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    Home » Beverages

    Sparkling Apple Cider Floats (90 cents/each)

    Published: Dec 7, 2021 by Jessica Fisher

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    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. For more details, please see our disclosure policy.
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    side view of two apple cider floats with text overlay.

    Looking for a fun dessert that you can make in just a matter of minutes? These Sparkling Apple Cider Floats are just the thing! Cold, bubbly, tart-sweet apple cider, vanilla bean ice cream, drizzles of caramel sauce. Yeah, baby. It totally works.

    An Apple Cider Float is an excellent treat to serve all year long, but is especially fun to Celebrate New Year’s Eve With Kids. You have your own bubbly, and they have theirs! I’ve also included some adult variations on this one, too.

    side view of two sparkling apple cider floats on a black table with a red plaid cloth nearby. this …
    Jump to:
    • Why Make This
    • Ingredients
    • Step-by-Step Instructions
    • FAQs & Recipe Costs
    • Recommended Beverages
    • Tell us what you think!
    • Sparkling Apple Cider Floats

    There’s always room for dessert, am I right? Only sometimes, coming up with a creative dessert idea or drumming up the energy to bake said dessert can be a littler harder than one would think.

    I mean, we are talking about dessert, right?

    It pays to have a repertoire of quick desserts to draw from, desserts that can be made in a matter of minutes with regular kitchen staples.

    No need to shop all over town for fancy ingredients. No need to time the baking and cooling and finishing of the dessert. Just mix and serve. An Apple Cider Float fills that need.

    Why Make This

    These Apple Cider Floats are a perfect easy dessert. Not only can you easily stash a carton of ice cream in the freezer and sparkling cider and caramel syrup in the pantry, but you can mix up a tray of these babies in minutes…. AND look like the hostess with the mostest!

    They’re super affordable. At regular prices, you can expect to pay less than a dollar for each generous serving. Stock up at sales and an apple cider float will cost even less.

    Ingredients

    Here’s what you need to make Sparkling Apple Cider Floats:

    ingredients for apple cider floats laid out on a table top with a red checked cloth.

    Just three basic ingredients!

    vanilla ice cream – You can buy it or make homemade vanilla ice cream, it’s up to you. While vanilla is a classic pairing, you may find other flavors that sound good to you such as cinnamon or caramel flavored ice creams or gelatos. Avoid any that have nuts, pretzels, or chunks of dough as those don’t really go well in apple cider floats.

    sparkling apple cider – Choose your favorite brand sparkling apple cider. Pure apple is standard, but brands like Martinelli’s now make combinations of raspberry, peach, pomegranate and grape apple ciders. See the variations for a hot version of this apple cider float.

    caramel sauce – Apples and caramel are a classic combo, so topping your apple cider float with a caramel drizzle is a pretty natural step. Use the leftover sauce to serve with Caramel Apple Slices. See the variations for more topping options.

    Variations

    For a hot drink, make a hot apple cider float, not sparkling. You can top it with ice cream as you would Salted Caramel Affogato or top it with whipped cream like a standard hot coffee drink.

    For an alcoholic option, consider serving these with hard cider or adding a shot of whiskey or rum to the apple cider.

    For alternative toppings, sprinkle the tops with raw sugar, cinnamon sugar, or finely ground cinnamon.

    Love floats? Be sure to try our Sherbet Punch!

    Step-by-Step Instructions

    Sparkling Apple Cider Floats are so easy to make! Here’s what to do:

    scoops of ice cream placed into chilled pub glasses.
    pouring apple cider into glasses with vanilla ice cream.
    topping off the glasses with more sparkling cider.
    adding a drizzle of caramel sauce atop the foam in the float.
    1. Chill the glasses and the cider prior to serving. Bring the caramel syrup to a drizzle consistency by letting it sit at room temperature for awhile if it’s been refrigerated.
    2. In each chilled glass place two scoops of ice cream. Pour cider over the ice cream. Drizzle caramel sauce over the foam.
    3. Serve the apple cider floats immediately.

    FAQs & Recipe Costs

    What is the difference between an ice cream float and an ice cream soda?

    An ice cream float and an ice cream soda are very closely related. A float is a soft drink (like root beer) with scoops of ice cream floating in it. An ice cream soda is a dessert of ice cream scoops topped with a flavored soft drink or soda water and flavored syrup.

    While most people think of soft drinks as carbonated colas and the like, soft drink is merely a generic term for non-alcoholic beverages. Alcoholic beverages are “hard”; other beverages are soft. So technically, sparkling apple cider falls under the soft drink category.

    How do you make a good ice cream float or ice cream soda?

    Regardless of what you call it — the difference between the two desserts is a question of added syrup — an ice cream float and an ice cream soda are made in similar ways. And they are best made with very cold liquid, very cold glasses, and of course cold ice cream.

    Going along with the cold theme, it’s best to use room temperature syrup in order to get the right drizzle. Heating cold syrup will get you there, but then you’re warming up your ice cream soda.

    Whenever possible, plan ahead and chill your glasses and beverage.

    Is apple cider the same as sparkling apple cider?

    Apple cider is apple juice that hasn’t been filtered to remove sediment or bits of pulp. It has a more apple-y flavor, according to some. Commercial sparkling apple cider, such as Martinelli’s, is carbonated apple juice.

    Recipe Costs

    Knowing how much it costs you to prepare a recipe can help you decide if it’s the type of recipe to make regularly or one you might want to save for special occasions. Let’s crunch some numbers and see how this recipe pencils out.

    • caramel syrup – $0.20
    • vanilla ice cream – $0.88
    • sparkling apple cider – $2.49

    While your costs may vary depending on where and how you shop, you can expect to pay about $3.57 for a batch of Apple Cider Floats, about $0.90/serving.

    To make this recipe more economical:

    • Stock up on ingredients when they are on sale. Ice cream tends to go on sale fairly often; same with ice cream toppings. Watch for sales and stock up. I usually buy several flavors at one time and stash them in the freezer. Near the holidays you’ll find sparkling cider at super cheap prices. It stays good for awhile, so don’t hesitate to buy a few extra bottles.
    • Make your own ice cream. Depending on your sourcing options and how much time you have, it may be cheaper to make your own ice cream. Talk about taking this dessert over the top!
    angled view of apple cider floats with the caramel sauce drizzling down the inside of the glass, a spoon rests near each glass.

    Recommended Beverages

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      Homemade Ginger Ale
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      Easy Ginger Lemonade
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      Homemade Ginger Syrup Recipe
    • goblets of raspberry sherbet punch on a white table.
      Sherbet Punch
    white spoon and fork on a teal plate logo.

    Tell us what you think!

    We love to hear your experiences with Good Cheap Eats. Click the STARS on the recipe card or leave a STARRED comment to let us know what you think of the recipe.

    close up of sparkling apple cider float with caramel drizzle on top of the foam.
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    5 from 3 votes

    Sparkling Apple Cider Floats

    Looking for a fun dessert that you can make in just a matter of minutes? These Sparkling Apple Cider Floats are just the thing!
    Prep Time5 minutes mins
    Total Time5 minutes mins
    Course: Dessert, Drinks
    Cuisine: American
    Diet: Gluten Free, Vegetarian
    Servings: 4
    Calories: 308kcal
    Author: Jessica Fisher
    Cost: $3.60
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Equipment

    • large ice cream scoop
    • tall glasses
    • tall iced tea spoons
    • straws

    Ingredients

    • 4 teaspoon caramel syrup at room temperature
    • 8 scoops vanilla ice cream from a 1.5 quart container
    • 1 25.4 oz bottle sparkling apple cider

    Instructions

    • Chill the glasses and the cider prior to serving.
    • Warm the caramel syrup to a drizzle consistency. It’s best to let it come to room temperature.
    • Meanwhile, in each chilled glass place two scoops of ice cream. Pour cider over the ice cream. Drizzle caramel sauce over the foam.
    • Serve immediately.

    Notes

    Make your own ice cream. Depending on your sourcing options and how much time you have, it may be cheaper to make your own ice cream. Talk about taking this dessert over the top!
    Alternate toppings: raw sugar, cinnamon sugar, or finely ground cinnamon.
    For a hot beverage: use regular apple cider and warm it until very hot. Top with ice cream, vanilla gelato, or whipped cream.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 308kcal | Carbohydrates: 40g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Cholesterol: 58mg | Sodium: 135mg | Potassium: 294mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 31g | Vitamin A: 556IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 173mg | Iron: 1mg
    Tried this Recipe? Tell us what you think!Your reviews help us develop better recipes and give newcomers the confidence to try your favorites. Scroll down to leave a starred comment.

    This post was originally published on October 26, 2011. It has been updated for content and clarity.

    « Chocolate Butterhorn Pastry (15 cents/each)
    Apple Slices with Caramel (71 cents/serving) »
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Allie

      January 01, 2022 at 7:11 pm

      5 stars
      Absolutely delicious!!! It was a such wonderful treat after our NYE dinner while waiting for the ball to drop. Cannot wait to have this special treat again!

      Reply
    2. Amanda @ Traditional Foods

      October 27, 2011 at 6:47 pm

      Thanks for hosting! I posted a video on dehydrating apples along with cooking ideas for all of those apple chips.

      Reply
    3. Lucky @ Making My Own Luck

      October 27, 2011 at 9:43 am

      Those floats look great. We’re having friends over for dinner Sunday and I think I just found my dessert — maybe with shortbread cookies (because I know my DH will say this is a drink, not a dessert 🙂 )

      Reply
    4. Amelia

      October 27, 2011 at 8:57 am

      I don’t have a post up yet on it but I tried this Winter Squash Stew the other day and it was really good. This recipe calls for apple cider but I used apple juice. I like to keep a can of frozen apple juice concentrate in the freezer for times like this. Also. You may want to bake the squash whole first, it is a royal pain to try to cut a butternut squash into cubes etc. (Hard as a rock!) I had to enlist my dd28! : ) If you really want to go easy-breezy just use frozen yellow squash. Here is the recipe: http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/recipes/440

      Enjoy! Thanks for sharing, your floats look wonderful. My hubby would love them.

      Reply
    5. Food on the Table

      October 27, 2011 at 8:20 am

      Serendipitous delight!

      Reply
    6. Tammy @ Skinny Mom's Kitchen

      October 27, 2011 at 8:13 am

      All the recipes look amazing! I made a super simple slowcooker applesauce this past weekend. I am planning on posting it within the next couple days.

      Reply
    7. Michelle @ Simplify, Live, Love

      October 27, 2011 at 6:02 am

      YUM! Loving the apple recipes as I’ve got so many apples to get through right now. I shared a recipe for Fried Apples-n-Onions. The kids and I are reading Farmer Boy and Almonzo claimed in the book that this was his most favorite recipe! Fun stuff.

      Reply
    8. SnoWhite @ Finding Joy in My Kitchen

      October 27, 2011 at 5:54 am

      These floats look wonderful! Just pinned it 🙂

      Reply
    9. Susie's Homemade

      October 27, 2011 at 5:54 am

      That looks so yummy!!!

      Reply
    10. Aimee @ ShugarySweets

      October 27, 2011 at 4:25 am

      Perfect swap. I can’t wait to see what others are cooking up with apples! Thanks for hosting.

      Reply
    11. Kristin

      October 27, 2011 at 4:05 am

      In the words of Ms. Ray, “Yummo!” Definitely going to try these this weekend with my girls!

      Reply
    12. Lynette W.

      October 26, 2011 at 9:47 pm

      Oh WOW! What a great mistake to make!!! Totally awesome flub! Thanks for sharing!

      Reply
    13. Sarah, TheHealthyHomeEconomist

      October 26, 2011 at 8:53 pm

      A lot of folks are trying to cut back on the carbs so here’s a grain free apple cobbler recipe that is both delicious and low carb!

      Reply

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    jessica from good cheap eats

    Hi, I'm Jessica! I believe anyone can prepare delicious meals -- no matter their budget.

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