Spiked Apple Cider Cocktail
Bring a burst of cozy fall flavor to your gatherings with this irresistible spiked apple cider drink! This deliciously smooth cocktail blends fruity apple cider with warming cinnamon, sweet honey, and any liquor of your choice for an unforgettable cocktail that's sure to become your seasonal favorite! Read on to explore the perfect blend of flavors and make your autumn celebrations delicious.
Equipment
- 1 Jar with a Tight-Fitting Lid (such as a Mason Jar) - for making the honey simple syrup
- 1 Cocktail Shaker - for making the spiked apple cider
- 1 Cocktail Glasses - for serving spiked cider drinks
Ingredients
Cocktail
- 4 ounces Gin - or Liquor of Choice (SEE NOTES)
- 4 ounces Apple Cider
- 1 ounce Fresh Lime Juice
- 2 ounces Honey Simple Syrup (SEE BELOW)
- 1-2 Dashes Cinnamon
Honey Simple Syrup
- ¼ Cup Honey
- ¼ Cup HOT Water
Optional Garnishes
- 2 whole Thyme Sprigs
- 1/2 whole Apple – cut into matchsticks
- 2 whole Cinnamon Sticks
Instructions
- Make the honey simple syrup: Add the HOT water and honey to a mason jar. Seal the jar and then shake vigorously until the honey completely dissolves. Set the simple syrup aside.
- Make the Spiked Cider: Combine gin or liquor of choice, apple cider, lime juice, honey simple syrup, and cinnamon in a cocktail shaker or pitcher with ice. Shake or stir vigorously until the ingredients are well chilled.
- Serve Spiked Apple Cider Drink: Fill two glasses with ice and matchstick-cut apples. Pour the spiked cider into the drink glasses and garnish with sprigs of thyme and a cinnamon stick. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
- Liquors. Making cocktails at home is a great way to experiment and play around with different liquors and spirits. I personally love this fall cocktail with gin, bourbon, and whiskey. However, brandy (especially apple brandy), cognac, Kirsch Liquor, dark rum, and light rum all work great in this drink recipe. (Please see the article for more information on different liquors you can use here.)
- Make your cocktail to taste. The best thing about making drinks at home? You can make them to YOUR specific taste. The measurements in this cocktail recipe are simply my recommendations. I recommend using this recipe as a guideline and not a rule book. If you like a stiffer drink, use more liquor. If you really love cinnamon, add more than a dash. Do you!
- Simple Syrup. You can make the honey simple syrup one of two ways.
- The quick way: mix the honey and water in a mason jar, or a container with a tight fitting lid and shake vigorously until the honey dissolves. You just need to make sure the water you are using is HOT.
- The slower way: combine the honey and water in a small saucepan and bring to a gentle simmer. Stir until the honey dissolves. Both methods end up with the same result - honey simple syrup.
- Apple Cider. Opt for unfiltered or fresh cider for the richest flavors. And be sure to avoid clear apple juices as they lack the same depth of flavor and spices found in cider. Or, you can use hard apple cider if you really want to get the party started - just don't shake it!
- Batching. You can easily triple or quadruple (or more) this recipe if you are wanting to serve a crowd. Hover your mouse over the number of servings in the recipe card. You'll see a sliding scale pop up, you can use that to scale the recipe up or down as needed.
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Got questions? I've got answers! If you ever run into an issue, have a question, or need any clarification - please feel free to drop them in the comments section. I'm happy to help when I can!
Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and the nutrition facts are an estimate based upon 4 servings. Exact information will depend upon the brands of ingredients and precise measurements used.
Nutrition
Calories: 294kcal Carbohydrates: 44g Protein: 0.4g Fat: 0.1g Saturated Fat: 0.02g Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.03g Monounsaturated Fat: 0.01g Sodium: 5mg Potassium: 110mg Fiber: 1g Sugar: 41g Vitamin A: 60IU Vitamin C: 7mg Calcium: 28mg Iron: 1mg