Apple Cider Old-Fashioned Cocktail
A classic cocktail with a fun fall twist!
Cheers to the weekend!
Am I right??
It’s Friday and all I can do is look ahead to when the kids go to bed and I get to pour myself a big girl drink. It’s my favorite moment of the whole week. (Parents of little ones, please tell me I’m not alone!)
Right now I’m aaaall about apple-y drinks. I’m drinking plenty of hard cider, spiced apple sangria, and you got it, these apple cider old fashioneds. They’re going to keep me cozy even long after the first snowfall.
My husband and I love bourbon whiskey and so old fashioneds are a staple in our house. The classic cocktail is simple— first you muddle sugar and bitters together, and then you add bourbon or rye whiskey and finish it off with a twist of citrus.
To give it a fall twist, I added real apple cider and a cinnamon stick. It’s the perfect sipping drink on a crisp fall day, and a great way to ring in the weekend.
Cheers!
Apple Cider Old Fashioned Cocktail
Ingredients:
- 2 ounces (60 ml) quality apple cider or juice
- Dash of angostura bitters
- 1 teaspoon brown sugar
- 2 ounces (60 ml) bourbon or rye whiskey
- Ice, for serving
- Orange slice, for garnish
- Apple slice, for garnish
- Cinnamon stick, for garnish
Directions:
- In a lowball glass, combine the apple juice, bitters, and sugar. Swirl glass around until mixture is combined and sugar is dissolved. Add the ice and whiskey. Top with orange, apple slices, and a cinnamon stick.
Have you tried this recipe?
I’d love to hear about it! Leave a comment below, send me an email, or take a photo and tag it on instagram with #completelydelicious.
This recipe was originally published October 2013. Photos have been updated.
Ooooohhh….I love me an old fashioned cider cocktail! We should whip these up in December!
You know what I say to High West? Hell yes. Great recipe for a sipper by the fire!
Yum I love whiskey too! And old fashioned’s (how do you pluralize that? Haha) we are getting married next fall maybe I’ll make it our signature cocktail!
Leave the brown sugar out! Really, unless you have some extremely puckeriffic, ultra-malic-acidic, omfgmytonguefellout cider, leave out the brown sugar. A proper Old Fashioned would have about 1/2 ounce of simple syrup to 2 ounces bourbon or rye. Commercial simple syrups can vary, but a good rule of thumb for the better ones is 7-9g sugar per half ounce. 2 ounces apple cider has about 6-7g sugar. Adding an entire teaspoon of brown sugar on top of this would make something sweeter than Kool-Ade. Doubling up fruit would make it even worse. Leave out the orange and don’t add any sugar.
Agree Bryan! If your cider is good that’s all the sweetness you need.
Sounds great but made this with a few variations. Muddled granny smith apple with apple bourbon bitters and brandied cherry. Topped with Makers Mark and a splash of sparkling apple cider.
Great variations – thanks for sharing!
A delicious cocktail, even for someone who is not the biggest fan of bourbon. I used less bourbon and much more cider and it was delicious. I particularly liked the cinnamon stick, and found that if I stirred with it, I could taste the cinnamon. Thanks!
I’m so happy to hear you enjoyed the cocktail, thanks for the feedback! 🙂
Has anyone tried this in a Brandy version?
My family made this in sweet Georgia. To die for. A whole kettle full all night for 25 people. Kept warm. Used bourbon, brown sugar, nice big orange slices and apple cider. So smooth. Use all those ingredients. What a spread, also. Ham, dips, desserts, you name it.
Brussels sprouts with bacon. Plenty of chips. And fresh shrimp. Fruit cup. Try for ValentinesDay.
Ryan: I’m coming to your house to imbibe.