Easy Apple Cider Martini
Sip on this Apple Cider Martini that combines cider and vodka in a glass with a caramel-coated rim that’s dipped in brown sugar!
Fall’s Favorite Martini
This Apple Cider Martini has all the delicious flavors of fall in one cup! It’s sweet, tangy, and spicy while remaining incredibly simple to make!
The cocktail not only tastes amazing but is also dressed up with garnishes to look beautiful as well! Apple slices, star anise, cinnamon sticks, and a sprinkle of ground cinnamon finish off each drink!
Making it the perfect festive cocktail to sip on at Thanksgiving! Or at an end-of-season party before everyone hibernates for the winter!
Rebecca’s Recipe Review
Taste: A crisp, spiced flavor with the perfect balance of sweet and tartness from the apple cider.
Texture: Smooth mouthfeel.
Ease: 2/10
Pros: The simple garnishes really dress the drink up for some festive fun in an easy, approachable way!
Cons: Dipping the rim of the glass in caramel and then rolling it in cinnamon sugar calls for extra dishes.
Would I Make This Again? Yes, it’s an easy martini recipe that brings big fall flavor with minimal ingredients!
Ingredients For An Apple Cider Martini
- Caramel Sauce
- Light Brown Sugar
- Ground Cinnamon
- Vodka
- Apple Cider –
- Vodka
- Optional garnishes such as apple slices, lemon juice, cinnamon sticks, and star anise.
Choosing Your Cider!
Oftentimes, I try to tuck away some homemade cider from our family’s annual apple cider-making party! But more often than not, we all drink it as we go, so the fruits of our labor tend to disappear quickly!
In that case, I’ll just grab a jug of fresh apple cider from our local orchard to use in this Spiced Apple Cider Martini recipe!
If you don’t have access to fresh cider, store-bought will do just fine! And if you can’t get your hands on apple cider you can grab apple juice instead.
How To Make An Apple Cider Martini
- Chill the martini glasses while preparing the workstation and other ingredients.
- Spread caramel sauce out onto a shallow plate and a brown sugar and cinnamon mixture onto a second shallow plate.
- Thinly slice apples and then squeeze lemon juice over the slices to prevent them from browning.
- Fill a cocktail shaker with ice.
- Pour the vodka and spiced apple cider into the cocktail shaker. Shake vigorously.
- Dip the rim of the chilled martini glass in the caramel and then the brown sugar mixture.
- Strain the apple cider martini into the prepared martini glass.
- Garnish with the prepped apple slices, cinnamon sticks, and star anise, if desired.
Rebecca’s Recipe Tips
- Chill the martini glasses ahead of time! This ensures the drinks stay colder for longer.
- Squeeze fresh lemon juice onto the apple slices to prevent them from browning! Allowing the garnishes to look their best!
- Use a cocktail shaker with ice to mix the vodka and cider. Ensuring the ingredients are as chilled as possible while thoroughly mixing them together. If you don’t have a cocktail shaker, a mason jar with a lid, a blender bottle, a protein shaker, or a travel coffee cup will all get the job done!
- Prepare your martini station ahead of time for an easier and quicker turnaround! To do so, prepare 2 shallow plates. One with caramel sauce spread out to dip the rim of your glass in. The second with brown sugar.
How To Serve Apple Cider Martinis
- Holidays And Parties – These martinis would be great to serve at any holiday party or seasonal gathering! Whether it’s Halloween, Thanksgiving, or even Christmas!
- Self-Serve Bar – If you’re hosting a fall party, I’d suggest setting up a self-service bar for guests to make their own drinks! Set out a pitcher of apple cider and a vodka bottle with a jigger for measurement. Then place an assortment of garnishes out so everyone can make their martini exactly how they’d like!
- Serving Sizes – This recipe will fill one traditional martini glass. However, if you use a smaller martini glass like a coupe glass, it will yield 2 smaller cocktails.
Apple Cider Martini Variations
- Feel free to substitute vanilla-flavored or caramel vodka for even more flavor!
- Add a splash of club soda to turn this into a Sparkling Apple Cider Martini!
- Sweeten up this martini by adding simple syrup to taste!
More Apple Cider Recipes:
- Apple Cider Whoopie Pies – Filled with brown sugar filling and rolled in cinnamon sugar!
- Caramel Apple Cider Mimosas – A sweet reason to host a Fall brunch!
- Apple Cider Bundt Cake Recipe – Made with apple sauce, shredded apples, and apple cider!
- Slow Cooker Mulled Apple Cider – Prep this spiced warm sip in just 5 minutes!
- Cranberry Apple Cider Punch – A non-alcoholic holiday punch that everyone can enjoy!
Did You Make This Recipe?
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Apple Cider Martini
Equipment
- 1 Cocktail Shaker
- 1 jigger or measuring cup
- 1 martini glass
- 2 small plates
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon caramel sauce
- 1 tablespoon light brown sugar packed
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- apple slices optional garnish
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice optional garnish
- Ice
- 3 ounces vodka
- 3 ounces apple cider
- cinnamon sticks optional garnish
- star anise optional garnish
Instructions
- Chill Martini glasses while preparing the other ingredients.
- Prepare 2 shallow plates, 1 with the caramel sauce spread out and the other with the brown sugar and cinnamon mixed together.1 tablespoon caramel sauce, 1 tablespoon light brown sugar, ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Slice some thin apple slices and squeeze some fresh lemon juice on them to prevent browning. This is an optional step as these will be placed on a cocktail stick and used for garnish.apple slices, 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- Fill a cocktail shaker 3/4 full with ice.Ice
- Add the vodka and the spiced apple cider and shake vigorously for 15 seconds.3 ounces vodka, 3 ounces apple cider
- Dip the chilled martini glass in caramel and then the brown sugar mixture.
- Strain the apple cider martini into the prepared martini glass.
- Garnish with the prepped apple slices, cinnamon sticks, and star anise, if desired.cinnamon sticks, star anise
Notes
- Setting up your station in advance makes this cocktail a breeze to prepare.
- Caramel or vanilla-flavored vodka would make great variations in this cocktail.
- If you enjoy a sweeter cocktail, add a tablespoon of simple syrup before shaking.
- This recipe will fill a traditional martini glass, if you use a smaller martini glass like a coupe you will have 2 smaller cocktails.
Nutrition
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