Apple Cider Maple Caramel Sauce

Silky ribbons of apple cider maple syrup caramel sauce in a cute glass jar.

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.

Prep Time30

Total Time30

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Servings: Cup

Calories: 66kcal

Author: Erin Cernich

Equipment

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

Instructions

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
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