This Apple Cider Margarita can be warmed up in your slow cooker or enjoyed cold or at room temperature. It’s the perfect fall cocktail!
An apple cider margarita is the perfect way to enjoy a summer cocktail in the cold weather! Not that I think you need to wait until summertime to have a nice, cold margarita.
I’m up for a good margarita pretty much any time of the year. Especially if Mexican food like tacos is on the menu.
But typically, most people seem to mix them up in the warmer months, by the pitcher, on a nice sunny deck… okay, I’m daydreaming a little, but stay with me.
Instead of making your typical summer margarita recipe, let’s switch things up and turn this into a wintertime drink or the perfect fall margarita.
Starting with a crisp, fresh apple cider instead of lime juice (though you can still garnish it with a lime wedge if you want). Swapping out the triple sec or Grand Marnier with Berentzen Apple Liquor.
But what’s staying the same in your favorite classic cocktail? Well, the tequila, of course.
Rather than a salty rim, you can also enhance this drink by giving your glass a cinnamon sugar rim or brown sugar rim — simply dip the rim in water and spread some brown sugar or cinnamon sugar mixture on a small plate to dip the rim of the glass in. This gives it the perfect balance of sweet and spice. Use a margarita glass or — my favorite — a large mason jar.
I like to use a reposado tequila for this drink, something light and not too expensive. Not too expensive because you’ll be making a TON of these apple cider margaritas. I mean, a ton.
The flavor is so crisp and refreshing you’ll want more than just one. I can promise you that.
And now for the drumroll… You can serve this cocktail up ice cold – or hot.
After photographing this drink more than a few times, we left it all out on the counter and moved on to other things. Later when we went back to clean up, the drink was at room temperature, but we still had to take a few sips…and then a few more.
After realizing it was so good at room temperature too, we stuck it in the microwave for a minute. And it was amazing! So make this Apple Cider Margarita in big batches, even warm it up in your slow cooker for parties.
The only challenge? Deciding which way you want to drink this — hot or cold. I vote for cold, because cider is a cold drink for me. Christie’s vote was for hot. So just like I said, this Apple Cider Margarita recipe is the best of both worlds!
Maybe next time I’ll make a frozen apple cider margarita — though it might have to wait until the heat of summer.
If you want to give this fall cocktail more great fall flavors, consider adding a touch of maple syrup, fresh lime juice, or a sprig of rosemary. You could make your own cider, but you can still make a perfect drink with store-bought apple cider, and the flavor will likely be more concentrated. If you want a lighter flavor profile, you could experiment with apple juice. If you want it sweeter (especially if you make your own juice), add a little agave nectar or simple syrup.
Now that you’ve personalized the best apple cider margarita you can create, you just need to decide what delicious food to enjoy with it! We’re confident these fall twists on the classic margarita will quickly become one of your favorite things about the season — or at least offer you a very memorable and enjoyable happy hour.
If this delicious apple cider margarita has you wanting more apple cider cocktails for Thanksgiving dinner and other iconic fall and winter moments, another easy drink that’s a lot of fun calls for mixing Fireball cinnamon whiskey with apple cider and champagne (or prosecco). I typically do a shot of Fireball and then fill the rest of the glass with half prosecco and half apple cider, sort of like a fall mimosa with a kick! It will give you that spiced apple cider taste for your favorite time of year.
You may also like our slow cooker spiced apple cider with orange recipe, my apple cider mojito, or this whisky apple cider cocktail.
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Apple Cider Margarita Recipe
Equipment
- 1 Cocktail shaker
- 1 strainer
- 1 Margarita glass
Ingredients
- 8 ounces Apple Cider
- 3/4 ounce Berentzen Apple Liquor
- 2 ounces Reposado Tequila
- 1 teaspoon Fresh Lemon Juice
- Apple Slices with Lemon Wedges and Cinnamon Sticks For garnish
Instructions
- Add all the ingredients to a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake well and strain into a mug or margarita glass filled with ice.
- Garnish with fresh apple slices, lemon wedges and a cinnamon stick.