Have you ever wondered what fall would taste like as a cocktail? Well, here it is, folks. I present to you my latest Cocktail Friday concoction – the Bourbon Apple Cider Cocktail. The apple cider totally transports me to the time I visited a little cider shack in Michigan that served the most amazing cider and fresh little apple cider donuts. As my first and only visit to Michigan, I was pretty happy with the little fall wonderland I found there.
As far as flavor goes with this cocktail, obviously the apple cider is the focus, but it’s really brought to life with a bit of spicy ginger beer. Then the tanginess of the lemon comes in to cut the sweetness of the cider. The bourbon base grounds the drink with a rich depth that brings notes of vanilla and oak…perfect for fall! I added a cinnamon sugar rim to add a little pop of sweetness and let’s be honest here, cinnamon is basically the essence of fall, so how could I not?
Cheers!
Bourbon Apple Cider Cocktail
Ingredients
- 6 oz apple cider
- 3 oz bourbon
- 2 oz Zevia Ginger Beer (add more if desired to top off)
- 1 oz lemon juice
- 4 sprigs thyme
- Optional: Cinnamon & sugar for rim, apple slices and thyme sprigs for garnish
Instructions
If desired, rub the rim of the serving glasses with lemon or water. Dip into a mixture of cinnamon and sugar. Set aside.
Add thyme and lemon juice to a cocktail shaker, then muddle lightly. Add cider and bourbon, then shake vigorously.
Strain out the thyme and pour cocktail into serving glasses over ice.
For my macro trackers out there, I wasn’t able to create a My Fitness Pal barcode for this recipe since I would have had to decide for you whether to put the alcohol calories in as carbs or fats – that’s up to you! The 12 carbs listed here are just for the apple cider and lemon juice. For my non-macro trackers, here’s more info on what I’m talking about.
