4 Easy Spiked Apple Cider Cocktails

I love this time of year! With warm, apple, and cinnamon flavored cocktails on the menu, how can you go wrong? Here are three different ways you can use your apple cider to make your cocktail dreams come true. All of them are equally delicious!

From left to right in the picture above is the Hot Apple Toddy, Apple Whiskey Smash, and Apple Cider Sangria. Pictured below is the Apple Cider Mimosa. See details below for ingredients and instructions. Hope you love them as much as I do!

Hot Apple Toddy

Ingredients:

• 1 hot cup of tea

• 1 oz. bourbon or whiskey

• 1.5 oz. apple cider

• Lemon wheel, for garnish

Instructions:

1. Make one cup of hot tea. Use whatever tea you prefer. (I would suggest a tea without a lot of flavor, but I’ll leave that up to you.)

2. After tea is made and poured into a cup, pour in the remaining ingredients and stir.

3. Garnish with the lemon wheel.

Apple Whiskey Smash

Ingredients:

• 1 oz. whiskey

• 1/2 lemon juice

• 4 oz apple cider

• Sliced apples or lemon wheel, for garnish

Instructions:

1. Pour all ingredients into a mixing tin and shake for 10 seconds.

2. Pour into a glass and garnish with apples or lemons.

Apple Cider Sangria

Ingredients:

• 2 oz. Lillet Rouge

• 2 oz. apple cider

• .75 oz. Grand Marnier

• 2 dashes of orange bitters

• Chopped apples, for garnish

Instructions:

1. Pour all ingredients into a glass and stir for 10 seconds.

2. Pour into a glass and garnish with chopped apples.

Apple Cider Mimosa

Ingredients:

• 2-3 oz. apple cider

• Prosecco, to top

• Cinnamon sugar, for garnish

Instructions:

1. Place cinnamon sugar on flat surface. Wet the rim of your champagne flute with a lemon or water and roll your glass to cover the rim with sugar. (If you don’t have cinnamon sugar, you can use cinnamon only or a combination of cinnamon and sugar.)

2. Pour apple cider into champagne flute.

3. Top with Prosecco . Enjoy!

How to Make a Lavender Peach Shrub Cocktail

What’s a shrub you ask? Simply stated, it’s a vinegar-based simple syrup infused with fruit. It’s similar to a simple syrup just with vinegar added, giving it a more acidic taste. They’re a perfect way to spruce up your cocktail, especially to your own liking. You can use various herbs, spices, fruits and vinegars to make flavor combinations you love most. Store them in the refrigerator and grab whenever you’re ready for your favorite cocktail.

Now let me be honest with you. They’re an acquired taste. But once you actually get used to the taste, you’ll enjoy drinking them whether in a cocktail or mocktail. And they’re very easy to make. There are two methods to make shrubs, one hot and one cold. I like using the hot method because it’s quicker. But many will say that the cold method is the way to make a true shrub. But ain’t nobody got time for that. So the hot method it is.

I made a peach lavender cocktail shrub for a whiskey cocktail and it was delicious! Here’s how I did it:

To make the peach lavender shrub:

1. Bring one cup of water to a boil.⁣⁣⁣⁣

2. Add one cup of sugar and one cup of apple cider vinegar to the pan.

3. Add slices from one peach and 3 tbsp. lavender (or to taste). Turn the heat down and make sure the peach slices release flavors into the mixture by gently smashing them.

4. Turn off the heat and let the mixture cool to room temperature.⁣⁣⁣⁣

5. Strain the mixture and bottle into a mason jar.

For a delicious whiskey cocktail:

1. Add 1 oz. peach lavender shrub.

2. Add 1.5 oz. whiskey.

3. Top with club soda or the sparkling water of your choice for spritzy taste.

Trust me, this is delicious! And leave out the whiskey if you want a refreshing mocktail. Try your favorite flavors in a shrub today and see what you come up with!