Holiday & Seasonal · Fall & Thanksgiving
The best fall cocktails, from an apple cider margarita and cider mule to a hot toddy and maple whiskey sour. Every one comes with a zero-proof twin that tastes just as cozy.
Fall cocktails are all about apple cider, maple, warm spice, and the first excuse to drink something hot. These six cover the season, from a crisp apple cider margarita on a sunny October afternoon to a steaming toddy on the first cold night. Each has a zero-proof twin on the same card, and they’re built with tea, spice, and bitterness rather than just more juice, so they taste just as cozy. Tap 🌿 Mocktails at the top to switch every recipe.
If you make one fall cocktail, make this one. Fresh cider softens tequila’s edges, lime keeps it bright, and a cinnamon-sugar rim makes every sip taste like apple pie.
The rim is 3 parts sugar to 1 part ground cinnamon. Rim only half the glass if you’re serving people who prefer less sweet.
Cocktail recipeZero-proof recipe
Tequila, fresh cider, lime, and a cinnamon-sugar rim.
Garnish: Cinnamon-sugar rim, apple fan, lime wheel
Garnish: Cinnamon-sugar rim, apple fan, lime wheel
How the swap works: Tea brings the dry backbone tequila gives, orange juice replaces the liqueur, and a pinch of salt keeps it tasting like a margarita.
Enjoy responsibly, of legal drinking age only ·Zero-proof twin ·
Swap half the ginger beer in a classic mule for fresh cider and you get the easiest fall drink there is: three ingredients, built right in the mug.
Cocktail recipeZero-proof recipe
Half cider, half ginger beer, all fall.
Garnish: Apple slices, cinnamon stick, lime wheel
Garnish: Apple slices, cinnamon stick, lime wheel
How the swap works: A little extra ginger syrup brings the burn vodka would add. Choose a spicy ginger beer rather than a sweet one.
Enjoy responsibly, of legal drinking age only ·Zero-proof twin ·
When it turns cold, warm the cider with cinnamon and cloves and add a pour of bourbon or apple brandy at the end. Never boil the spirit; it drives off the alcohol and the flavor.
For a party, keep a slow cooker of mulled cider on “warm” and set the bottle beside it. Guests add their own splash, or not, and the zero-proof version becomes the default.
Cocktail recipeZero-proof recipe
Warm spiced cider, honey, lemon, and a pour of bourbon or apple brandy.
Garnish: Clove-studded lemon wheel, cinnamon stick
Garnish: Clove-studded lemon wheel, cinnamon stick
How the swap works: A splash of strong hot tea gives the mulled cider the depth and slight dryness the whiskey would. Use rooibos for a caffeine-free version.
Enjoy responsibly, of legal drinking age only ·Zero-proof twin ·
The bramble is a British classic: gin, lemon, and blackberry over crushed ice. Two fresh sage leaves make it taste like fall without adding sweetness.
Go easy when you muddle: sage turns bitter if you shred it.
Cocktail recipeZero-proof recipe
Gin, lemon, blackberries, and a little sage over crushed ice.
Garnish: Sage leaf, blackberries
Garnish: Sage leaf, blackberries
How the swap works: Tonic's bitterness plus sage stand in for gin's botanicals; black tea adds body so it isn't thin.
Enjoy responsibly, of legal drinking age only ·Zero-proof twin ·
A summer spritz wearing a sweater. The bittersweet orange aperitivo still leads, but fresh cider takes the place of some of the bubbles, so it’s rounder and more autumnal.
Build it right in a big wine glass over plenty of ice, with the bubbles last so they stay lively. The zero-proof version uses a non-alcoholic bitter aperitif so it keeps that grown-up bitter edge.
Cocktail recipeZero-proof recipe
Bittersweet orange aperitivo, cider, and bubbles.
Garnish: Apple slice, orange half-wheel
Garnish: Apple slice, orange half-wheel
How the swap works: A non-alcoholic bitter aperitif keeps the spritz's signature bitterness. Mixing sparkling cider with soda keeps it from getting too sweet.
Enjoy responsibly, of legal drinking age only ·Zero-proof twin ·
A whiskey sour made with maple syrup instead of sugar is deeper and cozier, with a caramel note that works with rye’s spice. The foam is optional but worth it: dry shake first, then shake again with ice.
Shake harder and longer than feels necessary. Air is what turns egg white or aquafaba into that dense, silky cap, and it’s the difference between a good sour and a great one.
Cocktail recipeZero-proof recipe
Rye, lemon, and maple with a silky foam.
Garnish: Three drops of aromatic bitters on the foam
Garnish: Three drops of aromatic bitters on the foam
How the swap works: Double-strength black tea has whiskey's tannic grip; a bit more maple fills in the body alcohol normally gives.
Enjoy responsibly, of legal drinking age only ·Zero-proof twin ·
Most of these start with the same few ingredients: fresh apple cider, lemons and limes, cinnamon syrup, and maple syrup. Buy a gallon of good cider and you can make four of the six. For bigger gatherings, the Thanksgiving cocktails are built to batch, and Halloween cocktails cover the spookier side of the season.
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Apple cider drinks lead every fall, especially the apple cider margarita and cider mule, followed by maple whiskey sours, hot toddies, and spritzes with seasonal fruit.
Bourbon and apple brandy are the classics. Tequila works surprisingly well, vodka lets the apple shine, and spiced rum adds vanilla. For bubbles, top cider with dry sparkling wine.
You can, but cloudy, unfiltered cider has much more apple flavor and a little tartness. If you only have clear apple juice, add an extra squeeze of lemon.
Use a slow cooker on low or 'keep warm' with the spices in it, and set the spirit bottle beside it so guests can add a splash to their own mug. The zero-proof version is then the default, not the afterthought.
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