This apple cider bourbon cocktail is the perfect balance of sweet, sour, apple and Autumn spice! An apple whiskey sour is the perfect cocktail to enjoy throughout the Fall months and on special occasions like Halloween and Thanksgiving!

This Autumn bourbon cocktail makes the perfect seasonal aperitif. It's a great recipe at a cocktail party with our Savory Pear Tartlets or before a cozy dinner with Cider Braised Chicken Thighs with Bacon & Shallots!
Ingredients
- Whiskey - We are using Four Roses Bourbon, it’s one of our favorite bourbons for mixing. However, you can use any bourbon or rye for this cocktail. It’s also delicious with brandy.
- Apple Cider - We made our Homemade Apple Cider for this whiskey sour recipe. It’s easy to make, makes your house smell amazing and is fabulous to have on hand for kids, cocktails, and holiday punch recipes. We serve it hot, cold, in cocktails and even in baking recipes like our Jewish Apple Cake with Cider Glaze! If you’re not making your own cider, we recommend buying freshly-pressed orchard cider with lots of sediment! (That’s where all the flavor is!)
- Amoro di Angostora - This ingredient is KEY for bringing spice, balance and complexity to this cocktail. A little goes a long way and its’ an intriguing ingredient to have on your back bar. We love it in all sorts of cocktails from sours, to manhattans, digestifs and even espresso martinis.
- Lime Juice - Freshly-squeezed, please! You can make this drink with lemon, too.
- Simple Syrup - We use a 1:1 ratio of sugar and water.
- Smoked Cinnamon Garnish- Totally optional but a very enticing garnish with amazing aromatics. You can also opt for a dehydrated apple slice or a clove-studded lime wheel, instead.
Shaking Up An Apple Cider Sour
This apple cider whiskey sour is a simple shaken cocktail that is easy to make (& easier to drink)!
- In a cocktail tin, combine all ingredients (except for the garnish).
- Add ice and shake vigirously for 30 seconds or until icy cold.
- Double strain this cocktail through a Hawthorne and fine mesh cocktail strainer. You can serve it up in a martini glass, on small rocks or over a large cube, like we did.
- Garnish the drink as desired. For a smoked cinnamon garnish, use a lighter to ignite the end of a dried cinnamon stick. After a moment, the flame will extinguish and leave an aromatic plume of cinnamon smoke wafting around the glass. Cheers!
Pro Tip: Cinnamon Not Smokin’? - If your cinnamon sticks are not easily catching fire, they may not be dry enough. This is common in humid climates. To help dry them out, you can bake the cinnamon sticks on a baking tray at 300 degrees Fahrenheit for 10 - 15 minutes. Cool completely before handling.
More Cocktails You May Like…
Check out our full cocktail collection for more libation inspiration!
Recipe
Apple Cider Whiskey Sour
ADJUST SERVINGS
Special Equipment
- 1 Cocktail Shaker
- 1 Hawthorne Cocktail Strainer
- 1 Fine-Mesh Cocktail/Tea Strainer
- 1 Lighter (Optional for smoked cinnamon garnish)
Ingredients
- 2 ounces whiskey bourbon or rye
- 3 ounces apple cider We used our Homemade Apple Cider Recipe
- ½ ounce Amaro di Angostura
- ¾ ounce lime juice freshly-squeezed
- ½ ounce simple syrup
- Ice as needed, for shaking and serving
- 1 cinnamon stick** Optional garnish
Instructions
- In a cocktail tin, combine whiskey, apple cider, amaro di angostura, lime juice and simple syrup. Top with ice and shake vigorously for 30 seconds or until ice cold.
- Strain through a Hawthorne and fine mesh strainer up (in a martini glass) or into a glass with ice.
- If using, place a cinnamon stick on the rim of your serving glass. Light the end of the cinnamon stick. After a moment, the fire will extinguish and aromatic cinnamon smoke will swirl around the glass. Enjoy!
Notes
* A Note About Salt
Unless otherwise noted, all recipes on The Sage Apron are developed using Diamond Crystal Kosher salt. It is a great all-purpose salt for cooking and baking. If using table salt, reduce quantities by about half.
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