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Cozy Apple Cider Old Fashioned: The Best Fall Cocktail

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This cozy apple cider old fashioned is a quick and easy fall cocktail that combines bourbon, fresh apple cider, orange, and cinnamon for a perfectly balanced, crowd-pleasing drink. It’s comfort in a glass, ready in under five minutes.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 ounces bourbon or rye whiskey
  • 2 ounces fresh apple cider
  • 1 orange slice (about 1/4 inch thick)
  • 1 teaspoon brown sugar
  • 2 dashes Angostura bitters
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • Ice cubes
  • 1 star anise (optional garnish)
  • 1 thin apple slice (optional garnish)
  • Fresh rosemary sprig (optional garnish)

Instructions

  1. Prepare your glass. Start with a clean rocks glass. Add the brown sugar and orange slice directly to the glass.
  2. Muddle gently. Using your muddler or the back of a wooden spoon, press down on the orange slice and sugar. Twist gently back and forth about 4-5 times to release the oils from the orange peel and dissolve the sugar slightly. Stop before the orange starts to break apart.
  3. Add the bitters. Drop in 2 dashes of Angostura bitters directly onto the muddled orange. Give it one quick stir with your spoon.
  4. Pour in the bourbon. Measure 2 ounces of bourbon and add it to the glass. Swirl it around gently to combine with the bitters mixture.
  5. Add the apple cider. Pour in 2 ounces of fresh apple cider. Give everything a gentle stir with your bar spoon for about 10 seconds.
  6. Add ice. Drop in one large ice cube or 2-3 smaller cubes. If using smaller cubes, stir immediately for about 15 seconds to chill and slightly dilute the drink. With a large cube, stir for 20-25 seconds.
  7. Garnish and serve. Take your cinnamon stick and give the drink a few stirs with it, then leave it in the glass. Add your star anise, apple slice, or rosemary sprig if using.

Notes

Don’t over-muddle the orange to avoid bitter bits. Use large ice cubes for slower dilution. For parties, mix bourbon, cider, and bitters in a pitcher ahead of time, but muddle orange and sugar fresh in each glass. Cold ingredients make a better cocktail.

Nutrition

Keywords: apple cider old fashioned, fall cocktail, bourbon cocktail, easy cocktail, apple cider drink

Find it online: https://leilameals.com/cozy-apple-cider-old-fashioned-the-best-fall-cocktail/