So easy to make and so delicious, this smooth and easy autumnal prosecco spritz pairs the bright juiciness of apple cider with the rich caramelly flavor of Carpano Antica sweet vermouth. If you have it, a drizzle of cinnamon syrup would be an unnecessary but thoroughly delicious addition.–Danielle Centoni
Apple Spritz FAQs
Combine 1 cup each water and granulated sugar and bring to a simmer, stirring, until the sugar dissolves. Add 4 cinnamon sticks and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat, let cool completely, for at least 1 hour and up to 6 hours. Remove the cinnamon sticks and use the syrup as desired.
Bitters are spirits made from a neutral spirit that’s been infused with herbs, spices, fruits, roots, tree bark, and other botanicals. The first bitters to be mass produced – Angostura – was marketed as a medicinal tonic in the mid-1800s before becoming a popular addition to alcoholic beverages.
You can absolutely use regular apple cider, just know that your cocktail won’t be as effervescent and bubbly as the written version.
☞ Like spritzers? Try these:
Caramel Apple Spritz
Ingredients
- Ice
- 1 1/2 ounces sweet vermouth, such as Carpano Antica Formula or Punt e Mes
- 2 ounces prosecco, chilled
- 2 ounces sparkling apple cider, chilled
- A few dashes of orange bitters
- Apple fan, for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Fill a wineglass three-quarters full of ice.
- Pour the vermouth, prosecco, and sparkling apple cider over the ice.
- Gently stir to combine. Add the bitters and garnish with the apple fan, if desired.
Notes
Caramel Apple Spritz Mocktail
For a zero-proof drink, fill a wineglass three-quarters full with ice. Combine 3 ounces (90 ml) sparkling apple cider with 3 ounces (90 ml) Lurisia chinotto over the ice. Add 1/4-ounce (7 ml) vanilla simple syrup and a squeeze of lemon, or more to taste. Add bitters and garnish with apple fan, if desired.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Recipe Testers’ Reviews
This caramel apple spritz recipe was exactly what it said it was going to be. It was easy to make, smooth, and delicious!
The flavors came together perfectly. It tasted like you took a caramel apple and made it into an alcoholic beverage. The apple fan garnish was the cutest way to garnish this drink.
I beg to differ that this is an autumn only drink. I will crave this drink during every season, not just autumn. Let’s raise our wine glasses and cheers to making more caramel apple spritz!
A crisp and flavorful mixed drink sans-alcohol. I made the zero-proof version and loved it! It has all the flavor and fun of a beautiful cocktail without the alcohol. I was surprised how much caramel flavor this drink had; easy to make and delightful!
This caramel apple spritz is a really nice fall cocktail that I plan to use for Thanksgiving. It’s not too sweet, but has a nice flavor due to the combination of apple and orange. I did not use the cinnamon drizzle, but that might be nice too.
I tend to stay away from adding extra sugar to alcoholic drinks as the sugar increases the rate of absorption of the alcohol. Anyone who is looking for a less sweet drink would certainly appreciate this combination of flavors.
We had all the ingredients for this apple prosecco drink on hand, except for the prosecco, which never survives long in our household. I picked up a bottle on the way home from work and we were good to go.
I was intrigued by the suggestion of using Punt e Mes, a vermouth that I had never heard of. A quick internet search and I knew I wanted to try to track that down. According to their website, “The story goes that on 19 April 1870 , a stockbroker, caught up in a discussion with colleagues whilst in the Carpano wine shop about the increase in share prices on that day – one and a half points – ordered his usual Carpano vermouth but asked for the barman to add half a measure of bitter, using the regional expression “Punt e Mes”. The drink immediately became popular as an aperitif before lunch, as recalled by the barman of the time Maurizio Boeris.” I was unable to track any down locally, so in the spirit of the original we used a 2:1 mix of sweet vermouth and Campari.
My daughter is a recent graduate of the European Bartender School in Barcelona and she made the drink with entertaining flair in less than a minute. My wife absolutly loved it. The color was a beautiful dark caramel color and filled the wineglass with a generous pour.
This is a drink that just begs to be played with. Next time I make it I intend to use a dry vermouth (rather than the sweet) and a dry crisp cider. People who have sweeter palates should feel free to choose a sweeter cider and leave off the Campari.
Hello. Is the cider supposed to be real, alcoholic ‘English’ cider, made with fermented apples, or the non-alcoholic ‘American’ type, which has always seemed to me to be essentially fizzy apple juice?
Simon, I think you could make it with either, depending on your preference. If you go with the traditional cider, you’ll have a drier flavor, whereas using the American style will be sweeter.