When you imagine the margarita, what do you see? Probably a greenish or yellow-hued drink with a salted rim, right? This classic cocktail is made with tequila, triple sec, and fresh lime juice. It’s a warm-weather classic and a drink you might not immediately think about when fall rolls around.
But what if there was a way to elevate it by changing ingredients and making it completely worthy of fall by adding seasonal flavors and ingredients? How about adding cinnamon and maybe even apple cider into the mix? How great does that sound on a chilly autumn night?
What you need to make the apple cider margarita
- 2 ounces of Blanco tequila
- 1/2 ounce of triple sec
- 1/4 ounce of fresh lime juice
- 4 ounces of apple cider
The apple cider margarita recipe steps
1. Rim a highball glass with cinnamon sugar and set aside.
2. Add ice to a shaker.
3. Pour in the tequila, triple sec, fresh lime juice, and apple cider.
4. Shake vigorously to combine.
5. Add ice to the rimmed highball glass.
6. Strain the ingredients into the rimmed highball glass.
7. Garnish with an apple slice or cinnamon stick.
The apple cider margarita
Well, there is a way to take this summer cocktail and make a fall version and it’s called the apple cider margarita (recipe above). The best part? Making this riff on the classic cocktail doesn’t require you to buy many more ingredients. As long as you already have tequila, fresh lime juice, and triple sec, you’re on the right track. All you need to buy is apple cider and cinnamon sugar for the rim (salt certainly won’t do for this seasonal drink).
What does it taste like?
If you’re already a fan of the tart, citrus-driven, tequila-centric flavors of a timeless margarita and you love a glass of sweet, tart, flavorful cider, you’ll love this mashup of the two. The acidic, tart citrus, the vegetal and fruity tequila, and the sweet, complex cider work together in perfect unison. One sip and you’ll wonder why you don’t add cider to all of your favorite cocktails during the autumn months (and maybe you’ll start doing it). A Cider Old Fashioned sounds like it might be pretty delicious, right?
Bottom line
It’s amazing how all you need is one additional ingredient to take one of the most summery cocktails and make it an autumnal treat. It’s zesty, sweet, tart, and perfect for the cool fall days ahead. Cider is a fall staple, so it only makes sense to add it to your favorite cocktail. Pair this drink with some glazed cider donuts, a warm sweatshirt, and a trip to a pumpkin patch (or haunted hayride) and you have the makings of a perfect fall day. What could be better?
