If you love apple cider, this apple cider bourbon cocktail should go onto your happy hour drink list! Crisp apple flavor blends beautifully with bourbon, adds a hint of cinnamon, and you have the perfect fall cocktail!
We are loving the cooler fall weather!! Get ready for the weekend with these delicious Cocktail Recipes.
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Fall is all about flavor. We have an uncle who has an enormous apple tree in his backyard. Each year he picks a lot of the apples and makes a homemade apple cider out of it. He serves it at our family Thanksgiving celebration every year.
Although I don't have his homemade apple cider to make this apple cider bourbon cocktail, I created this cocktail as a tribute :-).
Ingredient notes:
- Bourbon - I love the flavor of apple cider and bourbon and it is my alcohol of choice for this recipe. It has a sweet mellow flavor that works so well with the cinnamon and apple flavors.
- Apple cider - You can also use a mulled apple cider. If you can't find cider or mulled cider, you can heat your apple juice with a cinnamon stick to get some of the flavors.
- Honey - I used this for the rim so the cinnamon sugar would stick. You do not have to use an expensive honey. Just use an inexpensive wildflower or other honey type.
I really like the big jug of apple cider that I found at Trader Joe's. Whole Foods has these big jugs too. Keep your eye out at the farmer's market or farm stand as those apple ciders are really fresh!
I admit I am partial to bourbon, and if you love bourbon as I do, you will want to try this Crushed Grape Bourbon Cocktail.
One valuable lesson I learned when making this cocktail recipe is to choose what I use to make the rim sticky more carefully. I used honey along the rim and then dipped the rim in coarse sugar and cinnamon. What I didn't foresee was the honey running down the glass.
The next time I use honey, I would use a Q-tip to apply just a tiny bit of honey to the rim. This should prevent dripping! Pretty picture, or not so pretty, this bourbon cider cocktail is so worth making!!
If you aren't a bourbon drinker, you can use several different liquors in this cocktail. Some are better than others. it all comes down to this question:
Tips and Recipe FAQ:
The word cider is a little generic. For this cocktail, you want a cider made with crisp, slightly tart apples if you can find that. My favorites are Gravenstein apple cider and Fuji apple cider. Fresh ciders from the farmer's market are especially good.
We love to spike our apple cider...here are some of our favorite liquors: dark rum, whiskey, vodka, and white run.
You can absolutely make this a frozen drink by adding it to a blender with ice! Blend it until smooth
Serve with:
What other alcohol goes best with apple cider?
- Rum works well with apple cider because it is on the sweeter side. You could even drizzle a little dark rum on top
- Honey Liquor is really good if you want something different. I used honey liquor in these Honey Strawberry Gin Cocktails, and it was delicious!
- Vodka will work in this cocktail, but it will not turn out as sweet.
Are you ready to try this Bourbon Apple Cider recipe?
Tools:
- A cocktail shaker and strainer set makes chilling this cocktail a breeze!
- Your favorite bourbon!
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📖 Recipe
Bourbon Apple Cider Cocktail
Ingredients
- 3 ounces bourbon
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups apple cider
- 2 teaspoons honey
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon sugar
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to an ice-filled shaker.
- Put on the lid and shake.
- Use the strainer to pour into two glasses.
- This bourbon apple cider cocktail can be served straight up or on the rocks.
- Optional, rub honey along the rim and dip into cinnamon sugar
Notes
Nutrition
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Debra C.
I so desperately want to head up to Apple Hill east of Sacramento for apples and cider and all things fall. Now with this drink it's a MUST 😀 Fall is such a wonderful time of the year and I'm looking forward to celebrating with this delicious drink - cheers!
Sandi Gaertner
I didn't know there was an Apple Hill where you could pick apples. It sounds beautiful!