12 Apple Cider Drink Recipes

From steaming mugs of spiced cider to sparkling party punches, these apple cider drinks cover every fall occasion — cozy nights, brunches, and bonfires included.

Below you’ll find 12 reader-favorite recipes, each with a photo, ingredients, and step-by-step instructions. Save your favorites and enjoy!

1. Hot Spiced Apple Cider

Classic mulled cider with cinnamon, cloves, and orange — fall in a mug.

Ingredients

• 1 gallon apple cider
• 3 cinnamon sticks
• 1 tbsp whole cloves
• 1 orange, sliced
• 1/4 cup brown sugar

Instructions

1. Combine everything in a large pot.
2. Bring to a gentle simmer — do not boil.
3. Simmer 20 minutes to infuse the spices.
4. Strain and serve hot with a cinnamon stick.

2. Caramel Apple Cider

Warm cider swirled with caramel and topped with whipped cream.

Ingredients

• 6 cups apple cider
• 1/3 cup caramel sauce, plus more for drizzling
• Whipped cream
• Pinch of sea salt

Instructions

1. Warm the cider in a saucepan until steaming.
2. Whisk in the caramel until dissolved.
3. Pour into mugs and top with whipped cream.
4. Drizzle with caramel and a pinch of sea salt.

3. Sparkling Apple Cider Punch

Bubbly cider punch with ginger ale and apple slices — party-perfect.

Ingredients

• 4 cups apple cider, chilled
• 2 cups ginger ale, chilled
• 2 apples, thinly sliced
• Ice

Instructions

1. Add ice and apple slices to a punch bowl.
2. Pour in the chilled cider.
3. Top with ginger ale just before serving.
4. Stir gently and ladle into glasses.

4. Apple Cider Mimosas

Brunch upgraded: crisp cider meets champagne with a cinnamon-sugar rim.

Ingredients

• 1 bottle champagne, chilled
• 2 cups apple cider, chilled
• Cinnamon sugar, for rims
• Apple slices, for garnish

Instructions

1. Rim champagne flutes with cinnamon sugar.
2. Fill each glass one-third with cider.
3. Top with champagne.
4. Garnish with an apple slice.

5. Mulled Orange Apple Cider

Cider simmered with orange, star anise, and honey — deeply aromatic.

Ingredients

• 8 cups apple cider
• 1 orange, sliced
• 2 star anise
• 4 cinnamon sticks
• 3 tbsp honey

Instructions

1. Combine everything in a pot.
2. Simmer gently 25 minutes.
3. Strain out the spices.
4. Serve hot with an orange slice.

6. Apple Cider Sangria

White wine sangria with cider, apples, and pears — a fall crowd-pleaser.

Ingredients

• 1 bottle pinot grigio
• 2 cups apple cider
• 1/4 cup brandy
• 2 apples, diced
• 1 pear, diced
• 2 cups ginger ale

Instructions

1. Combine wine, cider, brandy, apples, and pear in a pitcher.
2. Refrigerate at least 4 hours.
3. Stir in ginger ale just before serving.
4. Serve over ice.

7. Apple Cider Margarita

A fall twist on the margarita — cider, tequila, and lime with a cinnamon rim.

Ingredients

• 2 oz silver tequila
• 3 oz apple cider
• 3/4 oz lime juice
• 1/2 oz maple syrup
• Cinnamon sugar, for the rim
• Ice

Instructions

1. Rim a rocks glass with cinnamon sugar.
2. Shake tequila, cider, lime juice, and maple syrup with ice.
3. Strain over fresh ice.
4. Garnish with an apple slice.

8. Fireball Cider Cocktail

Cinnamon whiskey meets apple cider — dangerously sippable.

Ingredients

• 2 oz cinnamon whiskey
• 4 oz apple cider
• Ice
• Apple slice + cinnamon stick, for garnish

Instructions

1. Fill a rocks glass with ice.
2. Add whiskey and cider; stir.
3. Garnish with an apple slice and cinnamon stick.

9. Slow Cooker Apple Cider

Set-and-forget spiced cider that makes the whole house smell like fall.

Ingredients

• 1 gallon apple cider
• 3 cinnamon sticks
• 1 tbsp whole cloves
• 2 star anise
• 1 orange, sliced
• 1/2 cup brown sugar

Instructions

1. Add everything to the slow cooker.
2. Cook on LOW 3 hours.
3. Switch to WARM for serving.
4. Ladle into mugs.

10. Iced Apple Cider Latte

Espresso meets spiced cider over ice — the cozy-cool coffee shop fix.

Ingredients

• 2 shots espresso
• 1 cup apple cider
• 1/2 cup milk
• Ice
• Caramel drizzle

Instructions

1. Fill a tall glass with ice.
2. Pour in the cider and milk.
3. Add the espresso shots.
4. Drizzle with caramel and serve.

11. Frozen Apple Cider Slush

Blended frozen cider with a hint of cinnamon — like an apple pie slushie.

Ingredients

• 4 cups apple cider
• 2 cups ice
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 2 tbsp maple syrup

Instructions

1. Freeze 2 cups of the cider in ice cube trays.
2. Blend the frozen cubes with remaining cider, ice, cinnamon, and maple syrup.
3. Pour into glasses and serve immediately.

12. Apple Cider Hot Toddy

Warm cider, bourbon, honey, and lemon — the coziest nightcap.

Ingredients

• 6 oz hot apple cider
• 1 1/2 oz bourbon
• 1 tbsp honey
• 1/2 oz lemon juice
• Cinnamon stick, for garnish

Instructions

1. Stir the honey into the hot cider until dissolved.
2. Add bourbon and lemon juice.
3. Pour into a mug.
4. Garnish with a cinnamon stick.