Apple Cider Margarita
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Apple cider, pear juice, and a combination of Grand Marnier and reposado tequila make this Apple Cider Margarita the perfect fall cocktail. Garnished with a cinnamon stick and a salt rim, these delicious apple cider margaritas are the ideal way to usher in autumn.
Ah… the fall weather has hit Nebraska. At least for the time being, September has cooled down, and the evenings require a sweatshirt. My favorite kind of weather! Warm mid-70s temperatures during the day and cool lower 60s at night. Just another reason why I have always loved the early fall months, and why it makes it easier to say farewell to summertime.
Apple Cider Margarita
The perfect drink to welcome apple season and a nice change of pace from your classic margarita, this apple cider drink is refreshing and bursting with fall flavors. Sweet, tart, and tangy this apple margarita goes down nice and smooth. I’m sure you’ll agree it makes the perfect fall drink.
Apple Cider Drink Recipe
Whether you’re hosting friends for dinner, having a backyard barbecue, or if you’re just looking for a nice drink to sit down and relax with you’ll find this Apple Cider Margarita fits the bill. With just a few simple ingredients and easy preparation, it has become my go-to fall drink. I think this is the perfect cocktail for the holidays and would fit right in at Thanksgiving dinner!
Feel free to adjust to suit your needs and what you’ve got on hand. Make a double batch and store the leftovers in the fridge so it’s ready to go when you are.
If you love apple cider margaritas you are sure to love these too: Blueberry Margarita, Strawberry Margarita, or this Copy Cat El Bee’s Margarita. Get that Margarita flavor you love in a dip recipe, with this Margarita Dip or in a salad recipe, here in this Margarita Fruit Salad!
The Best Apple Cider Drink Recipe
Pure apple cider, made from chopped and mashed apples, does not contain any alcohol and not only tastes great but may also have some health benefits. From helping to reduce inflammation in the body as well as providing some antioxidant support this seasonal drink also helps with hydration. Realize these benefits may be derived from drinking apple cider however, the addition of alcohol may impact these advantages.
Apple Cider Margarita Ingredients
For complete ingredients and instructions scroll to the bottom of this post for the full printable recipe card.
- Pear juice – Store-bought pear juice helps sweeten up this margarita. Find it in the juice aisle.
- Apple cider – Any kind of fresh apple cider will work in this recipe. If you can’t get your hands on apple cider, apple juice will also work in a pinch.
- Tequila Reposado – This type of tequila has been aged for up to a year. Blanco Tequila or Silver Tequila are also good choices. Just grab your favorite tequila!
- Maldon salt – This type of salt comes in large flakes which are great for coating the rim of the glass. If you don’t have it, any type of sea salt will do.
- Grand Marnier – I used Grand Marnier but you could substitute Cointreau, Triple Sec, or Orange Curaçao.
- Lime wedge – Lime wedges give this margarita a slightly sour taste and give a nod to that traditional margarita.
- Cinnamon sticks – These sticks add a subtle cinnamon flavor and finish this fall margarita perfectly.
How to Make the Best Apple Cider Margaritas
You can be sipping on this margarita in no time at all.
Add the Maldon salt to a small plate.
Run the lime along the rim of the glass.
Press the glass into the salt. Set the glass aside.
Fill a cocktail shaker with ice.
Add the tequila and Grand Marnier.
Then the pear juice, and apple cider.
Shake to combine.
Fill the prepared glass with ice and strain the cocktail over the ice cubes. Add your favorite special garnishes, if you wish.
Leftover margarita can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 4 days. A large mason jar works well.
To make an apple cider margarita pitcher you can double or triple the recipe. This is perfect if you are serving a larger crowd.
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If you love this recipe for apple cider margarita make sure that you don’t lose it! Pin it to your favorite Pinterest recipe board before you go!
FAQs
- Does apple juice and tequila go together? Apple juice and tequila go well together, especially if you are making an apple cider margarita.
- What is the difference between apple juice and apple cider? Apple cider is a fresh and unfiltered type of apple juice. It is most often found during apple season in the fall. Apple juice has been filtered and pasteurized and is available in supermarkets year-round.
- Can you heat up cold apple cider? Yes, absolutely! You can heat up cold apple cider if you’d prefer to drink it hot. It also tastes good cold.
What is Tequila Reposado? Tequila Reposado is aged in oak barrels for two months to one year, which gives it a smoother flavor and may contain subtle hints of vanilla and caramel from the aging process. It will also have a light golden color from the aging process. - What is Maldon Salt? Maldon salt is a gourmet sea salt named after the town Maldon in Essex, England, where it’s been produced for over a century. It has a distinctive flaky texture and clean, pure flavor. This sea salt is harvested from the seawater of the Blackwater Estuary.
Substitutions
Remember that when it comes to making substitutions in recipes, you don’t need to be afraid to get creative and use ingredients that suit your personal taste and dietary preferences. Make it your own!
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Instead of Grand Marnier use triple sec or a little brandy. You are looking for an orange liqueur.
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Substitute apple juice for the apple cider.
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Use lemon wedges instead of limes.
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Make a sweeter margarita by rimming the glasses in a cinnamon-sugar mixture instead of salt. Or replace the cinnamon with my homemade apple pie spice!
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Replace the pear juice with orange juice for a more citrusy margarita.
Tips & Tricks for the Best Apple Cider Margaritas
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To sweeten things up you can add a touch of maple syrup, agave nectar, brown sugar, or simple syrup.
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Fancy the drinks up a bit and create a cinnamon sugar rim.
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Garnish the apple cider cocktails with fresh apple slices for even more apple flavor.
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Float a star anise on top of the cocktail.
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Check out the baby food aisle for pear juice or pick up a can of pears and drain it to use the juice.
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Blend the apple cider margarita with ice in the blender to make a frozen apple cider margarita.
More Recipes to Love
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Pumpkin White Russian Cocktail (pictured above)
If you’re looking for a good margarita for your next happy hour, consider this delicious apple cider margarita with its truly unique flavor. It’s the perfect fall cocktail to drink when the crisp fall air arrives.
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Apple Cider Margaritas
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 ounces pear juice
- 2 ounces apple cider
- 2 ounces Tequila Resposado
- 1 ounce Grand Mariner
- Lime wedge
- Maldon salt
- Cinnamon sticks for garnish
Instructions
- Run the lime along the rim of the glass and press into the salt. Set the glass aside.
- Fill a cocktail shaker with ice and add the pear juice, apple cider, tequila, and Grand Mariner.
- Shake to combine.
- Fill the prepared glass with ice and strain the cocktail over the ice.
- Garnish with a lime wedge and cinnamon stick.
Notes
Nutrition
This is such a fun, fall inspired twist on a regular margarita! I know I’m going to be making this all season long!
My gals loved this when I served it to them last night. It’s perfect for fall so we’ll be having this again soon. Thanks!
What a delicious autumn cocktail. Loved this and will definitely make it again for my next get together.
I have been on the look for seasonal cocktails to try and this is right on time!! It seems easy and I can’t wait!
This was one of the best margaritas I’ve ever tried. Going to do it frozen next time!
Love them frozen too!
What a lovely taste the pear juice added! No leftovers here!
Such a great fall inspired margarita. Great flavor and good ratios. Definitely will make again.
This looks like the perfect cocktail for a fall party. I love the apple cider element.
This was the perfect autumnal drink. The flavours were incredible.