14 Apple Cider Cocktails You’ll Want To Sip Year-Round

It can be hard to cut through the noise over the arrival of PSL season. But before that craze began, there was another symbol of fall, beloved everywhere: the apple. And with it comes that seasonal pressed cider, in all its complex, cloudy glory. Cider makes such a good basis for a cocktail, playing well with most liquors and adding notes of sweet, bitter and floral that you usually have to turn to actual bitters for. So, if you want to do something unexpected this fall — which we can’t believe we’re saying, because what could be more mainstream than an apple?! — put some cider in your cocktail shaker and serve up something bright and stormy.

This low-ball from Valerie Bertinelli just begs to be sipped by a fire, preferably in a room with wood paneling. Bourbon has a natural hint of sweetness, but the addition of honey and cider makes this appealing even for those who think they don’t drink bourbon. But don’t worry — the heat of fresh ginger keeps this from going too sweet.

Think of this as your go-to fall brunch drink, like an appley mimosa. This cocktail combines the warm infusion of spices of a mulled cider with the refreshing qualities of a cold drink. The cider steeps with nutmeg, ginger, cloves and cinnamon, then is chilled to be united with cold bubbly and diced apple.

Do you ask for your apple pie to be heated? This might be your go-to cocktail, warm with lots of cinnamon and some cold whipped cream on top. The spike is Tuaca, an Italian liqueur whose ingredients mimic those typically used for mulling apple cider, so it’s right at home here.

Stop the press! Or maybe start it, if we’re talking cider press (sorry… not sorry). A mixture of mulled cider and smoky mezcal will convert any nonbeliever to this incarnation of a margarita. The cider is mulled with peppercorns, anise, cinnamon and allspice, to really heighten the layers of flavor, then combined with the mezcal and plenty of lime. The egg white adds a natural froth that you may have had in a sour cocktail, but here it really ties the two camps together.

This is the sangria of the season, fortified with hearty fruit brandies to go along with the fall fruits in the sangria. Chunks of fresh apple and pear echo the fruits in the brandy, and apple cider complements the fall spices. You’ll have leftover cinnamon syrup, which you’ll be sure to add to all your mugs of coffee and tea.

Guy’s not playing with this cocktail, which evokes the flavors of pie—because there’s moonshine whiskey in there, too. Don’t worry, you don’t have to find a dicey neighbor making it in his basement; in modern parlance, moonshine is simply unaged whiskey, which tastes strong due to not picking up the flavor of aging in a barrel. A little caramel sauce is a treat for even the uninitiated.

We love how evocative these ingredients are, truly calling to mind a slice of fresh apple pie. Perhaps that’s because they’re what you might find in a pie filling! Fresh lemon juice keeps things bright and tangy.

You may have heard that old-timey Christmas carol that refers to “wassails” and “wassailing.” But even if you haven’t, you’ll be struck by how old-school this hot apple punch is — but this time of year calls for a warm drink with some gravity! This one has warm baked apples floating right in it, to reward anyone who dares bob for one.

Rather than leaning into the cidery profile, this cocktail goes in the lighter direction, combining it with gin and muddled grapes. Some fresh ginger keeps things bracing. You’ll find here a combination of actual apple cider but also alcoholic cider, the bubbles taking the place of plain soda water, for a delicious, refreshing drink for those unexpectedly summery fall days.

This recipe just makes an excellent standard mulled apple cider, nonalcoholic, to serve at all your fall gatherings. But note! Two cups of bourbon are all that’s needed to transform it into a warm punch that packs one.

Cinnamon schnapps is a genius move for pairing with apple cider in these batch-worthy cocktails. Granny Smith apple, diced and threaded on skewers, will maintain their fresh coloring from being sloshed with the drink. Dark rum is a very fall pairing, indeed.

Warm and toasty, indeed. This cocktail screams of fall, with the inclusion of its Fall Spice Mix™. Maple syrup ups the woodsy sweetness, while fresh lemon juice and bourbon lend a bit of an edge.

If you’re interested in a bourbon-based cocktail for a crowd, this one from Sunny Anderson couldn’t be simpler. It’s batch-able, stirred together in a pitcher, so you can focus on your guests rather than mixology. Its ingredients are super straightforward, too, just cider, bourbon and limes. We love its simplicity but also that it is just a delicious drink.