Food & Cooking Recipes Drink Recipes Cocktail Recipes Maple-Bourbon Cider This quick and easy cocktail tastes like fall in a glass. Prep Time: 5 mins Total Time: 5 mins Servings: 4 Jump to recipe For a cocktail that’s full of fall flavor but a cinch to make, mix up our maple-bourbon cider. It’s perfect for game day, a fall potluck, or even Halloween, and calls for just four simple ingredients (plus an optional cayenne garnish for a fiery kick). Maple syrup and apple cider contribute a delicious sweetness to the drink, while a touch of lemon juice brings the balance. Use your favorite bourbon, or swap in rye if you prefer a drier, spicier taste. This recipe makes four cocktails but can easily be halved to serve two or doubled for a crowd. 20 Fall Cocktail Recipes Packed With Cozy Autumn Flavors Credit: Jason Donnelly Key Ingredients for Maple-Bourbon Cider Apple Cider: Apple cider is the key to this cocktail. Available in the fall at apple farms, farmers markets, and grocery stores, it's bursting with apple flavor and sold refrigerated. We don't recommend swapping in apple juice, which has a less pronounced fresh apple flavor and typically contains preservatives and added sweeteners. Bourbon: You'll need six ounces of bourbon for this recipe. Use a favorite brand if you have one, or opt for a mid-priced option that has been aged at least four years for the best flavor. Lemon juice: Bright and tangy lemon juice adds just enough acidity to balance out the cocktail's sweetness. To get the most juice out of a lemon, roll it firmly on the counter a few times before slicing and squeezing. Maple syrup: When seeking out the sweetener for this cocktail, be sure to use pure maple syrup, not one that's been blended with additives or sweetened with high-fructose corn syrup. Pure maple syrup, preferably grade A, will have a strong maple flavor that will blend beautifully with the bourbon and cider. Shaking a cocktail: When making a shaken cocktail, a good rule of thumb is to shake the ingredients for 10 to 15 seconds, or until the outside of the shaker is extremely cold and icy. How to Make This Drink Without a Cocktail Shaker No cocktail shaker? No problem. Whip up this easy cocktail by using a container with a tight fitting lid, such as a one-quart mason jar. A fine-mesh strainer will strain out the ice, or simply use the flat part of the lid to hold back the ice as you pour. Directions Credit: Jason Donnelly Fill glasses and shaker with ice; add ingredients to shaker: Fill four glasses and a cocktail shaker with ice. To shaker, add cider, bourbon, lemon juice, and maple syrup; shake vigorously. Credit: Jason Donnelly Strain into glasses: Strain into glasses and top each with a pinch of cayenne pepper, if desired. Credit: Jason Donnelly What to Serve With Maple-Bourbon Cider Serve this autumnal cocktail with snacks that feature warm fall flavors, such as our spicy-sweet maple snack mix, which makes enough to feed a crowd, or this brown-butter nut mix with rosemary and thyme. Our recipe for pear and walnut crostini, which features a heavenly swipe of creamy ricotta, would also make an excellent accompaniment, as would these chorizo, parsnip, and olive bites. For something on the sweeter side, try our light and tender apple fritters. Variations Different booze: Swap in rye for the bourbon for a slightly drier cocktail.Different garnishes: In place of the cayenne, garnish each glass with a pinch of cinnamon or a sprinkling of freshly grated nutmeg. 5 More Cider Cocktails to Try Warm Cider and Rum Punch Apple Cider Bourbon Sour Apple Spritzers Apple Brandy and Cider Apple Cider, Cranberry, and Ginger Punch Updated by Esther Reynolds Esther Reynolds Esther Reynolds is an experienced recipe developer, recipe tester, food editor, and writer with over a decade of experience in the food and media industries.