel from the heat once it reaches 230 degrees.
• Let the caramel cool at room temperature – We don’t want to introduce any condensation, so allow the caramel to cool at room temp before refrigerating.

Apple Cider Maple Caramel Sauce

Elevate your fall desserts with this tart, sweet, and perfectly creamy apple cider caramel made with maple syrup!  Inspired by my popular maple syrup caramel sauce, this homemade caramel recipe infuses apple cider into buttery maple syrup to make the best fall-inspired caramel sauce.  

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by Erin Cernich

Yield0.5 Cup

Prep30 minutes minutes

Total Time30 minutes minutes

Equipment

• ▢
  Small Heavy Duty Saucepan
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  Digital Thermometer

Ingredients

• ▢ 1 cup apple cider (reduced to 1/4 cup)
• ▢ ½ cup pure maple syrup
• ▢ 2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
• ▢ 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• ▢ 1 pinch salt

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Instructions

 

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  Reduce the apple cider – Add the apple cider to the small saucepan. Over low heat, simmer the cider until you have 1/4 cup. This can take up to 15 minutes.
  1 cup apple cider
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  With the heat off, gently stir in the maple syrup, cream, and butter into the reduced cider. The butter will melt a little with the residual heat from the cider. Turn the heat to medium-low and cook until the syrup starts to boil and is heated to 225F degrees. Do not stir the sauce as it heats, or it can crystallize. 
  1/2 cup pure maple syrup, 2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream, 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
For the smaller batch, I recommend using a digital thermometer instead of a candy thermometer (that clips to the pan) to check the caramel temperature, because it is easier to read.
• ▢
  Remove the pan from the heat, and sprinkle the salt over the top. The sauce will still look fairly fluid while it's hot. Transfer it immediately to a glass jar or bowl and let it cool completely to room temperature. It will thicken as it cools. Do not stir it as it cools, or it can crystallize.
  1 pinch salt
• ▢
  Cover and store the caramel sauce in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. It will thicken even more in the refrigerator and can be microwaved for 10 to 15 seconds to loosen and serve.

Notes

• Serving Size – This is a smaller batch recipe that can be doubled. 
• Apple Cider – Be sure it is apple cider, and not apple juice. Apple cider is unfiltered, whereas apple juice is filtered and likely diluted with water.
• Maple Syrup – Make sure to use pure maple syrup and not pancake syrup!
• Cook to 225F Degrees – Any longer, and you will end up with thick caramel that makes candy caramels.
• Freezing – You can freeze the caramel sauce for up to 3 months. To do so, transfer it to a tightly sealed plastic container (glass is easier to break in the freezer). Thaw at room temperature, then gently heat to loosen.

Nutrition Estimates

Calories: 66kcal | Carbohydrates: 11g | Protein: 0.1g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 7mg | Sodium: 3mg | Potassium: 53mg | Fiber: 0.04g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 81IU | Vitamin C: 0.2mg | Calcium: 18mg | Iron: 0.04mg

Nutrition information is calculated by a third-party and should only be considered an estimate and not a guarantee.