With the election votes still being counted, this week has felt extremely long and drawn out. Since Tuesday I’ve been obsessivly checking my phone without prevail. Originally I had decided, in order to get me through election night, I needed a cocktail. Since it’s now Friday, and we still have no outcome, I’ve had this cocktail more times than I’d like to admit.. That being said, this sh*t is good ya’ll.

I wanted to create something that felt like fall in a glass, but not have it be hot beverage. I didn’t really want mulled wine, or a hot toddy (I have a thing with hot cocktails), but I still wanted it to feel “warm”. While brainstorming, I thought why not create something using up all the apples I have left from the orchard and use up the Instant Pot Spiced Apple Butter I made a few weeks back. Brilliant.

This apple cider cocktail is fruity, tart with apples, warm with cinnamon and bourbon, and sweet with apple cider. It’s everything you could ever want in an Old Fashioned, plus more.
Looking for other fall recipes? Here are some ideas:
Instant Pot Spiced Apple Butter
Pumpkin Bread with Brown Sugar Crumble and Maple Butter
Give this recipe a try and let me know what you think in the comments below. Cheers!
Apple Cider Old Fashioned
Ingredients
- 2/3 cup apple cider
- 2 Tbsp lemon juice
- 2 dashes bitters, aromatic or orange
- 4 oz bourbon
- 2 1/2 Tbsps apple butter
- Pinch of cinnamon
- Thinly sliced apples & cinnamon sticks for garnish
- (I sometimes like to top mine off with ginger beer or sparkling water, untraditional but delicious)
Instructions
- Shake apple cider, lemon juice, bitters, bourbon, apple butter, and cinnamon in a cocktail shaker or large mason jar with lid.
- Pour into cocktail glass filled with ice. Garnish with sliced apples and cinnamon sticks.