This Perfect Sparkling Caramel Apple Cider Float is sweet and indulgent and the perfect treat. You can enjoy this all year round but it is especially delicious during the fall months. The perfect party drink for you and your guests during the holiday season or just for a special occasion.
When you think of caramel apples you likely think of the fall season. The crisp leaves under your feet or the slight chill in the air, but the weather is still holding onto summer with the bright sun shining through. It is such a wonderful time of the year aside from Halloween and Thanksgiving, but the best part is that it is also the season of amazing produce including apples fresh from an apple orchard. This is why I probably consider these caramel apple cider floats an autumnal drink, although let’s be honest, you can enjoy this all year round and consider them for special occasions.
I will admit it here. I am not a fan of pumpkin spice latte drinks, which are big in the fall. However, I do love apple cider and all of the complex flavors in sweet apple cider. I also adore a hot spiced apple cider during the long winter months. This delicious drink has a nice apple flavor and is non-alcoholic.
The sharpness from the apple cider and ginger ale works perfectly with the creamy vanilla ice cream. Drizzling the caramel sauce over the top just makes it look and taste that extra bit special. Pop a straw into your glass and drink away. Sweet and delicious this is a special drink that the whole family will love, your kids included.
This was inspired by my apple cider milkshake on this site and pairs well with this amazing sidedish recipe.
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Ingredients for Caramel Apple Cider Floats
This simple recipe is the perfect fall drink. It has quickly become one of my favorite drink recipes.
- Vanilla Ice Cream
- Apple cider
- Ginger ale
- Caramel sauce
See recipe card for quantities.
How To Make This Caramel Apple Cider Recipe
Add two scoops of vanilla ice cream to a mug or tall glass.
Add the apple cider.
Add the ginger ale.
Finally, drizzle caramel sauce on the top of the float. Pop in your straw and dig in!
Hint: Make sure your apple cider and ginger ale are refrigerated before you make this drink to keep it nice and chilled when serving.
Substitutions For An Apple Cider Float
- Ginger ale - Instead of using ginger ale you can use ginger beer or even lemon-lime soda if you can’t get hold of any regular ginger ale. If you prefer to use a sugar-free option, I love using the Zevia brand! It tastes just like the real thing and is a delicious way to cut out the sugar. If you would prefer to not use ginger ale at all, you could use a simple sparkling water instead.
- Dairy-free - Make this caramel apple cider float dairy-free by using vegan ice cream.
- Apple cider - You can substitute apple juice for apple cider but it's much better with fresh apple cider especially one that is in season. Here in the United States, apples are in season during the fall. You could also use a sparkling apple cider to change it up. You could also try it with a hard cider variety as well.
Variations For This Caramel Apple Float
A few ideas on how you can change it up!
- Sprinkle some Cinnamon - Along with the drizzle of the caramel sauce you could sprinkle some ground cinnamon over the top. Or why not add cinnamon sticks to the float to make it look fancy?
- Make an alcoholic version - While this is a non-alcoholic beverage, you could make a boozy version of this apple cider float by adding some bourbon, vodka, or alcoholic cider to the drink.
- Chocolate - You could make this extra indulgent by drizzling some chocolate sauce over the top instead. Or add some chocolate shavings as an alternative topping.
- Whipped cream - Add a squirt of whipped cream on the top for a delicious treat.
- Pair - pair this with apple cider donuts for an out-of-the-world treat!
Top tip
Add your mugs or glasses to the freezer before making up this drink. It will help to keep everything nice and cool and the ice cream won’t melt as quickly. The cloudy glass will also look super creative.
FAQ
Sure! The fall is apple season and it is the perfect time to make your own apple cider. Buying some from your local grocery store or farmer's market makes this drink enjoyable all year round.
Absolutely. The apple cider is slightly sparkling so you will notice a slight change in the drink. Less bubbles. But apple juice, either bought or freshly pressed, will still give you the ultimate flavor for this float.
Enjoy it yourself as a weekend treat or serve it up at a party. Your entire family will love it! It also makes an excellent end to a meal, especially during the fall. You could serve these at Halloween or at the end of your Thanksgiving meal instead of a traditional dessert.
Using these simple ingredients will create the perfect drink. It is a delicious recipe that evokes fresh apples and the harvest season. If fall is your favorite season, this drink will quickly become one of your favorite things and will be one of your favorite fall flavors.
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Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with [this recipe]:
Perfect Sparkling Caramel Apple Cider Float Recipe
Ingredients
- 2-3 scoops vanilla ice cream
- ¼ cup apple cider
- ½ cup ginger ale
- caramel sauce for topping
Instructions
- In a mug, add the scoops of vanilla ice cream.
- Pour the apple cider over the ice cream.
- Pour the ginger ale over the ice cream.
- Drizzle with caramel sauce on top of the float and dig in!
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