Apple Cider Bourbon Cocktail Recipe and 6 Tips

An Apple Cider Bourbon cocktail combines unfiltered apple juice with subtly burning, caramel-hinted bourbon. The sweet familiarity of the apple cider (a drink made from pressed, fresh apples with minimal processing) belies the intensity of the bourbon (a type of whiskey boasting intense flavors of oak, caramel, marshmallow, and vanilla). It’s like an apple pie in a glass.

An Apple Cider Bourbon cocktail typically uses nonalcoholic apple cider, but if you’re not a bourbon drinker, feel free to use alcoholic apple cider instead. Gussy up this fall drink with a few choice garnishes and inclusions to make it festive and flavorful. Here are some tips to keep in mind:

1. 1. Add other flavors. Beyond garnishes and rim options, you can incorporate bitters, grenadine, citrus juices, fruit extracts, orange liqueur, or fresh fruit like pomegranate arils or cranberries. Ginger beer is a unique addition that contributes fizz and spicy flavor. Double down on the fall flavors and some pumpkin spice to celebrate the season.
2. 2. Experiment with a playful garnish. Add a fresh apple garnish by slicing an apple ultra-thinly on a mandoline. Cut a slit into the fruit slice, slide it onto the edge of the glass, then serve. Or add an entire cinnamon stick for a garnish that lends flavor, provides aesthetic appeal, acts as a stirrer, and pairs beautifully with bourbon and apple. For an intriguing herbal note, add a sprig of rosemary.
3. 3. Make a garnish bar. Make a tabletop “bar” for celebrations and gatherings where your guests can decorate their glasses with different rim and garnish combinations.
4. 4. Sweeten it up. Depending on the sweetness of the cider you choose, you may or may not need any additional sweetener. Taste test first before adding any. Some great options are honey, agave, simple syrup, or plain white sugar. Ginger ale can also add an effervescent note while slightly sweetening the drink.
5. 5. Test out a sour version. Simply by adding lemon juice, a touch of sweetness, and an optional egg white, you can turn your cocktail into a sour bourbon apple cider cocktail. If using the egg white, shake it well in a cocktail shaker with the other ingredients so that the final drink is rich and frothy.
6. 6. Try different rims. Customizing the rims and garnishes for your Apple Cider Bourbon cocktail is easy. Add honey, agave, or maple syrup to a shallow dish, dip the Champagne glasses into it, and dot the rim of each glass with cinnamon sugar for a sweet take on a salt rim.