Apple Cider Cocktail

Pair fresh apple cider with bourbon and you’ve got a quintessential fall sipper. Our bourbon apple cider cocktail strikes the perfect balance between fresh and cozy. Featuring sweet apple cider, bright lemon juice and warming bourbon, this fall cocktail recipe has everything you want when the seasons start to shift.

Apple Cider Cocktail Ingredients

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• Rosemary: An herbaceous sprig of rosemary brings a piney freshness to this cozy fall cocktail with apple cider.
• Sugar: If you can’t find brown sugar cubes, use 1 teaspoon turbinado sugar to sweeten the drink.
• Bitters: Don’t skip out on the cocktail bitters. A few dashes will balance out the sweetness. Avid home bartenders will want Angostura bitters since they’re considered some of the best bitters in the world.
• Apple cider: Please do not confuse apple juice for apple cider! Juice is much sweeter than cider and usually doesn’t have all those extra yummy fall spices. Apple cider is tangy, naturally sweetened and perfectly fall-spiced. Buy apple cider from an apple orchard or farmers market for the very best taste.
• Bourbon: Bourbon is the perfect spirit for cocktails with apple cider. The natural vanilla, caramel and oak notes pair beautifully with the apple cider, rosemary and brown sugar.
• Lemon juice: With any cocktail, fresh citrus juice tastes best, so skip the bottled stuff.
• Apple garnish: Garnish apple cider cocktails with thin apple slices to complete the look.

Directions

Step 1: Muddle the first ingredients

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In a cocktail shaker, muddle the rosemary, sugar and bitters until the herbs are fragrant and the sugar starts to dissolve.

Step 2: Add the remaining ingredients

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Add the apple cider, bourbon and lemon juice. Stir until the sugar is dissolved.

Step 3: Stir to chill

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Add ice to the cocktail shaker and stir the mixture until it’s thoroughly chilled, about 30 seconds.

Step 4: Strain and garnish

Fill a rocks glass with ice. Place the top of the cocktail shaker strainer on the cocktail shaker and strain the cocktail over the ice in the rocks glass. Garnish with an apple slice, if desired.

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Recipe Variations

• Use warming fall spices: For extra coziness, sprinkle in a small amount of nutmeg and cardamom (they are both strong spices, so a little goes a long way!). Then garnish the drink with a cinnamon stick.
• Try a different spirit: Not a bourbon fan? Dark rum or vodka are both great replacements in cocktails with apple cider.
• Add some fizz: Who doesn’t love a fizzy cocktail? Top your apple cider cocktails with zippy ginger beer or Prosecco.

How to Store an Apple Cider Cocktail

If you have leftovers that you just can’t part with, discard the apple garnish, pour the apple cider cocktail into a Mason jar and close the lid tightly. Store the cocktail in the fridge for up to one day. Give the drink a good shake or stir before enjoying it again.

Can you make this apple cider cocktail ahead of time?

Absolutely! You can make this beverage up to four hours before enjoying it. Follow the recipe through Step 2, stopping just before adding any ice to the mixture. Pour the mixture into a Mason jar and stash it in the fridge. When you’re ready to enjoy the cocktail, continue with the directions starting at Step 3.

Apple Cider Cocktail Tips

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What bourbon goes best with apple cider?

As I always say, the best bourbon is the one you enjoy drinking on its own!

However, if you’re looking for a bit more direction, opt for a bourbon that’s middle of the road in terms of price. You don’t want to use overly expensive bourbon for any mixed drink—save the pricey stuff for serving neat or on the rocks. Likewise, don’t use something too cheap or bottom shelf or you’ll end up with a drink that burns instead of going down smooth.

I prefer Kentucky bourbon, but for something fall-inspired, try rye that features notes of warm spices.

What’s the difference between bourbon and whiskey?

I get asked this question a lot because most people get confused about the difference between bourbon and whiskey. Remember this: All bourbon is whiskey, but not all whiskey is bourbon. Whiskey is a spirit fermented from grain mash and aged in wood barrels. It is distilled all around the world and includes varieties such as Scotch whisky, Irish whiskey and American whiskey.

The most notable of American whiskeys is bourbon. As with Champagne, a whiskey must meet a variety of qualifications to be labeled as bourbon. For starters, it must be distilled in the United States and must contain at least 51% corn mash.

Contrary to popular belief, bourbon does not need to come from Kentucky. A large percentage of bourbon does come from Kentucky, but it doesn’t have to come from Kentucky to be designated as bourbon. For it to be labeled as Kentucky bourbon, the spirit must be distilled and aged in Kentucky.

What should I serve with apple cider cocktails?

Cocktails with apple cider are the ideal drinks for cool months. To keep with that flannel season vibe, serve this apple cider cocktail at your next autumnal gathering with other fall party food. If this drink is just for you and a loved one, enjoy the apple cider cocktails with kettle corn, truly irresistible apple-gouda pigs in a blanket or fall-centered roasted pumpkin nachos. And, who could say no to a fall dessert?