Festive Fall Caramel Apple Milkshake Recipe

Fall-inspired treats are all about comforting festive flavors, and this delicious drink certainly fits the bill. Brimming with sweetness and spice, this caramel apple milkshake by recipe developer Catherine Brookes is a creamy, caramel-topped treat that truly captures the essence of the season.

Combining the rich creaminess of vanilla ice cream with the fruity sweetness of apple pie filling and apple cider, this milkshake is such a fun way to bring the flavors of fall together. A generous drizzle of caramel sauce adds an extra depth of flavor that makes a dreamy pairing for the apple, whilst a hint of cinnamon brings a wonderful warmth. A generous helping of whipped cream on top is the perfect finishing touch, and each sip will taste just like a bite of caramel apple pie.

This milkshake is incredibly easy to make, too. Just blend the ingredients together, pour into glasses, and add your toppings for the ultimate cool and cozy drink.

As with many classic milkshake recipes, you'll use vanilla ice cream to create that sweet, creamy base. This is mixed with apple cider, apple pie filling, caramel sauce, and cinnamon. If you don't have apple cider to hand, you can also use unfiltered apple juice here. And whilst caramel sauce is available in most large grocery stores, you could also opt to make a homemade batch of caramel sauce. To top the milkshake, we use whipped cream and a drizzle of extra caramel sauce.

Add the vanilla ice cream, apple pie filling, apple cider, caramel sauce, and cinnamon to a blender.

Blend until combined and smooth.

Pour the milkshake into two glasses.

Top each milkshake with whipped cream.

Drizzle over some extra caramel sauce and serve.

If you'd prefer using fresh apple instead of apple pie filling, this can add a lovely, natural texture and flavor to your milkshake. To do this, simply peel, core, and dice one large apple. A slightly tart, green variety like a Granny Smith should work well here. Toss the diced apple into the blender with your other milkshake ingredients and you're good to go. Compared to the apple pie filling, the fresh apple will bring a crisper flavor and make the drink slightly less sweet overall.

If you still want the sweetness of the apple pie filling, but don't have this to hand, you can try making your own. Just dice up some peeled and cored apples, and combine these with melted butter, water, sugar, and cinnamon in a saucepan. Stir well, cover the pot, and let the mixture simmer for about five minutes until the apple is softened. The final step is to thicken the mixture up a little. To do this, mix cornstarch and water in a small bowl to create a slurry, then pour this into the apple mixture and continue cooking it over the heat until the filling has thickened.

This caramel apple milkshake pairs wonderfully with plenty of other fall-inspired treats. To go all out with the spiced apple theme, keep things indulgent and cozy and serve your milkshake with a slice of freshly-baked apple pie, an apple cider donut, or some crispy apple fritters. The cool, creamy drink makes an amazing contrast for anything warm and sweet. If you're looking for something to dunk into your milkshake, an iced sugar cookie or caramel shortbread would be an excellent choice.

When it comes to savory pairings, there is a huge array of options that will balance the fruity sweetness of the milkshake. Try serving it up with a grilled cheese sandwich, where that gooey, tangy cheese will be the perfect accompaniment to the sweet creaminess of the shake. Classic diner-style meals, like fried chicken, a hot dog, or a burger and fries would also be great choices. Crispy sweet potato fries would complement the autumnal flavors of the milkshake. And yes — dunking your fries right into the shake is totally acceptable!