Fall showed up in the soda aisle this year with a limited-edition can that tastes like a green apple dipped in caramel, and it sold out fast enough that people started asking how to recreate it. This Olipop caramel apple copycat gets you the same tart-then-buttery sip at home for roughly a dollar a glass. You keep the fiber and the low sugar, too.
Short version for this caramel apple prebiotic soda: stir chicory root inulin into a splash of warm water, add apple juice, sugar-free caramel syrup, lemon, a pinch of salt, and a little stevia, then top with very cold sparkling water. You end up with roughly 8 g of fiber and about 4 g of sugar per glass, which lands close to the label on the can.
What you’re looking for is a drink that opens with green apple tartness and finishes with a soft caramel note. Once you’ve made this Olipop caramel apple copycat a couple of times, you’ll start adjusting the sweetness and the sour by taste, and that’s exactly how this recipe is meant to be used.
What’s in Olipop Caramel Apple? Olipop Ingredients Decoded
Before rebuilding anything, I read the label. According to Olipop’s product page, the can lists carbonated water, a fiber blend called OLISMART (cassava root fiber, chicory root inulin, Jerusalem artichoke inulin, plus nopal, marshmallow root, calendula, and kudzu extracts), apple juice concentrate, cassava root syrup, lemon juice concentrate, natural flavors, stevia, Himalayan pink salt, and malic acid.
Per 12 oz can, that adds up to 50 calories, 5 g of total sugar (1 g added), and 9 g of fiber, with 9 percent juice. Every ingredient has a job, so this Olipop caramel apple copycat gives each one a kitchen stand-in.
| On the Olipop label | Homemade stand-in |
|---|---|
| Cassava root fiber, chicory inulin, Jerusalem artichoke inulin | Plain chicory root inulin powder |
| Apple juice concentrate | 100% apple juice, no added sugar |
| Cassava root syrup, stevia | A few drops of liquid stevia |
| Lemon juice concentrate, malic acid | Fresh lemon juice, pinch of malic acid |
| Natural flavors (caramel) | Sugar-free caramel syrup |
| Himalayan pink salt | Fine pink or sea salt |
| Nopal, marshmallow root, calendula, kudzu | Skipped: hard to source, and not what makes it taste like caramel apple |
MocktailsDaily is not affiliated with OLIPOP. Brand names appear here only to describe the flavor being recreated.
Why This Olipop Caramel Apple Copycat Works
Three jobs matter most: fiber, sweetness with some body, and acid. Inulin carries the fiber, apple juice supplies body and real apple flavor, and lemon plus a pinch of malic acid delivers the sharp green-apple snap. Get those right and the caramel becomes a finishing note instead of a sugar bomb.
Salt matters more than it sounds. A tiny pinch rounds the sweetness the way it does in caramel sauce, and the can lists pink salt too. Leave it out and this Olipop caramel apple copycat tastes flat and a little candy-sweet.
Key Ingredient Notes for the Olipop Caramel Apple Copycat
Buy plain, unflavored chicory root inulin powder from a health-food store or online. Inulin is a soluble fiber that dissolves best in warm liquid, which is why the method starts with a small slurry. Check that the label lists fiber only, with no added sweeteners.
For the caramel, grab a sugar-free caramel syrup from the coffee aisle. It’s thinner and less buttery than a real caramel sauce, but it keeps the sugar near the can’s 5 g. A thick sauce turns the glass sticky and sinks to the bottom.
Pick 100 percent apple juice with no added sugar, and open a fresh bottle of cold, unflavored sparkling water. Fizz is the first thing to fade, so temperature matters more than brand.
How Close Is This Olipop Caramel Apple Copycat to the Real Can?
In my testing, this Olipop caramel apple copycat came out very close to the real can. It’s balanced and refreshing, with tart apple up front and caramel behind it, and it matches the label on fiber and sugar. What it can’t copy are the proprietary natural flavors and the botanical extracts, so a side-by-side taster might notice small differences.
Carbonation is the other gap. Bottled sparkling water gives softer bubbles that fade faster than a sealed can, so drink it within 15 minutes. A soda maker closes most of that gap if you have one.
Is Homemade Prebiotic Soda Healthy?
Inulin is a fermentable fiber, which means gut bacteria feed on it and gas or bloating is a common side effect. A full 9 g serving is a lot if your gut isn’t used to fiber, so start with 2 teaspoons of inulin and build up over a week or two. If you have IBS or another digestive condition, check with your doctor first.
Sugar stays low because most of the sweetness comes from a small amount of juice and stevia. Treat this Olipop caramel apple copycat as a lower-sugar soda swap, not a health food.
What I Learned Testing This Olipop Caramel Apple Copycat
I made this Olipop caramel apple copycat and compared it with the real can. It came out balanced and refreshing: the tart apple and the caramel sit in proportion, and neither one takes over. It landed very close to the original, though not identical. Bottled sparkling water gives softer fizz than a sealed can, so I mix each glass to order instead of making a batch. One more tip: dissolve the inulin in warm water first, because it clumps when it hits cold liquid.
Tips and Variations for Your Olipop Caramel Apple Copycat
- Want your caramel apple soda tarter? Add another squeeze of lemon before the sparkling water goes in.
- Want it sweeter? Add liquid stevia one drop at a time and taste between drops.
- Building on a can instead? Pour Olipop Crisp Apple over ice and stir in a tablespoon of sugar-free caramel syrup for a shortcut version.
- Making this Olipop caramel apple copycat ahead? Mix the concentrate for four glasses and keep it in a sealed jar in the fridge for up to 3 days. Add the sparkling water only when you pour.
- Serving at a party? Drop a cinnamon stick in each glass as a stir stick.
Caramel Apple Dirty Soda Version
For a caramel apple dirty soda, top the finished glass with 2 tablespoons of cold foam: whip half-and-half with a teaspoon of caramel syrup until it thickens. It adds calories and fat, but the creamy layer softens the acid. Fans of salted caramel root beer dirty soda will feel right at home.
Troubleshooting Your Olipop Caramel Apple Copycat
The inulin clumps. It hit cold liquid too fast. Shake it in a jar with 2 tablespoons of warm water for 30 seconds before anything else goes in.
The drink tastes flat. Your sparkling water wasn’t cold enough, or you stirred too hard. Chill the glass, pour slowly down the side, and stir once.
The caramel is too faint. Add another half tablespoon of syrup and a tiny pinch more salt, then taste again.
Your stomach feels off. Cut the inulin back to 2 teaspoons and build up slowly.
More Recipes You’ll Love
Keep going with our homemade sodas collection and the full list of dirty soda recipes. Another copycat worth a try is the Founder dirty soda, and this apple cider mocktail is the warm answer to a cool glass of caramel apple.
Quick recap for this Olipop caramel apple copycat: shake inulin with warm water, stir in apple juice, sugar-free caramel syrup, lemon, malic acid, salt, and stevia, then pour in very cold sparkling water down the side of the glass. Stir once, taste, adjust, and drink within 15 minutes.
Olipop Caramel Apple Copycat (Homemade Caramel Apple Prebiotic Soda)
Equipment
- 1 Small jar with lid for shaking the inulin slurry
- 1 Tall 16 oz glass chilled
- 1 Long spoon
- 1 Measuring spoons
Ingredients
For the Caramel Apple Concentrate
- 1 tbsp chicory root inulin powder plain and unflavored; about 8 g fiber. Start with 2 tsp if you are new to inulin
- 2 tbsp warm water for the slurry
- 2 tbsp apple juice 100% juice, no added sugar
- 1 tbsp sugar-free caramel syrup
- 1 tsp fresh lemon juice
- 1/8 tsp malic acid optional, adds green-apple snap
- 1 tiny pinch fine pink or sea salt
- 2-4 drops liquid stevia to taste
To Finish
- 8 oz cold unflavored sparkling water from a freshly opened bottle
- 1 cup ice
- 1 thin slice green apple for garnish
Optional Dirty Soda Topping
- 2 tbsp half-and-half whipped into cold foam
- 1 tsp sugar-free caramel syrup
Instructions
Build the Caramel Apple Concentrate
- Put a 16 oz glass in the freezer for 5 minutes and make sure your sparkling water is very cold. Cold liquid holds carbonation much longer.
- Add the inulin and 2 tablespoons of warm water to a small jar. Close the lid and shake for 30 seconds until no clumps remain.
- Stir in the apple juice, caramel syrup, lemon juice, malic acid, salt, and 2 drops of stevia.
- It should taste slightly too sweet and too tart, because the sparkling water will dilute it. Add a drop of stevia or a squeeze of lemon to adjust.
Carbonate and Serve
- Fill the chilled glass with ice and pour in the concentrate.
- Tilt the glass and pour the sparkling water slowly down the side to keep as much fizz as possible.
- Lift a long spoon from the bottom to the top one time. Stirring more than that knocks out the bubbles.
- Add the green apple slice to the rim and drink within 15 minutes for the best fizz.
Optional Dirty Soda Finish
- Whip the half-and-half with 1 teaspoon of caramel syrup until it thickens, then spoon it over the finished drink.
Notes
Nutrition
Frequently Asked Questions
How to make OLIPOP at home?
You can’t copy its exact formula, but you can rebuild the idea. Stir chicory root inulin into warm water, add apple juice, sugar-free caramel syrup, lemon, a pinch of salt, and stevia, then top with cold sparkling water. It lands near the can’s 9 g of fiber and low sugar.
Is OLIPOP actually healthy?
Olipop’s Caramel Apple lists 50 calories, 5 g of sugar, and 9 g of fiber per 12 oz can, far less sugar than a regular soda. Whether it’s healthy for you depends on how your gut handles inulin and how much you drink. Treat it as a soda swap, not a health product.
What can I use as an alternative to OLIPOP?
A homemade version is the closest match to this flavor: inulin, apple juice, caramel syrup, lemon, and sparkling water. Other prebiotic sodas, such as Poppi, are sold in most stores. Building it yourself lets you control the sweetness, the fiber, and the caramel apple flavor.
Why does my stomach hurt after drinking OLIPOP?
Inulin is a fermentable fiber, so gut bacteria break it down and can produce gas and bloating, especially in larger amounts. Nine grams of fiber in one can is a lot for a gut that isn’t used to it. Start with smaller servings, and ask a doctor if symptoms continue.
How to make your own prebiotic drink?
Start with a prebiotic fiber such as chicory root inulin, and dissolve it in a little warm water first so it doesn’t clump. Add juice or flavoring for taste, a squeeze of lemon for acidity, and finish with very cold sparkling water. Begin with about 2 teaspoons of inulin per glass.
Is prebiotic soda actually healthy?
Prebiotic sodas usually contain less sugar than regular soda and add fiber, which is the appeal. They aren’t a medical treatment, and the fiber can cause gas in some people. A homemade caramel apple prebiotic soda lets you choose the amount of sugar and inulin that suits you.
How to make a caramel apple dirty soda?
Make the caramel apple base, pour in cold sparkling water, then top the glass with 2 tablespoons of cold foam whipped from half-and-half and a teaspoon of caramel syrup. The creamy layer softens the tart apple. A green apple slice on the rim finishes the glass.
Is there a caramel apple OLIPOP?
Yes. Olipop launched a limited-edition Caramel Apple flavor in September 2026, sold at drinkolipop.com and retailers such as Target, Walmart, and Whole Foods while supplies last. It combines tart green apple with caramel notes. Because it’s limited, a homemade version is handy once shelves run out.
