Apple Cider Cocktail Recipe – Love and Lemons

admin — Fri, 10 Oct 2025 04:42:51 +0000

[ad_1]

This apple cider cocktail is my idea of the perfect fall drink. Easy to make with 5 ingredients, it’s bright, boozy, and packed with warming fall flavors.

Jack and I love making this apple cider cocktail recipe for cozy fall nights in. It combines some of his favorite cocktail ingredients (bourbon and Angostura bitters—this man loves an old fashioned!) with some of mine (ginger beer and a squeeze of lemon). Then, we throw apple cider into the mix for a sweet, seasonal finishing touch.

As much as we enjoy making this apple cider cocktail for ourselves at home, I really wanted to share it with you because it’s perfect for fall entertaining. This fruity, fizzy, and warming drink fits right in at a holiday party or gathering with friends. Garnishes like apple slices, cinnamon sticks, star anise, and woodsy thyme give it some extra festive flair. I hope you enjoy it as much as we do. Cheers, friends!

Apple Cider Cocktail Ingredients

This apple cider cocktail recipe calls for 5 simple ingredients:

Apple cider, of course! For the best tangy apple flavor, pick some up from an apple orchard or a farmers market, or look for local fresh apple cider at your grocery store. Otherwise, Martinelli’s cider is a good widely available option. In a pinch, apple juice works too.
Bourbon – We love the oak-y notes it adds to this cocktail. If you have a favorite brand, feel free to use it here. Otherwise, we like Four Roses, Bulleit, or Woodford Reserve.
Angostura bitters – They’re a classic ingredient in whiskey cocktails like an old fashioned or Manhattan, and they add lovely depth to this one too. They give it notes of warm spices like cinnamon and clove.
Ginger beer – It adds sweetness, fizz, and a spicy ginger bite. My favorite brands are Fever Tree and Topo Chico.
Fresh lemon juice – For a little brightness, if desired.

Find the complete recipe with measurements below.

How to Make This Apple Cider Cocktail

This apple cider cocktail recipe is easy to make—no cocktail shaker or other special equipment required!

Fill a cocktail glass with ice. We like to use a rocks glass, but any medium glass will do.
Add the bourbon, apple cider, and bitters, then top with the ginger beer and gently stir to combine.
Add a squeeze of lemon, then taste and adjust. For a sweeter cocktail, add a little more apple cider. For a boozier one, go up on the bourbon.
When you find a balance of flavors you love, top with your desired garnishes, and enjoy!

Find the complete recipe with measurements below.

Garnish Options

While you technically could serve this apple cider bourbon cocktail without garnishes, my personal opinion is that they really make it.

Every time you take a sip, you inhale the warm scent of cinnamon and anise, the sweet apple slices, and woodsy thyme. Delicious, right?

Feel free to choose just one or two of the options if you don’t have them all on hand, or experiment with others. Here are a few variations that would be great:

Use whole cloves instead of the star anise or cinnamon stick.
Replace the apple with an orange slice or lemon peel.
Substitute a sprig of rosemary for the fresh thyme.

More Fall Cocktails to Try

If you love this recipe, try one of these fall cocktails next:

Apple Cider Cocktail

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Total Time: 5 minutes

Serves 1

This apple cider cocktail recipe is a great fall drink. Made with bourbon, ginger beer, lemon juice, and bitters, it’s bright, warming, and delicious. We love to make it for fall gatherings or cozy nights in!

Ice
2 ounces bourbon
2 ounces apple cider
2 dashes Angostura bitters
2 ounces ginger beer
squeeze of lemon, optional

For garnish

Cinnamon stick
Star anise
Apple slice
Fresh thyme sprig

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Fill a rocks glass with ice. Add the bourbon, apple cider, bitters. Top with the ginger beer and gently stir. Add a squeeze of lemon, if desired.
Garnish with a cinnamon stick, star anise, apple slice, and/or fresh thyme and serve.

[ad_2]

Apple Pie Shot – A Beautiful Mess

admin — Fri, 19 Sep 2025 15:55:14 +0000

[ad_1]

Celebrate the start of the best season of the year with our Apple Pie Shot recipe. This tasty dessert shot is made using apple cider, vanilla vodka, cinnamon whiskey and whipped cream. It’s the perfect fall drink. This shot tastes just like a slice of apple pie—get ready for some magical fall flavors!

More Fall Shot Recipes: Cinnamon Toast Crunch Shot, Chocolate Cake Shot, Oatmeal Cookie Shot, Appletini.

Ingredients in an Apple Pie Shot

Apple Cider – Fresh or bottled are both great for this recipe. You may also use apple juice mixed with some pumpkin pie spice if you don’t have apple cider on hand.
Vanilla Vodka – Adds a bit of vanilla flavor to our shot.
Cinnamon Whiskey – Such as Fireball whiskey gives a nice cinnamon flavor.
Whipped Cream – An optional garnish.
Cinnamon Stick – Another optional (and very cute!) garnish idea.

Bar Tools Needed

You will need a cocktail shaker and a shot glass for this recipe. I actually used brandy/whiskey glasses, which are larger than an average shot glass. They work well for a dessert shot like this with whipped cream and garnish.

Instructions

In a cocktail shaker with ice, combine the apple cider, vanilla vodka and cinnamon whiskey. Shake for 10-15 seconds until well chilled.

Strain and pour into a shot glass.

Garnish with whipped cream. Optionally, add a stick of cinnamon and a sprinkle of ground cinnamon or pumpkin spice if you like.

Tips for Making

When to Serve – This is a great shot idea for a fall party such as a bonfire or a dinner party. This is also a great recipe to serve at Thanksgiving and holiday parties. It’s festive and cozy.
Mason Jar – If you don’t have a cocktail shaker, you can use a mason jar.
Hot Apple Pie Shots – You can heat these shots and serve them warm (I would use an espresso mug instead of a shot glass to serve). You only need a little heat—do not bring it to a full boil.
Apple Pie Cocktail – To turn this shot into an apple pie drink, simply double the recipe and serve it in a mug (warm) or a cocktail glass (chilled). I love it as a shot, but it makes a great larger cocktail as well.
Garnish Ideas – Use an apple slice, a sprinkle of cinnamon or other warm spices like a star anise as your garnish.