12 Apple Cider Cocktails & Mocktails for Fall

Fresh apple cider is fall's most versatile mixer — cozy with bourbon, bright with ginger beer, and delightful all on its own.

These 12 apple cider cocktails and mocktails cover every occasion, from fireside sipping to big-batch party punches.

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

1. Sparkling Apple Cider Sangria

White wine, cider, and brandy loaded with fall fruit.

Ingredients

• 1 bottle pinot grigio
• 2 cups apple cider
• 1/2 cup brandy
• 1/4 cup honey
• 2 apples, sliced
• 1 pear, sliced
• 3 cinnamon sticks
• 1 cup ginger ale

Instructions

1. Stir wine, cider, brandy, and honey in a pitcher until the honey dissolves.
2. Add fruit and cinnamon sticks.
3. Refrigerate at least 4 hours.
4. Stir in ginger ale just before serving.
5. Serve over ice with fruit in each glass.

2. Apple Cider Margarita

A fall margarita with cider, lime, and a cinnamon-sugar rim.

Ingredients

• 4 oz apple cider
• 2 oz blanco tequila
• 1 oz lime juice
• 1/2 oz orange liqueur
• Cinnamon sugar, for the rim
• Apple slice
• Ice

Instructions

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

3. Caramel Apple Cider Mocktail

Sparkling cider with caramel and a hint of cinnamon — pure fall in a glass.

Ingredients

• 6 oz apple cider
• 1 oz caramel syrup
• 3 oz sparkling water
• Pinch of cinnamon
• Caramel drizzle
• Apple slice
• Ice

Instructions

1. Drizzle caramel inside a tall glass; fill with ice.
2. Add cider, caramel syrup, and cinnamon.
3. Top with sparkling water and stir gently.
4. Garnish with an apple slice.

4. Bourbon Apple Cider Smash

Muddled apple and mint with bourbon and cider over crushed ice.

Ingredients

• 2 oz bourbon
• 3 oz apple cider
• 4 apple chunks
• 6 mint leaves
• 1/2 oz maple syrup
• Crushed ice

Instructions

1. Muddle apple chunks, mint, and maple syrup in a shaker.
2. Add bourbon, cider, and ice; shake well.
3. Pour unstrained into a rocks glass over crushed ice.
4. Garnish with mint and an apple slice.

5. Hot Caramel Apple Cider

Warm spiced cider with buttery caramel — the coziest mug around.

Ingredients

• 8 cups apple cider
• 1/2 cup caramel sauce, plus more
• 3 cinnamon sticks
• 6 whole cloves
• 1 orange, sliced
• Whipped cream

Instructions

1. Simmer cider with caramel, cinnamon, cloves, and orange 20 minutes.
2. Strain out the spices.
3. Ladle into mugs.
4. Top with whipped cream and a caramel drizzle.

6. Apple Cider Mule (Mocktail)

Ginger beer and cider with lime — zippy, refreshing, zero-proof.

Ingredients

• 4 oz apple cider
• 4 oz ginger beer
• 1/2 oz lime juice
• Apple slices
• Cinnamon stick
• Ice

Instructions

1. Fill a copper mug with ice.
2. Add cider and lime juice.
3. Top with ginger beer.
4. Garnish with apple slices and a cinnamon stick.

7. Cranberry Cider Punch

A ruby-red party punch with cider, cranberry, and ginger ale.

Ingredients

• 4 cups apple cider
• 3 cups cranberry juice
• 2 cups ginger ale
• 1/4 cup honey
• 2 oranges, sliced
• 1 cup fresh cranberries
• 3 cinnamon sticks
• Ice

Instructions

1. Stir cider, cranberry juice, and honey in a punch bowl.
2. Add oranges, cranberries, and cinnamon.
3. Chill 2 hours.
4. Stir in ginger ale and ice just before serving.

8. Spiced Rum Cider Cocktail

Dark rum, warm spices, and cider with an orange twist.

Ingredients

• 2 oz spiced rum
• 4 oz apple cider
• 1/2 oz lime juice
• 1/4 oz maple syrup
• 2 dashes bitters
• Orange twist
• Ice

Instructions

1. Shake rum, cider, lime juice, maple syrup, and bitters with ice.
2. Strain over fresh ice in a rocks glass.
3. Express the orange twist over the glass.
4. Drop it in and serve.

9. Apple Cider Bellini (Mocktail)

Cider and sparkling grape juice with a cinnamon-sugar rim.

Ingredients

• 3 oz apple cider, chilled
• 3 oz sparkling white grape juice, chilled
• Cinnamon sugar, for the rim
• Apple fan, for garnish

Instructions

1. Rim a champagne flute with cinnamon sugar.
2. Pour in the chilled cider.
3. Top with sparkling grape juice.
4. Garnish with an apple fan.

10. Fireball Apple Cider Cocktail

Cinnamon whiskey and cider — the tailgate favorite.

Ingredients

• 2 oz cinnamon whiskey
• 4 oz apple cider
• 1 oz lemon juice
• Cinnamon stick
• Apple slice
• Ice

Instructions

1. Fill a rocks glass with ice.
2. Add whiskey, cider, and lemon juice.
3. Stir well.
4. Garnish with a cinnamon stick and apple slice.

11. Orchard Iced Tea (Mocktail)

Black tea, cider, and honey over ice with apple and lemon.

Ingredients

• 4 cups strongly brewed black tea, chilled
• 2 cups apple cider
• 1/4 cup honey
• Juice of 1 lemon
• Apple slices
• Lemon slices
• Ice

Instructions

1. Stir tea, cider, honey, and lemon juice until the honey dissolves.
2. Fill a pitcher with ice.
3. Pour in the tea mixture.
4. Add apple and lemon slices.

12. Poison Apple Cocktail (Halloween)

A spooky green apple-cider cocktail for Halloween night.

Ingredients

• 2 oz vodka
• 3 oz apple cider
• 1 oz sour apple liqueur
• 1/2 oz lime juice
• Green food coloring (1 drop)
• Gummy worm
• Ice
• Dry ice (optional, do not ingest)

Instructions

1. Shake vodka, cider, apple liqueur, lime juice, and coloring with ice.
2. Strain into a coupe glass.
3. Drape a gummy worm over the rim.
4. For drama, add a small piece of dry ice beside the glass — never in the drink.

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