Apple Cider Cocktails

There are a lot of people who equate the start of the fall season with the return of the Pumpkin Spice Latte at Starbucks. Not me! My favorite fall drink at Starbucks is steamed apple juice with whip cream. No, not Starbucks’ Caramel Apple Spice (steamed apple juice complemented with cinnamon syrup, whipped cream and a caramel sauce drizzle) which in my opinion is just too sweet, but plain steamed apple juice with a large dollop of whip cream. Fall leaf sprinkles optional. So good and in my opinion quintessentially fall!

So now that I have committed fall sacrilege by admitting PSLs are just not my thing, I can tell you that this weekend I had my first apple cider with whip cream on top (but the homemade variety not Starbucks) consumed while standing in the rain watching Sam’s soccer practice. Fall has now officially arrived!

So continuing on the apple cider theme, this weekend Ryan made a wonderful Rosh Hashanah dinner for our family. One of the most popular Rosh Hashanah customs involves eating apple slices dipped in honey, Ancient Jews believed apples had healing properties, and the honey signifies the hope that the new year will be sweet. And if we ever needed a sweet new year its NOW! So I decided, given my love of apple cider, that we should have an apples and honey cocktail to accompany dinner. Is there a better way to say Happy New Year or Shanah Tovah than with an apple cider cocktail?!?!

And then, because I now have a gallon of apple cider in my refrigerator, I thought “why not try some different apple cider cocktails to accompany the Seahawks game?” So, Ryan and I shared apple cider margaritas and bourbon apple cider spritzers while watching the Hawks beat the Patriots. Apparently the apples (or apple cider) are already bringing us good luck.

Both Ryan and I thoroughly enjoyed all of our apple cider cocktails! For your enjoyment and hopefully a good and sweet new year for us all, here are all the apple cider cocktail recipes we tried:

APPLES & HONEY ROSH HASHANAH COCKTAIL

• 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons honey
• 1 1/2 cups sparkling apple cider
• 1 1/2 shots whiskey
• 1/2 cup ice
• Apples for garnish

Mix cinnamon with 1 teaspoon granulated sugar and dip the rim of your glass into water and then the cinnamon-sugar mixture to rim the glass. Then mix the whiskey and 2 teaspoons honey in a cocktail shaker. Add ice to cocktail shaker and mix again. Then add sparkling apple cider and stir slowly so the cider doesn’t overflow! Pour, garnish glass with apple slice, and enjoy!

Recipe Credit: what jew wanna eat’s Apples & Honey Cocktail

APPLE CIDER MARGARITA

• Cinnamon sugar (1 part cinnamon to 4 parts sugar) and flaky sea salt, for the glass rim
• 2 ounces tequila
• 1/2 ounce Triple Sec
• 4 ounces (1/2 cup) apple cider
• juice from 1/2 a lime
• 1 teaspoon maple syrup (use more or less to your taste)
• apple slices and cinnamon sticks, for serving

If desired (you desire!), rim your glass in salted cinnamon sugar. Mix equal parts cinnamon sugar and sea salt. Run a lime wedge around the rim of the glass and coat in sugar. Combine the tequila, Triple Sec, apple cider, lime juice, and maple in a cocktail shaker. Add ice and shake to combine. Strain into the glass over ice cubes. Garnish with apple slices and cinnamon sticks.

Recipe Credit: Half Baked Harvest’s smoky harvest apple cider margarita

BOURBON APPLE CIDER SPRITZER

• 1 ounce bourbon
• 3 ounces apple cider
• 2 large pinches ground cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons fresh squeezed lemon juice (to taste)
• Plain seltzer water or club soda, to taste
• Lemon wedges and cinnamon sticks for garnish

1. Add the bourbon, cider, cinnamon, and lemon juice to a cocktail shaker with some ice. Shake well, then strain the drink into a glass with more ice. Taste, and add a lemon wedge and cinnamon stick if desired.
2. Fill the glass with a 1/2 inch to 1 inch or so of seltzer, stir, and drink!
3. This recipe is for one. Enjoy!

Recipe Credit: My Therapist Cooks’ Bourbon Apple Cider Spritzer

Here are some other apple cider cocktails that I am thinking of trying this fall: Autumn Apple Cider Shandy; Apple Cider Sidecar; Apple Cider Hot Toddy; and apple cider mimosas are a fall favorite (prosecco with a splash of apple cider).

So cheers friends! May your year be sweet, fruitful, and filled with contentment, promise and apple cider cocktails. And, if you imbibe (or try my steamed apple juice and whip cream recommendation) tag us with a picture on Instagram at @letswineaboutitsister.