Caramel Apple-tini

To me, Fall means apples. It also means everywhere you look you will find something flavored with pumpkin (I’ll try a pumpkin cocktail later). But for today’s ‘tini, it’s apples! A Caramel Apple-tini to be exact!

I’m usually way behind when it comes to transitioning from one season to the next. I’m definitely not one that gets a head start on anything. By the time I’ve decided I need to go out and buy boots for the winter, they’re all gone! I’m seeing now that pointy toe shoes are coming back in style. I can pretty much guarantee by the time I decide I should hop on board and cram my toes in a squished, pointed toe shoe and suffer in pain all while trying to look like a hip and happening 50-something woman, the style will change…again! I also tend to wait until the Monday before Thanksgiving to figure out what side dishes I want to cook. I’m just that way. I plan things at the last minute. This year, however, I thought I’d get a jump start on a fall cocktail. So out of character for me!

I’m sure if you look in your local liquor store, there will be several different brands of vodka flavored like a caramel apple. So if you want to make it easy on yourself, go ahead and buy a bottle of caramel apple vodka, or caramel vodka, and combine it with apple juice and you’re done. But to me, that’s too easy and not very creative. And, I don’t know about you, but sometimes an entire bottle of a flavored vodka that is only used in one drink is just too much and sits. So for this martini I used regular Absolute Vodka, which I always have stocked in my bar. To get the caramel apple flavor I added apple cider, apple liqueur, and caramel ice cream syrup. I figured the ice cream syrup was pretty much just like flavored simple syrup. The apple liqueur I used is Berentzen Apple Liqueur. You could use Sour Apple Pucker if you like. For a comparison, I made one with Sour Apple Pucker and another with Berentzen Apple Liqueur. Both my husband and I preferred the Berentzen Apple Liqueur. Sour apple pucker was a bit more…sour! But you could use it in a pinch, or any other brand of apple liqueur.

Hope you enjoy all the goodies of Fall and my Caramel Apple-tini for your Hump Day Happy Hour!

Caramel Apple-tini

Ingredients

2 oz. Vodka
2 oz. apple cider
1 oz. apple liqueur
1 oz. caramel ice cream syrup (I used Smuckers)
Garnish: apple slice

Instructions

Dip the rim of a martini glass in caramel syrup, then sugar. It does get a little drippy with the syrup so if you don't like that, then just wet the glass rim with a little cider and dip in sugar. I also put a bit of caramel syrup in the bottom of the glass, but that's optional. Put the glass in the freezer to chill while you make the cocktail.
Combine vodka, cider, apple liqueur and caramel ice cream syrup in cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake well, strain into chilled martini glass. Garnish with apple slice.