Name: The Best Homemade Apple Cider Cocktail Ever!
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 120 min
Total time: 135 min
Ingredients: 10-12 apples (cut into fours without core); 1/2 cup sugar (or if you want it less sweet add just 1/4 cup); 6 cinnamon sticks or 1 tablespoon cinnamon; 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg; 1/4 teaspoon cloves; 8 cups water (or enough to fill the pot a few inches above the apples); 1 ounce vodka; 1/2 cup apple cider

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This apple cider cocktail is delicious and so much fun to make! With its crisp autumnal flavors and wonderful aroma, it’s the perfect fall cocktail. And the homemade cider is absolutely scrumptious!

I truly enjoyed this drink for days and it is my beloved cocktail for fall. Not only was the cocktail incredible, but the process of making homemade apple cider was so much fun!

The apples boiling in the pot with fall spices made the house smell so incredible. I couldn’t help but smile the whole time it was brewing! I’ve mentioned before that I completely admire fall aromas and there really is no better scent than a giant pot of apples simmering for hours, yum.

To make the cocktail I used BelleWood Vodka, a handcrafted vodka made from… are you ready? Apples, ahhh! They only sell it in Washington state though and you can’t order it online.

Or just use your favorite vodka. I thought I liked vodka and lemonade, but I love vodka and apple cider even more! The process of making cider isn’t too difficult…it takes time because the apples need to boil for a few hours, but once you have everything in the pot, you can step away and let the aroma overtake your home.

How To Make Apple Cider – Step By Step

Homemade Apple Cider

Place apples in a large stockpot with water. Stir in the sugar, spices and add in the cinnamon sticks. Bring to a boil for 1 hour. Then cover and simmer for another hour.
Place a strainer over a large bowl and pour the mixture in the strainer. Discard the apples. Strain the cider again through a cheese cloth by placing it over a bowl. This will ensure all the chunks are removed.
Pour into a glass pitcher and refrigerate.

Apple Cider Cocktail

Fill an 8 oz glass to the top with ice.
Pour 1 shot (or more if you want to get crazy ; )) of any Core Vodka made from apples or your fave vodka over the ice and fill the rest with cider. Try to avoid fake “apple-flavored vodka”
Stir to mix ingredients and garnish with a cinnamon stick and an apple slice.
Enjoy the most delicious fall cocktail ever! Yum yummy yumminess!!

Use A Vodka Made From Apples

Vodka is a distilled beverage composed primarily of water and ethanol, sometimes with traces of impurities and flavorings, it is made by the distillation of fermented substances such as grains and potatoes.

For this apple cider cocktail recipe, I’ve used a vodka made from apples. I highly recommend using an apple based vodka, as it blends so beautifully with the homemade cider – really the perfect match!

The Perfect Fall Cocktail

This cocktail is the perfect seasonal drink! The homemade cider is ripe for apple picking season and the spiced flavors of the cocktail make this a tipple which full of fall flavors!

An Easy Cocktail

Yes, there are a couple of steps to this cocktail, namely making the delicious cider and then mixing up a lovely cocktail. However the process is really straightforward, you can let the apples cook and once strained, you’ve got a scrummy batch of homemade cider. The cocktail is simplicity itself and can be put together quickly when guests arrive.

side shot of apple juiced being strained through a cheeseclothj

Top Tips For Homemade Apple Cider Cocktail

Use Cheesecloth to strain the apple cider.
Don’t be afraid of ugly fruit! It doesn’t matter if the apples are bruised or damaged, as long as the fruit is solid, it’s good for cider. That should speed up apple picking!
Avoid fake ‘apple flavored’ vodkas, they will give your cocktail an artificial apple taste – not nice! These vodkas are different to apple based vodkas.
Pour over ice just before you serve to the guests, to avoid dilution by the ice.

shot of hands holding apple cider cocktail

Check Out These Other Hard Apple Cider Drinks

Apple Cider Moscow Mules

Hard Apple And Spice Cider Cocktail

Hard apple Cider Kombucha Punch

Spiked Apple Cider Punch Recipe

Bourbon Spiked Hot Apple Cider by Vindulge

Hot Buttered Apple Cider With Rum by Once Upon A Chef

If you have tried this Apple Cider cocktail recipe, then please rate it and let me know how it turned out in the comments below!

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The Best Homemade Apple Cider Cocktail Ever!

You are going to LOVE this fall cocktail!

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Course: Drink

Cuisine: American

Keyword: apple cocktail, apple drink, homemade cider

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 2 hours

Total Time: 2 hours 15 minutes

Servings: 5 cups cider

Calories: 278kcal

Author: Eden