We were recently at a potluck where there was a small pot of “grog” being served. Being an experimental sort of gal, I had a small serving, and then immediately had another. And then I tracked down the woman who’d brought it to ask what brand of magical deliciousness she’s unleashed on me. See, I’d never had caramel vodka. I knew it existed, but it seemed like something that would be too sweet, so I never tried it. Turns out it’s effing delicious. It’s perfect for mixing into your usual White Russian, or with a Coke (why they don’t make Caramel Coca-Cola is beyond me). Or with spiced cider, as you see here.
One of the beauties of spiced anything is that you can use what you have on hand, so if you don’t have any whole cloves, try allspice – or if you don’t have any whole spices at all, use a bit of pumpkin pie spice. This is a great drink for a cold evening in Chicago – or anywhere!
Spiced Caramel Apple Cider
4 cups cider
1 cup caramel vodka
2 tbsp orange liqueur (optional)
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 cloves
1 cinnamon stick
1/8 tsp nutmeg
pinch of salt
Directions
- Combine the cider, brown sugar, spices, and salt in a large saucepan, and bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally to incorporate the brown sugar and spice. Simmer for about 10 minutes,
- Remove from the heat and stir in the caramel vodka and orange liqueur, if using. You can serve immediately, or return the mixture to very low heat for a few minutes, to allow it to come back up to temperature and then serve.
- Serve in warm mugs.
- If there is any leftover, cover and leave the cider over the lowest heat level just so it stays warm. Continue to sip throughout the evening.
Feeding Darragh 