The air is getting crisper, the sun is setting earlier and the leaves are beginning to change. You know what that means: Autumn is here—and so is apple season.
There’s no better time than fall to enjoy the sweet fruit that’s associated in folklore with magic and divination. Meanwhile, eating apples at Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, is considered to be an omen for good luck and prosperity.
While the apples are often baked into pies and cakes, we think one of the finest, and less expected, ways to enjoy the fruit is in a cocktail. It’s a remarkably versatile flavor. Mix in juice for a refreshing tang, try an expressive apple-based brandy, like Calvados or Applejack, or experiment with a flavorful apple liqueur.
We rounded up 22 of our favorite recipes for apple-flavored cocktails below.
A Slice of Pie
This cocktail gives us major fall vibes thanks to its frozen apple juice concentrate, apple brandy and orange bitters.
Cider Doughnut Daiquiri
Adapted from a cocktail served at the Austin bar Elementary, this drink was inspired by bartender Jode Gayle’s memories of going to the county fair.
The Franconia 75
Named after a mountain in New Hampshire, this riff on a French 75 features chilled dry cider instead of the usual Champagne float.
The Autumn Apple
As the name of this cocktail suggests, it’s a celebration of the season thanks to applejack, apple cider and a fresh apple garnish. The drink is infused with thyme, lending it a whisper of fall herbaceousness. Batch the recipe and get ready to impress a crowd.
The Appletini
No—this isn’t the radioactive green, saccharine ’90s cocktail; it’s an elevated drink made with Calvados and elderflower liqueur.
The Apple Cider Margarita
What can’t you do with a classic margarita? Its beloved tangy, sweet flavor is ideal for doctoring with the similar profile of apples. Our adaptation is mixed with reposado tequila and apple cider and finished off with a cinnamon-sugar rim.
The Campari After Dark
We recommend pouring this apple brandy and Campari–based cocktail in a hurricane glass. Infused with coffee beans, it’s a complex cocktail not for the faint of heart.
A Farewell to Arms
This bourbon-based cocktail, courtesy of Grey Ghost Detroit, will warm you up on a chilly day. Its name is a reference to wearing garments for cold weather, not the Ernest Hemingway book. Made with Laird’s apple brandy, Pedro Ximenez sherry and Benedictine, it packs a punch.
The Pink Lady
A classic egg white cocktail, this frothy, sweet drink gets its hue from grenadine and its flavors from applejack, gin and lemon juice.
The Country Store
Lara Creasy, the bar consultant behind this recipe likes to serve this apple brandy-based drink, which is based on an Old Fashioned, as an aperitif.
The Mi Nonie
This mezcal-based low-alcohol cocktail is perfect for day drinking and is made with apple cider vinegar that gives it tartness with depth.
The Stone Fence Riff #1
A variation on the colonial-era tradition of spiking a hard drink with spirits, this apple cider cocktail is dosed with rum and allspice simple syrup.
The Yule Tide Toddy
Don’t let its name fool you—this warm drink made with apple bitters, bourbon and Amaro Abano shouldn’t be reserved for Christmas. Serve it anytime you need a warming refreshment.
The Bitter Candied Apple
Adapted from the Washington D.C. bar Boqueria, the cocktail boasts apple cider and Licor 42, a vanilla-infused Spanish liqueur.
The Roustabout
A variation on a Manhattan tailored for fall, this bourbon-based drink has remarkably seasonal flavors thanks to walnut liqueur and Calvados.
Apple Cider Sangria
All hail the endlessly adaptable Sangria, which is essentially wine fruit punch. Of course, apple would be a flavor to lean into. With this recipe, you mix apple cider with Calvados (or another apple brandy) and dry white wine.
Spiced Cranberry Orange Wassail
Think whiskey mulled cider with this drink brewed with anise pods, cinnamon sticks and fresh ginger.
The Get Up and Goji
This drink recipe features vodka distilled from fresh-pressed apple cider, kombucha, mint and apple cider.
The Brandy Slush
Known regionally as “Wisconsin Sangria,” the Brandy Slush can be adapted with apple brandy—Great Lakes Distillery bartender Brendan Cleary’s favorite way to mix the frozen drink.
The Angel Face Cocktail
A recipe for this Prohibition-era spirit-forward drink was found in the 1930 publication of The Savoy Cocktail Book. It’s made with Calvados and apricot brandy liqueur.
Black Sands
Think of this cocktail as a seasonal bridge: It’s slightly summery thanks to rum and fresh mint, yet autumnal courtesy of Calvados apple brandy.
The Basement Milk Cocktail
The St. Moritz ski hotel The Tschuggen Grand serves this cocktail in its basement lounge, where it’s a rich nightcap designed to help end the evening. It’s made with cream, Frangelico, apple cider and Calvados, among other ingredients.
More Apple-Based Drinks Coverage
- Try one of these seven apple-based spirits in your next cocktail recipe.
- Read our guide to apple brandy, America’s oldest spirit.
- Made in Normandy, France, Calvados is an apple brandy with AOC status.
- Meet the new generation of fruit wine in which local crops yield balanced flavor.
- In the Pacific Northwest, apples grown in volcanic soil make for explosive cider.
- Why you should be drinking pet-nat ciders.
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Published: September 16, 2024
