CARAMEL DRIZZLED APPLE PIE MOCKTAIL

Serving size: 2

This has to be one of my best mocktail creations yet. It has all the elements of a decadent apple pie but in drink form — the graham cracker crust, fresh cinnamon apples, and best of all, caramel sauce. This mocktail features my all-time favorite vegan caramel sauce that's unbelievably simple, requires just 4 ingredients and is made without the white sugar and heavy cream found in generic caramel sauces. Once you make it, I'm pretty confident you'll be using it in other applications too.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 tablespoons almond butter

• 2 tablespoons maple syrup

• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 1/4 teaspoon Himalayan pink salt

• 2 tablespoons agave

• 2 graham crackers, crushed

• 1 cup ice

• 1 apple, diced

• sprinkle of cinnamon

• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

• 2/3 cup apple juice

• 2/3 cup kombucha

For graham crackers, I always use this brand because they are both gluten-free and vegan.

Use any flavor kombucha you like. I happened to use pomegranate flavor but I think an apple flavor would work even better for this recipe. If you're not a fan of kombucha, you can use sparkling water in its place.

DIRECTIONS

Begin by making the vegan caramel sauce. Simply combine the almond butter, maple syrup, vanilla, and salt in a small dish and stir until well combined. If the mixture is too thick and you're having a hard time creating a smooth consistency, you can pop it in the microwave briefly then continue stirring. I find that using room temperature almond butter is key as it will be virtually impossible to stir the almond butter if you've been storing it in the fridge prior to using. Set the caramel sauce aside while you make the rest of the mocktail.

Using two separate small plates, pour the agave in one and spread out the crushed graham crackers in the other. Dip each of your two glasses top-down in the plate with the agave, completely coating the rim, then dip directly in the plate with the graham crackers and rotate until you get a nice crumb border on each glass.

Fill each glass with 1/2 cup ice, then drop a handful of diced apples on top of the ice, followed by a generous drizzle of the caramel sauce, and a light sprinkle of cinnamon. Add just a 1/2 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar to each glass, 1/3 cup of fresh apple juice per glass, then top off and fill the remainder of each glass with kombucha (or sparkling water).

If you'd like, you can add another drizzle of the caramel sauce on top. Garnish with cinnamon sticks and apple slices.

Outside of all the mouthwatering elements to this mocktail, it does still contain apple cider vinegar which is a huge plus. I consume one tablespoon of apple cider vinegar every single day and this gets me one step closer to my daily goal. The fresh diced apples and kombucha also up the ante in terms of health benefits and I can't think of a more fun and enjoyable way to enjoy these ingredients. I love how festive this drink is and that it satisfies my sweet tooth with all the seasonal flavors in a bubbly, refreshing format.