Salted Caramel Appletini with Salted Caramel-Infused Vodka

Looking for the perfect fall cocktail? Try a Salted Caramel Appletini cocktail! This homemade caramel apple martini, made with homemade salted caramel infused vodka, is a sweet dessert drink to serve for any occasion. Makes enough salted caramel vodka for 4 drinks.

Love apple drinks? Don’t miss Sparkling Bourbon Pumpkin Apple Cider Punch and Apple Cider Punch!

2024 Update: This recipe was originally shared in September 2016. The recipe and post include new photos, as well as a lot more tips and tricks. I hope you love this festive drink!

When I think about the fall, apples immediately come to mind.

My husband and I got married in late October.

After we tied the knot, we took a short honeymoon to the mountains in East Tennessee. While there, we discovered a tiny orchard that offered the best cider I’ve ever had the opportunity to drink… and we stocked up.

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That long weekend, we spent the twilight hours on our cabin porch, sipping cider spiked with whiskey.

It was perfect on so many levels, and whenever I drink cider or whiskey, I think back to that week. Honestly, those two made for the ending to any perfect cool fall evening.

Why I love this recipe:

This Salted Caramel Apple Martini is a little different than a lot you’ll find to make at home or in a bar because it doesn’t call for sour apple schnapps, another apple liqueur, Sour Apple Pucker, apple brandy or even apple juice.

This appletini recipe is made with simple ingredients that you might already have at home — salted caramels, vodka, apple cider and caramel syrup. That’s it.

Now, I need to tell you that I’m a little bit obsessed with infused alcohol, as evidenced by my Candy Cane Vodka and Toasted Pecan Whiskey… but if you’re not into this, you can purchase Salted Caramel Vodka at your liquor store.

I chose to infuse my own vodka for this cocktail because when I have purchased bottles of flavored vodkas, they’ve sat on shelves for months or years.

I love this simple cocktail recipe because the sweetness of the caramel pairs beautifully with the fall flavor and crispness of apple. Also, the infused caramel vodka makes enough for four cocktails.

The end result of this appletini is a delight. It’s got wonderful apple flavor without it being overwhelming or cloying. It has sweet flavors, thanks to our homemade salted caramel sauce. Also, it’s not super tart, as you’d experience in a Sour Apple Martini.

After all: It’s a Caramel Apple Martini. And what’s not to love about this combination of two fantastic seasonal flavors?

Other cocktail recipes to try this season: Gin Apple Pie Cocktail | Pumpkin Spice Mule | Spiked Caramel Apple Cider | Apple Cider Margaritas | Pumpkin Whiskey Smash | Apple Cider Moscow Mule | Pumpkin Pie Martini

What you need to make this recipe:

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Here’s what you’ll need:

• Salted caramels — all you need are a handful of these beauties to infuse your vodka for the most delicious appletini ever!
• Vodka — use a brand that you enjoy drinking. Tito’s is a favorite in our house, but whatever you have on hand should work!
• Apple cider — purchase your favorite brand for this! It should be nice and sweet.
• Salted caramel vodka — this is the base for our drink, and it’s integral to transforming this from a classic Appletini to a Salted Caramel Appletini. If you don’t want to take the time to infuse your own vodka, purchase a Caramel Flavored Vodka from your local liquor store.
• Caramel sauce — like the kind you would use on ice cream! We’re going to use this as a drizzle and for the rims of our glasses for a little extra flavor. Feel free to make your own caramel sauce if you’re feeling adventurous, but store-bought is totally fine, too.

Garnish options:

You can dip the glass into salted caramel sauce for some extra sweetness around the rim. (Alternatively, you could drizzle some caramel sauce along the side of the glass or in the bottom of the glass for similar additional sweetness.)

You could also run a lime around the glass rim and dip it in cinnamon sugar.

Garnish with a slice of apple, a sprig of rosemary or thyme OR a cinnamon stick.

How to make an Apple Martini with Salted Caramel Vodka

Make the Salted Caramel-Infused Vodka

Before we get started, this vodka infusion could take up to 24 hours. If you don’t have time for this or aren’t interested in doing this, purchase Salted Caramel Flavored Vodka from your liquor store and skip on down to the steps to make the apple martini recipe itself.

Pour the vodka into a pint-sized mason jar. Add the salted caramels, too.

Screw on the lid and shake vigorously.

Let the vodka infuse overnight. This could take up to 24 hours, depending on how large the caramels are.

As the salted caramel vodka infuses, shake occasionally until the caramels are completely dissolved into the vodka.

There will be a film on top of the vodka, so shake it vigorously before using.

Make the Salted Caramel Appletini recipe

Once your vodka is infused, add ice to a cocktail shaker.

If desired, dip the rim of your martini glasses into caramel sauce. It will be sticky.

Measure the apple cider and salted caramel vodka into the cocktail shaker. Drizzle in the caramel sauce, too, for some extra caramel flavor.

Shake vigorously for up to 40 seconds.

Pour into the prepared martini glass. You may garnish with apple slices, too.

Enjoy immediately!

Frequently Asked Questions

More caramel vodka drinks to try:

More apple drinks to try:

If you want something with booze, you should check out Apple Pie Martini, Hot and Boozy Caramel Apple Cider, Hot Fireball Apple Cider and Mulled Apple Shrub Mule.

Want a nonalcoholic apple drink? This Red Hot Apple Cider and Slow Cooker Caramel Apple Cider both sound fantastic.

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Want to make this one? Scroll on down to my recipe…