Cocktails

Spiced Apple Cocktail

September 22, 2023 No Comments Cocktails

Fall is in the air. School is starting up. People are prepping for the holidays. Soup season is just waiting for the first chilly afternoon. In my books, that means it is time for a celebration. Celebrating the start of this season doesn’t need to be elaborate, everyone is busy this time of year after all. To start my celebration I created a Spiced Apple Cocktail filled with my favorite flavors that remind me of Fall—spiced cider, apples, bourbon, and cinnamon.

This spiced apple cocktail starts off with making a spiced simple syrup. Simple syrup is a 1 to 1 ratio of sugar and water heated on medium heat until sugar has dissolved, and this time we are going to steep some mulling spices and cinnamon in the mixture. Letting the mixture steep in the fridge overnight will increase the intensity of flavor. Strain the spice mixture from the simple syrup for use. It will last in the fridge in a closed container for 7 days.

Spiced Apple Cocktail

2 oz Bourbon
1 oz Apple Cinnamon Vodka (Or Apple Brandy)
1 oz Apple Juice
1 oz Spiced Simple Syrup
Sugar, apple slices, and cinnamon stick for garnish

In a cocktail shaker over ice, pour the bourbon, apple cinnamon vodka, apple juice, and spiced simple syrup. Shake! Strain the mixture into a cocktail glass rimmed with sugar and top with a slice of apple and a cinnamon stick.

For a non-alcoholic treat mix 2 oz of the spiced simple syrup with 3 oz of apple juice!

A Well Crafted Pantry

Bourbon Sparkling Apple Cider Fall Cocktail Recipe

November 17, 2018 No Comments A Well Crafted Pantry

It’s Fall, y’all! And, in the Fall I crave bourbon. For a recent low-key Fall party, I crafted a super simple, but delicious cocktail featuring Broken Top Bourbon, sparkling wine, and apple cider. I put it together on the bar so guests could make their own. However, you could also pre-prep and create a delicious punch! This cocktail would be a great addition to your Thanksgiving table and would also be a tasty addition to the winter holiday season!

This post is in partnership with Cascade Street Distillery. I was provided a complimentary product. All opinions are my own. Thank you for reading and learning more about the companies that support this blog.

When I say that this cocktail is simple… I mean it. I love a well-crafted cocktail with gorgeous ingredients and garnishes, but I also really value simple (but quality) solutions to hosting events. There are a lot of things happening when you host, might as well make it easy on yourself if you have a great and easy solution! One way to really make this cocktail hit a home run with your guests is by picking really good ingredients. I picked a local hand-pressed apple cider and Oregon-produced, small-batch bourbon that has been aged in charred oak barrels and has notes of caramel and vanilla. Taking extra steps of garnishing your drinks with things like a cinnamon sugar rim, apple slices, or cinnamon sticks will also make this drink extra special.

Bourbon Sparkling Apple Cider Cocktail

Single Glass:

Combine 1.5 oz of Broken Top Bourbon (or your favorite bourbon), 2 oz of chilled apple cider, and 3 oz of chilled sparkling wine in a glass. Garnish with apple slices, cinnamon sticks, or a cinnamon sugar rim.

Punch: Makes 8 glasses

Note: When making this pitcher cocktail I recommend adding ice cubes made of apple cider rather than water so that the drink doesn’t dilute in flavor as the ice melts. Due to the addition of ice, there is a bit more bourbon than what you’d have in a single glass portioning.

Combine 2 cups of bourbon, 3 cups of ice, 2.5 cups of apple cider, and 1 bottle of sparkling wine in a punch bowl or pitcher. If you are creating a punch bowl then add in apple slices and cinnamon sticks for garnish.

What type of spirit do you prefer in the Fall? Do you have a favorite Fall cocktail? Share in the comment section below!

A Well Crafted Pantry

Berry Good Cosmic Cocktails: Dark Side of the Moontini

October 25, 2017 No Comments A Well Crafted Pantry

Whether you just want a tasty mysteriously dark cocktail to impress your guests at a Halloween party or something fun to spice up a space themed party, this cocktail packs a punch. Dubbed the ‘Dark Side of the Moontini’ this drink utilizes a ice ball created out of a triple-berry syrup that then melts into a mixture of bourbon and splash of berry soda water.

This post is in partnership with Oregon Berries. All opinions are my own. See my other collaborations with Oregon Berries: Triple Berry Smoothie with Miso & Marionberry Champagne Cocktail.

The star of this cocktail is the slowly melting ice ball created with a triple-berry syrup. The syrup is SO easy to create. I used Stahlbush Island Farms frozen black raspberries, raspberries, and Marion blackberries. I kept to the darker berries for a rich flavor that would pair well with the bourbon, but also to make sure my drink had a very dark color to it (naturally).

Triple Berry Simple Syrup

This triple berry simple syrup can be made to mix with cocktails or non-alcoholic drinks. I love this syrup in Italian Creme Sodas or mixed with lemonade. YUM.

Use the below portions to create a batch of syrup in any amount that you need:

1 part each type of berry
2 part water
2 part granulated sugar

Or, to make approximately 2.5 cups of syrup:

1 cup black raspberries
1 cup raspberries
1 cup Marion blackberries
2 cups water
2 cups sugar

Directions:

Put the frozen berries and water in a saucepan and cook over medium heat (stirring occasionally so it doesn’t stick) until the berries soften. Approximately 5 minutes.
Add the sugar. Stir until the sugar is dissolved. Approximately 5 minutes.
Strain the liquid from the berries. Squish the berries as you go to get all the lovely juices.
Refrigerate the berry syrup for up to two weeks

Create the Berry Ice Ball:

I use the individual ice spheres (affiliate link) to create my ice balls. I literally have these in my freezer at all times with at least two ice balls ready to go for when I want a bourbon on ice. I love the way they look, but even more, I love the way that they melt. To create the berry ice ball I didn’t want it to be TOO sweet, so I first filled the ice sphere mold a third of the way with water. I then complete the sphere with my berry syrup. I do freeze my ice balls overnight so that they are pretty hard. To release from the mold I put under running water for about 30 seconds.

The berry ice ball would be great with a delicious lemonade or even a plopped into a lemon drop cocktail. However, I wanted the cocktail to be both dark in color and in flavor. I wanted something complex. So, bourbon was my go to liquor.

Dark Side of the Moontini

(A Bourbon and Berry Cocktail)

Ingredients:

1 Berry Ice Ball
2 oz of your favorite bourbon
1 oz of berry flavored soda water

Directions:

Put berry ice ball in a martini glass
Add 2 ounces of your favorite bourbon
Top with 1 ounce (or to taste) of your favorite berry flavored soda water

This drink starts of strong and as the ice melts gets sweeter. It is a sipper for sure!