Apple Cider Cocktails with Caramel Vodka (Warm or Cold!)

In keeping with the glut of caramel recipes which I've posted recently, here's one more!

Did you know that you can buy caramel vodka?  I should have known; I mean, take a walk down the vodka aisle (really! there are so many flavors of vodka that they have their own aisle at one of the local liquor stores!), and there are so many crazy flavors it's overwhelming.  Caramel is a relatively normal flavor, don't you think?  At least it seems normal to me when compared to PB & J, Smoked Salmon or Bacon-(yes, bacon!)-flavored vodkas.

Of course I had to buy the caramel vodka.  

I'm glad it's autumn, because it's the perfect season for me to discover the existence of caramel vodka.  I'm not sure what I would have mixed it with during other seasons, but now, in October, the cider in my fridge was just screaming,  "Pick me!  Pick me!"  

For taste-testing purposes, we prepared these cocktails both hot and cold.  Which means that Mr. Terrific, Caitie and I had to drink each type, for comparison's sake.  It was tough, but someone had to do it!

The verdict? Two preferred warm, one of us preferred cold.  I won't say who picked what, I'll just tell you that it's hard for me to discard my belief that everything tastes better with a stripey straw in it.

Today's Playlist

• "In One Ear"...Cage the Elephant
• "The Girl Got Hot"...Weezer
• "Parallel Universe"...Red Hot Chili Peppers
• "Learn To Fly"...Foo Fighters
• "I Wanna Be Sedated"...The Ramones

Apple Cider Cocktails
Printable Recipe

Ingredients:

• Apple Cider
• Caramel Vodka

For Garnish:

Whipped cream, apple slices, salted caramel, cinnamon sticks

Gather your ingredients.

Add a few accompaniments.

I decided that the warm cider would need cinnamon sticks, and that the cold cocktails would need apple slices and stripey straws.  I also decided that they would all be topped with whipped cream and a drizzle of salted caramel.

You can use your favorite salted caramel sauce, or you can make your own.  You can click here to go to a salted caramel recipe (it will take you to my blogpost for salted caramel cupcakes, just scroll down to find the recipe for salted caramel sauce).

I haven't listed any amounts for the ingredients, because it depends upon how many cocktails you are making.  Let's get started!

You will need 8 ounces of cider for each cocktail.  Pour the cider into mugs if you are making warm cocktails, or glasses if you prefer a chilled cocktail.

If you are making warm cocktails, this would be the time to heat the cider.  Heat each mug on HIGH for one minute in your microwave.

If you are making chilled cocktails, add a few ice cubes to the glasses of cider.

Add one shot (1 1/2 ounces) of caramel vodka to each glass or mug.

Top with whipped cream.

Garnish the cold cocktails with apple slices and pretty straws, and add cinnamon sticks to the warm cider mugs.

Drizzle some salted caramel on top of each.

Yum!  Which do you prefer?

Cold?

Warm?

Or one of each?