Enjoy a tasty drink made with apple cider, bourbon, and ginger beer, and garnished with cocktail cherries, apple slices, and cinnamon!
The most delicious bourbon cider cocktail for fall
Mmm, bourbon apple cider cocktails. Easy to make, delicious to drink, and loved by anyone who tries a sip! These yummy beverages are a great way to enjoy the flavors of the season. They're made with a mix of apple cider, bourbon, and ginger beer along with the tanginess of some lemon juice and the subtle flavor of vanilla.
These are perfect for friendsgiving, football tailgates, or just a laidback evening spent watching your favorite show.
If the kiddos want their own version of this festive fall drink, simple omit the bourbon and add an extra ½ teaspoon of vanilla! You may need a dash of water as well.
Ingredients in bourbon apple cider cocktails
You will need six ingredients to create these beverages. Begin with your favorite apple cider and bourbon, and then add flavor with lemon and vanilla!
- Apple cider: Begin with 6 oz of your favorite cider.
- Bourbon: Then, use 4 oz of bourbon! If you don't have an oz measure, you can use a shot glass to measure. Use 2 and ⅔ shots.
- Lemon: Next, use the juice from half of a lemon to add a bit of zing.
- Vanilla: Follow that with 1 teaspoon of vanilla.
- Ginger beer: Add 1 full can of either ginger beer or ginger ale.
- Garnish: Last but not least, garnish with cocktail cherries, apple slices, and cinnamon sticks!
Tools needed to create this drink
We're keeping things simple with the kitchen items list. To make your cocktail, you will need a shaker, a spoon, and two measuring cups: 1 oz and 1 tsp.
How to make an apple cider bourbon cocktail
Making this drink is quick and easy! Mix everything together, pour over ice, fill with ginger beer (or ale), and garnish! For a more detailed breakdown, see below:
Grab your shaker and add some ice followed by the apple cider, bourbon, lemon juice, and vanilla. Shake until well combined.
Next, pour the bourbon mixture evenly into two cocktail glasses filled with ice. Fill the glass the rest of the way with ginger beer or ginger ale. Use a spoon to mix everything.
Garnish with cherries, apple slices, and cinnamon sticks, and serve!
Substitution Tip
If you liked this recipe, you'll want to try these!
Enjoy some tasty meals that feature pumpkin, apple, and other fall ingredients!
Recipe by Erin Morrissey and Photos by Quarter Soul Crisis
Bourbon Apple Cider Cocktail
Ingredients
Method
- In a shaker, add ice and then add apple cider, bourbon, lemon juice and vanilla. Shake.
- Pour bourbon mixture evenly into two cocktail glasses filled with ice. Top remainder of way with ginger beer. Stir with spoon.
- Add cherries, apples, and cinnamon sticks and serve.
Diana Brown says
The best and easiest cocktail to batch make for holidays. It’s become a holiday staple for us! Make ahead and have the ginger beer near it so guests can help themselves. So delicious and a definite crowd pleaser even for the non bourbon drinkers!!
Erin says
Hi Diana, so happy it was a hit!!
Meredith says
This drink converted me to a bourbon drinker! Such a great coctail.
Erin says
Hi Meredith, so glad you loved it! Cheers!
Lauren says
One of my favorite fall cocktails!
Erin says
Hi Lauren, so glad you like it! Cheers!!
Deena says
Made this cocktail tonight for me and my husband and as expected it’s delicious. Perfect mix of alcohol and sweetness for a fall cocktail. Another great ELW recipe!
Erin says
Hi Deena, so glad you both liked it! Cheers!!
Laura says
Sounds so yummy! Have you ever made a pitcher of it?! Thinking I might make it x10 for a party
Erin says
Hi Laura, so glad you liked it, and I haven't but that work work great! Let me know how everyone enjoys it! Cheers!
Lauren says
So yummy! Made these for Christmas Eve and everyone loved them! The flavor combo of bourbon and apple cider was awesome, neither was overpowering!
Erin says
Hi Lauren, so glad they were a hit! Cheers!!
Katie says
YUUUUMMMMM!! Enjoyed these bad boys on my own bc my family don’t like bourbon - weird! So refreshing and light and glorious. I had to use cloudy apple juice instead of apple cider because I’m in the U.K. and we don’t have apple cider here but it worked!!!
Erin says
Hi Katie, so happy you loved them and cheers across the pond!
Robin says
My new favorite!
Erin says
Hi Robin, so glad you liked it! Cheers!
Kirby says
This is a perfect cocktail. We had these after dinner and it was perfect!
Erin says
Hi Kirby, so happy you loved it! Cheers!!
Jessie says
Made this cocktail for our Christmas party and it was a HUGE hit. Need to go out and get more bourbon to make more on actual Christmas!!
Erin says
Hi Jessie, so glad you liked it! Cheers!!
Shelby says
Best drink for fall/winter hands down! I love love love it!
Erin says
Hi Shelby, so happy you loved it! Cheers!!
Sami says
Such a fun fall cocktail! Great for a girls night in
Diana b says
Delicious and perfect for fall! Added some seltzer because the ginger beer I used wasn’t very carbonated but if yours is you definitely don’t need it! Also so easy to batch make in advance and just top with ginger beer when ready to sever
Erin says
Hi Diana, so happy you enjoyed it and made it your own!!
Kelly says
Made this cocktail in a large batch for Friendsgiving and it was a hit, even for this non-bourbon drinker. Would definitely make it again!
Erin says
Hi Kelly, so glad you and your friends all loved it! Cheers!
Lex says
So yummy
Erin says
Hi Lex, glad you liked it! Cheers!
Cassi says
Delicious and a hit with all my neighbors on Halloween! I made one round with ginger beer and one round with ginger ale. Both great options. Will be making this again for Thanksgiving with the family.
Erin says
Hi Cassi, I am so happy everyone liked them!!
Ally says
This cocktail is fall in a glass!! The addition of the vanilla the bow I didn’t know I needed to wrap this drink up!
Erin says
Hi Ally, so happy you loved it! 🙂
Beth says
This cocktail is perfection! I never would have thought to add vanilla, the flavors and inferdients are so well thought out!
Erin says
Hi Beth, I am so glad you enjoyed it! Cheers!!