Thanksgiving will be here before we know it so I figured I’d share 5 cocktails to enjoy this fall season! Because, let’s be honest, we’re going to be wanting all the Christmas cocktails as soon as Thanksgiving dinner has commenced!

I tried to make sure that these cocktails are as easy as they are delicious! With all the craziness and stress that comes with the holidays, the last thing you need to do is try making a complex cocktail. All you’re going to need generally to make these cocktails is a good cocktail shaker (this one is my absolute favorite), high quality ingredients, and a muddler.

So let’s get to it!

A List of 5 Cocktails to Enjoy This Fall

Apple Cider Martini

for one serving:

• 4 oz apple cider 
• 2 oz vodka
• 1/2 oz lemon juice
• 2-3 dashes of orange bitters
• Dash of ground cinnamon 
• maple syrup to rim glass (optional but highly recommended)

In a cocktail shaker, add the first five ingredients with some ice. Shake for about 10 seconds until well mixed. Take your drinking glass and coat the rim with maple syrup. The easiest way to do this is to pour a little maple syrup on a small plate and twirl your rim until coated.

I like to use a higher grade maple syrup for this so it gives more maple flavor verses a sugary syrup. Once you’ve created your maple rim, pour your Apple Cider Martini and garnish with an apple peel.

Fig & Honey Prosecco Smash

for two servings:

• 6 figs
• 1 plum
• 2 oz elderflower liquor
• 1/2 oz of lemon juice
• 1/2 oz of honey
• 3 sprigs of fresh thyme
• splash of Prosecco

In a cocktail shaker, add your chopped figs and plums. Then pour in the lemon juice, elderflower liqueur, honey, and thyme. Muddle until the fruits have well broken down. It takes a few minutes but it’s well worth it. Add some crushed ice and shake for a few seconds. Here, you can either strain the muddled fruit or add the mixture to your coupe glass, filling about 1/3 of the glass. Fill the rest of the glass with chilled Prosecco and garnish with a fig and thyme.

Plum Bourbon Margarita

for one serving:

• 1 Red Plum (roughly chopped)
• 2 oz of Bourbon
• 3/4 oz of Lime Juice
• 1 oz of Triple Sec
• 3/4 oz of Honey

The most important (and prettiest) part of this cocktail is the honey salt rim! It adds a sweet and salty addition to enhance the flavors of the plums and bourbon.First, add a pile of kosher salt to a small plate and coat the rim of your cocktail glass with honey. I love to use a hot honey for a little kick of heat. It’s not spicy, it’s just a flavorful heat. Here’s my favorite hot honey that I love to use!

Then, lightly dip your honey rim into the salt until completely covered. Set your glass to the side.

In a cocktail shaker, add the plums, lime juice, bourbon, and triple sec. Muddle the plums until they’re well broken down. Then, add the honey and crushed ice. Shake for 8-10 seconds before straining into your honey rim glass full of ice. Garnish with a plum slice and enjoy!

Apple Bees Knees

for one serving:

• 1/2 a honeycrisp apple, roughly chopped
• 2 oz of gin 
• 1 oz of lemon juice
• 1 oz of honey rosemary simple syrup 
• rosemary sprig and lemon twist for garnish

In a cocktail shaker, add in the chopped honeycrisp apple, gin, and lemon juice. Muddle until the apple is well broken down. Pour in the honey rosemary simple syrup and add ice. Shake for 8-10 seconds. Take your drinking glass and add a single large ice cube before straining in your Apple Bees Knees Smash. Garnish with a Rosemary sprig and an apple slice and enjoy!

Honey Rosemary Simple Syrup

• 1 cup of water
• 1 cup of honey 
• 4 rosemary sprigs

Add ingredients to a small saucepan over low/medium heat and stir occasionally. The syrup should begin to start simmering after about 5-7 minutes. As soon as it starts to simmer, take the pan off the heat and let the syrup cool for at least 15 minutes. Then, you’ll want to strain out the rosemary sprigs and let the syrup cool completely before adding to your cocktail!

The simple syrup will last about two weeks by storing in an airtight container in the fridge.

Bourbon Peach Smash

For 1-2 servings

• 1 ripe yellow peach – diced
• 4 oz of bourbon
• 2 oz of honey thyme simple syrup
• juice of 1/2 a lemon
• fresh thyme leaves, lemon wedges, and/or peach slices for garnish

In a cocktail mixer, add the diced peaches, bourbon, honey thyme syrup, and lemon juice. Muddle the peaches well and add crushed ice. Shake for 30 seconds and pour your Bourbon Peach Smash in a glass full of crushed ice. Garnish with fresh thyme leaves and either a lemon or peach wedge and enjoy!

Cheers Y’all,