Salted Caramel Manhattan
Rye whiskey, sweet vermouth and homemade salted caramel syrup meet in a coupe rimmed with caramel sauce and coarse salt.
Servings 1 drink
Calories 222kcal
Ingredients
For the salted caramel syrup
- ½ cup water divided
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 pinch salt
For the salted caramel Manhattan
- 1 teaspoon caramel sauce for the rim (store-bought)
- 1 teaspoon coarse salt for the rim
- 2 ounces rye whiskey
- ½ ounce sweet vermouth
- ½ ounce salted caramel syrup
- 2 dashes coffee or chocolate bitters
- 1 piece orange zest for garnish
Instructions
salted caramel syrup
- Combine ¼ cup water and ½ cup sugar in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir just until dissolved, about 5 minutes or so. Once you can’t see any grains, stop stirring.¼ cup water, ½ cup granulated sugar
- Cover and boil, about 3 minutes. Remove the lid and gently swirl the pan (don’t stir) until the mixture is a light amber color. If you see sugar crystals on the sides of the pan, brush them down with a wet pastry brush.
- As soon as the color change occurs, remove from heat immediately. Cool slightly. Stir in the remaining water and vanilla extract.¼ cup water, ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- Add a pinch of salt for salted caramel syrup.1 pinch salt
- Store syrup in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 month.
salted caramel Manhattan
- Pour a little caramel sauce onto a small plate and a layer of coarse salt onto another plate. Dip about one-third to one-half of the rim of a coupe glass into the caramel, then into the salt. Set aside.1 teaspoon caramel sauce, 1 teaspoon coarse salt
- Fill a mixing glass with ice. Add the rye, sweet vermouth, salted caramel syrup and bitters.2 ounces rye whiskey, ½ ounce sweet vermouth, ½ ounce salted caramel syrup, 2 dashes coffee or chocolate bitters
- Stir until well chilled, about 30 seconds.
- Strain into the prepared coupe glass.
- Twist the orange zest over the drink to release its oils, then drop it in or rest it on the rim. Serve right away.1 piece orange zest
Notes
Before you begin: Focus on your syrup and don’t allow any distractions. It’s very easy to turn your caramel syrup into burnt sugar syrup. Measure all ingredients out ahead of time. This recipe makes around ¾ cup syrup, but I wouldn’t double it until you’ve mastered this recipe.
Watch the color: This recipe moves quickly. As soon as the caramel syrup turns an amber color, remove it from the heat immediately. It will still cook a little more after you remove it from the heat, which makes it that much easier to burn. Once it’s burnt, you can’t save it and you’ll have to start over. (Ask me how I know!)
Troubleshooting: When you heat the sugar and water together, low heat will dry out the sugar, so make sure the heat is set to medium-high. If your syrup crystallizes, add a splash of water, heat gently until the sugar dissolves and start again.
Syrup storage: Store the salted caramel syrup in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 month. The recipe makes about 6 ounces (¾ cup), enough for around 12 cocktails.
Unsalted version: For a Caramel Manhattan without the salt, skip the pinch of salt in the syrup and leave off the salted rim.
Rye vs. bourbon: Rye is the best choice here. Bourbon will work, but the spicier rye balances the sweet vermouth and caramel syrup.
Bitters swaps: Coffee or chocolate bitters both work well. In a pinch, orange or aromatic bitters are a good substitute.
Garnish tip: Use a vegetable peeler to cut a strip of orange zest and avoid the white pith, which can taste bitter. Twist it over the glass so the oils spray across the top of the drink.
Batching for a party: Mix the rye, sweet vermouth, syrup and bitters in a bottle and refrigerate for several days. When it’s time to serve, stir individual portions with ice and strain into rimmed glasses.
Nutrition
Serving: 4ounces | Calories: 222kcal | Carbohydrates: 16g | Protein: 0.1g | Sodium: 2361mg | Potassium: 15mg | Sugar: 16g | Vitamin A: 7IU | Vitamin C: 0.04mg | Calcium: 7mg | Iron: 1mg
