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Best Spiced Apple Cider Bourbon Cocktail: Easy Crowd Pleaser

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This spiced apple cider bourbon cocktail is the ultimate fall crowd-pleaser. Made with simple ingredients and a clever spice infusion, it’s easy to scale for parties and guaranteed to disappear fast.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 4 cups (960 ml) high-quality apple cider (unfiltered preferred)
  • 1 ½ cups (355 ml) bourbon (e.g., Buffalo Trace or Four Roses Yellow Label)
  • ½ cup (120 ml) fresh orange juice (about 2 large oranges)
  • ¼ cup (60 ml) pure maple syrup (Grade A amber or Grade B)
  • 1 tablespoon (15 ml) vanilla extract (real vanilla)
  • 4 whole cinnamon sticks
  • 6 whole cloves
  • 4 whole star anise pods
  • 1 teaspoon (2g) whole allspice berries
  • 1 small piece (1-inch) fresh ginger, peeled and thinly sliced
  • Fresh apple slices (Honeycrisp or Fuji) for garnish (optional)
  • Fresh rosemary sprigs for garnish (optional)
  • Extra cinnamon sticks for garnish (optional)
  • Orange peel twists for garnish (optional)

Instructions

  1. Infuse the Cider (15 minutes): Pour the apple cider into a medium saucepan. Add the whole cinnamon sticks, cloves, star anise, allspice berries, and thinly sliced ginger. Place over medium heat and bring to a gentle simmer. Let simmer for 10 to 12 minutes. Do not let it boil hard.
  2. Cool and Strain (10 minutes): Remove the saucepan from heat. Let the spiced cider cool for about 10 minutes at room temperature. Pour through a fine-mesh strainer into a large pitcher or drink dispenser. Discard the spices and ginger slices.
  3. Build the Cocktail (2 minutes): To the strained spiced cider, add the bourbon, fresh orange juice, maple syrup, and vanilla extract. Stir thoroughly with a wooden spoon or whisk for 30 to 45 seconds until the maple syrup is fully incorporated.
  4. Chill and Meld (30 minutes to 2 hours): Place the pitcher in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before serving. For best results, chill for 2 hours to allow flavors to meld.
  5. Serve and Garnish (2 minutes): Fill serving glasses with ice. Pour the chilled cocktail over the ice. Garnish each glass with a thin apple slice, a sprig of fresh rosemary, and a cinnamon stick if desired.

Notes

The trick is to let the apple cider do the heavy lifting. Don’t skimp on the steeping time (10-12 minutes) for the spices. Cooling the spiced cider before adding bourbon is crucial to avoid harsh flavors. Chilling the cocktail for at least 30 minutes (preferably 2 hours) allows flavors to meld. For a non-alcoholic version, replace bourbon with additional apple cider or sparkling apple cider. For a hot version, omit chilling and reheat gently. The cocktail keeps in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Nutrition

Keywords: spiced apple cider bourbon cocktail, fall cocktail, apple cider bourbon, bourbon cocktail, easy cocktail, crowd-pleaser, party drink

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