Three-Ingredient Caramel Apple Spice

Several years ago, my friend Jennie got me hooked on the Caramel Apple Spice from Starbucks. As a non-coffee drinker, this heavenly nectar is like the balm of Gilead during a time where Pumpkin Spice Latte fans take over. My then-boyfriend worked at a coffee shop and asked why I didn't just start making them at home. "It's so easy," I believe he said.

It so is.

I keep seeing recipes on Pinterest that promise the copycat Starbucks CAS, but they're all more complicated than the version my now-husband showed me. Some call for just cinnamon, some call for just caramel sauce in cider, some call for a whole litany of gingerbread spices and evaporated milk.... It's all unnecessary, because this is all you need.

• A good quality apple cider
• Chai tea concentrate
• Caramel syrup
• Whipped cream (optional, but only use the stuff in a can. Cool Whip in a tub gets clumpy and weird in drinks.)

 First, let me clarify that "good quality" in the case of apple cider means cloudy and unfiltered. Otherwise, it's apple juice and that mess is for toddlers. Apple cider is for deliciousness.

Chai tea is the secret here. The spices in the chai tea really help to flavor the cider and make it taste like fall. I have tried using mulling spices in a tea bag as well as just using cinnamon sprinkled in the cider, but this is the best method, in my opinion. Basically, what you're doing is making a chai latte, but swapping the milk for apple cider. I've used Tazo brand, but I actually prefer Oregon Chai. 

Any caramel syrup would work here, but I like this one because it's mess-free and easy.

Just mix equal portions of chai and apple cider in a mug and microwave until hot. Then stir in a spoonful of caramel sauce until it's melted in.

Check out mah mug, ya'll.

 You can obviously add a big ol' dollop of whipped cream on there, but for some reason I forgot to pick it up.

I love that you can make this in a crock pot for a group, or in a mug for one. Thanks, Hubs. This was a great idea.