Caramel Apple Spice (Starbucks Copycat)

Make the popular Starbucks Caramel Apple Spice at home! This popular fall seasonal drink is ready in less than 10 minutes! Warm up with this cozy and satisfying hot apple cider recipe.

If you’re a sucker for a good coffeehouse seasonal drink like I am, you’ve probably enjoyed a Starbucks caramel apple spice at least once. While the Starbucks hot apple cider is a real treat, it is definitely on the (overly) sweet side.

Because I’ve been playing with homemade coffeehouse drink recipes over the past 10 years or so, I knew a DIY caramel apple spice recipe was a must! This copycat Starbucks recipe is cozy and satisfying, while toning down to sweetness to a more manageable level. The perfect drink for a cool fall night!

DIY Caramel Apple Spice Ingredients

Apple Cider: Fresh squeezed from a local apple orchard or bottled at your grocery store, apple cider (not apple juice) is the base of this caramel apple spice Starbucks copycat recipe.

Ground Cinnamon: Adding this to your apple cider brings all those cozy fall flavors that you’re expecting in this hot apple cider recipe. Option to sprinkle a little extra on top too. You can find ground cinnamon in your grocery store’s baking aisle.

Caramel Syrup or Sauce: The caramel is in this hot apple cider recipe AND drizzled on top… does it get any better than that?! I personally love and use the Torani or Ghirardelli caramel sauces. Look in your grocery store’s coffee aisle or by the ice cream.

Whipped Cream: Using your favorite canned whipped cream makes preparing this drink extra easy, but feel free to use homemade whipped cream too!

See recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.

Wait, You Skipped the Cinnamon Dolce Syrup?

Yes, yes I did. The Starbucks cinnamon dolce syrup is a fancy cinnamon simple syrup. Apple cider is already sweet…and we’re adding caramel…and we’re topping our drink with whipped cream… plus some extra caramel… the added sugar just isn’t necessary. This version of the Starbucks caramel apple cider skips the white sugar and brown sugar (and other miscellaneous ingredients) used for the cinnamon syrup, and adds our favorite fall spice directly to the drink.

Recipe Variations and Substitutions

• Replace the ground cinnamon with a cinnamon syrup. Ok, ok, if you REALLY want to use the Starbucks cinnamon dolce syrup, I’m not going to stop you! I’d recommend checking out the Torani cinnamon syrup as it’s a fraction of the cost, or making your own cinnamon simple syrup though. To do this swap, replace the ground cinnamon with 1 tablespoon of cinnamon syrup (per 1 cup of apple cider) in this recipe.
• Use apple juice instead of apple cider. If you’re making this outside of the fall season, apple cider can be hard to find. Apple juice is also filtered and pasteurized, so may be a better option for mamas-to-be if they’re craving one of these. Note: apple juice is sweeter than apple cider.. which may or may not be a big deal to you. If I were making this swap, I’d start with less caramel in my drink and adjust to taste.
• Make this into a spiked apple cider. If you’re wanting to turn this into a warm and cozy caramel apple cider cocktail, add a shot of your favorite bourbon or brandy to your serving glass. Do not add your liquor of choice to the apple cider on the stove as you’ll cook off some of the alcohol (and then, what’s the point of spiking it?).

How to Make Caramel Apple Hot Cider

Place apple cider, cinnamon, and caramel into a small saucepan over medium heat. Whisk to combine and stir periodically throughout the heating process. Warm to desired temperature (approximately 5-10 minutes).

Pour hot cider into a mug, leaving room for whipped cream.

Top with whipped cream, a drizzle of caramel, and a dusting of cinnamon.

Make This Hot Apple Cider Recipe for a Party!

While this recipe is written out for a single serving, you can easily double it or multiply the ingredient ratios out for a larger group!

Make it for 4-8

Having a small get together? You can still make this on the stove!

• Make sure you have a medium or large size saucepan to heat your cider and caramel sauce in in (size will depend on how many servings you are making).
• Allow yourself a little more time to heat up your cider. With the larger volume, it will take a little longer to get your cider heated up. Don’t worry, it’s worth the wait!

Make it for 8 or More

Having a larger gathering? It’s time to bust out the crock pot!

• Pour 8 cups of apple cider and ½ cup of caramel sauce into the crockpot and stir.
• Add 2-3 cinnamon sticks to the crock pot (replacing the ground cinnamon).
• Cover and cook on low for 2-4 hours, stirring occasionally to help the caramel dissolve.
• Have mugs, whipped cream, caramel sauce, and ground cinnamon ready for your guests to serve themselves and enjoy!