This delicious spiced apple cider cocktail is full of apple flavor, warm spices, ginger, and a dash of vodka. It's the perfect combination of all the fall flavors I love! It's a cozy cocktail to warm you up after a day of apple picking at the local apple orchard.
This easy cocktail is incredibly tasty and not too sweet. You can make it with fresh apple cider or apple juice, if you prefer. It is a warming cocktail that celebrates apples and ginger and it's a perfect drink to serve at fall parties!
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Ingredient Notes
This delicious fall drink is easy to make with simple ingredients which can be found at most grocery stores.
- Apple - Any kind of apple will work for this recipe so use your favorite!
- Granulated sugar - Adds a touch of sweetness, but it can be omitted if you prefer a less sweet cocktail. Switch up the granulated sugar for brown sugar for a more caramel flavor.
- Apple Cider - I usually pick up apple cider from the local farm, but you can use your favorite apple cider. Use apple juice if you don't have apple cider available.
- Cinnamon sticks - For some warm spiced flavor.
- Fresh lemon juice - Balances out the sweetness and adds some delicious zesty flavor. Freshly squeezed juice is always preferred to the bottled stuff.
- Vodka - Vodka adds a little kick to this cocktail. I've used plain vodka, but you could use something flavored if you prefer.
- Ginger Syrup -Ginger simple syrup compliments the cinnamon and apple beautifully in this drink, plus it adds a little hint of spicy flavor.
Substitutions & Variations
- Make it a mocktail. This cocktail can easily be turned into a mocktail by omitting the vodka. This will still be a delicious drink without the alcohol.
- Use another type of alcohol. Replace the vodka with dark rum, bourbon or whiskey. Any of the three will compliment the spiced apple flavors.
- Make it less sweet. If you prefer a less sweet cocktail, you can omit the granulated sugar or lessen the amount used.
- More cozy flavor. Replace granulated sugar with maple syrup or brown sugar for a richer flavor.
- Make it a hot apple cider cocktail. Instead of cooling the cider and shaking it with ice. Add the vodka, lemon juice and ginger syrup to the warm cider and serve it in a mug. It's a perfect pick-me-up for a chilly day!
- Make it bubbly. Instead of ginger syrup, use ginger beer or ginger ale to add a little bubbly zing to this cocktail. Serve it in a Moscow mule mug for an apple cider mule.
- Make a large batch. You can easily multiply this recipe to a lot of people. It's a festive drink that's perfect for the holiday season. Simply use the calculator in the recipe card to figure out how much of each ingredient you will need to fill your punch bowl.
How To Make a Spiced Apple Cider Cocktail
This is an easy recipe to make and the apple cider mixture can be made ahead of time.
- STEP 1: Add the chopped apple, sugar, apple cider and whole cinnamon stick to a small saucepan. Simmer for 15-20 minutes. Remove from heat and set it aside to cool for at least 10 minutes.
- STEP 2: Strain the apple cider mixture into a cocktail shaker.
- STEP 3: Add the lemon juice, vodka, ginger syrup, and ice cubes to the cocktail shaker. Shake well.
- STEP 4: Pour the cocktail in chilled serving glasses and garnish with sprigs of fresh thyme.
More Garnish Suggestions
- Fresh apple slices
- Whole spices, like star anise or whole cloves
- Orange peel
- Orange slices
More vodka cocktails to consider:
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Recipe
Spiced Apple Cider Cocktail
This delicious spiced apple cider cocktail is full of warm spices, apple flavor and a dash of vodka. It's the perfect celebration of fall!
Servings 2
Equipment
- 1 Small Saucepan
Ingredients
- 1 Cup Apple Cider
- ¼ Cup Sugar
- 1 Apple peeled and diced
- 1 Cinnamon Stick
- 3 ounces Vodka
- ¼ Cup Ginger Syrup
- 1 Tablespoon Lemon Juice
- Ice Cubes
- Fresh Thyme for garnish
Instructions
- Add the apple cider, sugar, diced apple and cinnamon stick to a small saucepan over medium heat.1 Cup Apple Cider, ¼ Cup Sugar, 1 Apple, 1 Cinnamon Stick
- Bring to a simmer and allow to cook for 15-20 minutes. Remove from heat and cool for at least 10 minutes.
- Once cooled, strain the cider mixture into a cocktail shaker.
- Add the vodka, ginger syrup, lemon juice and ice cubes to the cocktail shaker and shake well.3 ounces Vodka, ¼ Cup Ginger Syrup, 1 Tablespoon Lemon Juice, Ice Cubes
- Pour the mixture into two chilled martini glasses and garnish with fresh thyme. Enjoy!Fresh Thyme
Notes
MAKE AHEAD: Prepare the drinks ahead of time and store in a sealed jar in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
GARNISH SUGGESTIONS:
-
- Fresh thyme
- Fresh apple slices
- Whole spices, like star anise or whole cloves
- Orange peel
- Orange slices
Nutrition
Calories: 400kcal | Carbohydrates: 75g | Protein: 0.3g | Fat: 0.3g | Saturated Fat: 0.04g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.04g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.01g | Sodium: 34mg | Potassium: 234mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 69g | Vitamin A: 55IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 38mg | Iron: 2mg
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