Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Food & Drink

These irresistible cocktails will keep you warm and cozy the whole fall season

Fall is here and that means it's time to try your hand at these fall drinks

Mark Stock
By
Fall cocktail
Ryzhkov / Adobe Stock

It’s inevitable. No matter how much you don’t want it to, summer has given way to fall. And while it’s hard to compete with summer’s easygoing nature, and its great cocktails, the season that follows brings with it some positives as well. Think of football, crisp autumn air, the return of pumpkin spice in everything, and an entire bounty of fresh ingredients for the fall. With farmer’s markets and produce aisles teeming with good things, it’s the perfect time to explore some new fall drinks.

As you switch from short sleeves to long sleeves and readjust your thermostat, look to these 11 fall cocktails to help embrace autumn properly.

Harper Spiced Sour Cocktail spread.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Harper spiced sour

As fall sets in, try throwing more Amaro, an Italian liqueur made from a grape brandy base, into your cocktails. This cocktail, which also features an egg white, chai syrup, and fig jam, is a great example of what the bittersweet Italian aperitif can do, especially when paired with a quality bourbon for a great fall drink.

Recommended Videos

Ingredients

  • 1 1/4 ounces I.W. Harper Bourbon
  • 1 ounce egg white
  • 1/4 ounce Amaro
  • 3/4 ounce lemon
  • 1/2 ounce fig jam
  • 1/4 ounce chai syrup

Method

Combine all ingredients into a shaker tin. Dry shake, add ice, and shake again. Double-strain into a coupe class.

Cilantro Paloma Cocktail.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Cilantro Paloma

We love a good Paloma. This garden-to-table one incorporates refreshing cilantro and an eye-catching rim of back lava salt. You can find black lava salt, which is generally from Hawaii, although some also come from Iceland, fairly easily online if your local store doesn’t carry it.

Related

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 ounces Tequila Don Julio Reposado
  • 1 1/2 ounces fresh grapefruit juice
  • 1/2 ounce fresh lime juice
  • 1/4 ounce agave syrup
  • 10 cilantro leaves
  • Back lava salt

Method

Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake well. Strain the contents into a highball glass rimmed with black lava salt over fresh ice. Garnish with cilantro.

Espresso Rhum Martini on table.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Espresso Heaven

Using some energizing coffee, this tasty beverage calls on a great rum from Haiti and soothing oat milk, among other things. Rhum is the term used for rum made from fresh sugarcane juice rather than being made from molasses, as most other rums are.

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 ounces Rhum Barbancourt 3-Star
  • 1 ounce Mr Black Coffee Liqueur
  • 1 ounce fresh brewed espresso
  • 1/4 ounce vanilla simple syrup
  • 1/2 ounce full-fat oat milk

Method

Mix all ingredients in a glass and serve up. To add a foam garnish, mix 2 tablespoons of Café Batido instant coffee with 2 tablespoons of water and 1 teaspoon of vanilla simple syrup and blend until thick.

Banana Bread Old Fashioned Cocktail.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Banana bread Old Fashioned

There are so many great adaptions of the classic Old Fashioned cocktail. This one, made with bourbon, banana liqueur, and allspice, fully embraces the autumnal flavors of banana bread.

  • 2 parts Wild Turkey 101 Bourbon
  • 1/4 part banana liqueur
  • 1 bar spoon allspice dram
  • 1 bar spoon simple syrup
  • 2 dashes black walnut bitters

Method

Add all the ingredients to a mixing glass, add ice, and stir. Then strain the contents of the mixing glass into a rocks glass over a large cube.

Night Gathers Punch on table.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Night Gathers

A good punch recipe shouldn’t be confined to summer or the New Year’s Eve party table. This one blends single-malt Scotch whisky, cranberry, and more for a sensational seasonal sipper.

Ingredients

  • 4 ounces Talisker 10-Year Single Malt Scotch Whisky
  • 1 ounce Italian apértif
  • 4 ounces lemonade
  • 4 ounces coconut water
  • 1/2 ounce fresh lemon juice
  • 1/2 ounce cranberry juice

Method

Combine Scotch, Italian apéritif, lemonade, coconut water, fresh lemon juice, and cranberry juice into a punch bowl with fresh ice. Garnish with orange wheels, lemon wheels, and edible flowers.

Fall Orchard Cocktail and bottle.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Fall orchard cocktail

You don’t often see rum and pear paired together in a cocktail glass, but one sip of this refreshing cocktail shows that it’s a lovely fall-like marriage of flavors. Allspice dram is a spicy liqueur that is made with rum and allspice berries. It is also sometimes called a pimento dram as allspice is a berry from the pimento tree.

Ingredients

  • 2 ounces Zacapa 23-Year Rum
  • 1/4 ounce allspice dram
  • 1 ounce pear nectar
  • 1/2 ounce maple syrup
  • 3/4 ounce lime juice

Method

Add all the ingredients into a cocktail shaker filled with ice and shake until chilled. Strain the mixture into a coupe glass and garnish with thin slices of pear.

Sazerac cocktail
Marler / Wikimedia

Spiced Sazerac

A scarf in a glass, this riff on a bona fide classic offers all the warmth you need, from cinnamon and baked citrus to the thawing spice of the rye.

Ingredients

  • 2 ounces Old Hamer Rye Whiskey
  • 1/4 ounce simple syrup
  • 4 droppers Dashfire Creole Bitters
  • 1 spray of West Fork 3rd Degree Cinnamon Whiskey
  • 1 torched orange peel

Method

Stir the simple syrup syrup, bitters, and rye whiskey together for 20 seconds. Then spray the inside of a rocks glass with cinnamon whiskey. Pour the drink into the glass and essence the orange peel over it. Torch the peel and place it into the drink.

Teleferic Barcelona Sangria on table.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Fall sangria

Fall may actually be the best time for sangria, as the days are still mild and it’s the heart of harvest season for wine grapes, apples, cranberries, and just about everything else. This recipe from California restaurant Telefèric Barcelona is a dandy.

Ingredients

  • 10 ounces red wine (we suggest Tempranillo or Garnacha)
  • 2 diced fresh pears 
  • 1 diced fresh apple 
  • 1 ounce orange liqueur or Triple Sec  
  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar  
  • Fresh cranberry and rosemary to garnish  

Method

Fill a large glass with ice and mix in all ingredients. Stir together and garnish with fresh cranberries and rosemary sprig.

Calm Waters Cocktail and bottle.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Calm Waters

This cocktail blends the comforting flavors of chamomile tea with the spice of tequila, while the addition of lemon juice gives this drink a zap of fresh citrus. The addition of chamomile flowers as a garnish makes it beautiful to look at as well.

Ingredients

  • 2 ounces Solento Blanco Tequila
  • 3/4 ounce lemon juice
  • 3/4 ounce chamomile honey syrup*

*Chamomile honey syrup: Make this syrup by combining equal parts honey and chamomile tea and stir.

Method

Combine all ingredients into a cocktail shaker and shake with ice. Service into a coupe glass and garnish with a lemon wheel and chamomile flowers.

Coco Ranch Water Cocktail.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Coco ranch water

A ranch water for fall? While ranch water is primarily thought of as a drink for the hot summer weather, we just think they’re good no matter what the season is. And as you’re missing the lazy days of summer, a hit of coconut will bring back warm memories.

Ingredients

  • 2 ounces 1800 coconut tequila
  • 1 1/2 ounces lime juice
  • Sparkling mineral water

Method

Combine tequila and lime juice in a highball glass with ice and top with sparkling water. Garnish with a lime or pineapple wedge.

Roses & Pistols cocktail with flower garnish.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Roses & Pistols

This cocktail is a fall-ready collaboration between Stranahan’s Whiskey and Hotel Jerome in Aspen. You’ll love what the crafty vermouth syrup brings to the drink.

Ingredients

  • 2 ounces Stranahan’s Blue Peak Whiskey
  • 1 ounce lemon
  • 3/4 ounce vermouth syrup*
  • 1 bar spoon of Campari
  • 3 dashes of Colorado cherry bitters

*Vermouth syrup

  • 1 cup Antica Carpano Vermouth
  • 1 cup of cherries (halved)
  • 1/4 cup maple syrup
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 1 teaspoon rose hip syrup
  • 1/2 teaspoon rose hip water
  • peel of 1 orange
  • 6-8 cardamom pods
  • Dash of cayenne pepper

Place the ingredients into a pot, bring the mixture to a boil, and simmer for 15 minutes.  Allow to cool and strain. Vermouth syrup can be stored and saved for up to a week in the refrigerator.

Method

Combine ingredients. Stir. Serve in a rocks glass over a large ice cube and garnish with rose.

Moscow mule drinks in ceramic mugs garnished with lime and mint.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Irish mule

When you think of a mule, besides the distinctive copper mug, you probably think about the classic Moscow mule. This cocktail, which originated in New York City, not Russia, made with vodka, ginger beer, and lime juice, has been one of the most popular drinks in the U.S. for close to a century. This version of a mule swaps out vodka for Irish whiskey (as you probably guessed by the name). While you might think it’s more of a St. Patrick’s Day cocktail, it’s actually perfect for fall as the spice of the ginger beer will warm you up.

Ingredients

  • 2 ounces Irish whiskey
  • 1 ounce lime juice
  • 5-6 ounces ginger beer
  • Lime wedge
  • Mint sprigs

Method

Fill a copper mug with ice (if you don’t have a copper mug, a highball glass will be fine). Add the whiskey and lime juice, and then top with ginger beer. Stir, and serve with a garnish of a lime wedge and mint.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Mark Stock
Mark Stock
Contributor
Mark Stock is a writer from Portland, Oregon. He fell into wine during the Recession and has been fixated on the stuff since…
Make the best espresso martini with these fantastic recipes
Curious about the trendy espresso martini? Here are some recipes worth trying
Person holding an espresso martini glass placing coffee beans as a garnish.

According to Liquor.com, the espresso martini isn’t a martini at all because it isn’t made with gin or vermouth. When taking a deeper dive, it seems martinis that don't involve gin and vermouth are nothing more than good mixed drinks in a martini glass. Who knew?

Don’t think for a minute that we’re going to change our minds about martinis. Some people just don’t like the taste or flavor of gin and that’s OK. Look, we know there are purists out there and they may have a thing or two to say about how a martini should be made, but that’s what test kitchens are for. Experiment with whatever you have on hand. Who knows, you may discover the next TikTok recipe sensation and go viral.

Read more
We’ve got a sensational Mai Tai recipe you won’t want to stop making
Who doesn't love a good Mai Tai?
Mai Tai

Whether it’s the midst of the summer heat or the middle of a frigid winter, there’s no wrong time for a Mai Tai. This classic tiki cocktail of rum, curaçao liqueur, orgeat syrup, and lime juice is either a comforting, tropical respite from winter or the perfect accompaniment to literally having your feet in the sand on a hot summer day.

For those unaware, Tiki is a style of bartending that involves mostly rum-based cocktails in a tropical setting made to pay tribute to island cultures, most notably Polynesian culture. Popularized in the 1950s and '60s, drinks like the Mai Tai, Hurricane, Blue Hawaiian, Rum Runner, Painkiller, and others have seen a resurgence with the rise of cocktailing and a renewed interest in classic drinks.

Read more
Slow cooker recipes: Cincinnati chili is easier than you think
Put it over spaghetti, we dare you
Cincinnati chili

This time of year, everyone loves good slow cooker recipes. You want one that warms, comforts, and greets you with a delicious scent the moment you walk through the door after a long, chilly autumn day. The slow cooker is a beautiful thing for that very reason - not only does it provide a nearly prep-free meal, but it's the gift that keeps on giving with its delicious promise of a warm and hearty meal through tantalizingly exquisite aromas filling the house all day. And while we all love common slow cooker recipes - a meaty pot roast or Kung Pao chicken, sometimes what we're craving at the end of the day is something a bit out of the ordinary. That's why we love this recipe for Cincinnati chili.
Cincinnati chili is tremendously unique in the world of varying (sometimes competing) American chili dishes. Its flavors are warmer and more exotic, which makes sense as its origins aren't American at all, but Greek. In the early 20th century, Greek-Macedonian immigrant brothers John and Tom Kiradjieff opened a restaurant in Cincinnati. Their chili was flavored with traditional ingredients like chili pepper and cumin but also included more familiar Mediterranean ingredients such as allspice and cinnamon. The deliciously comforting dish caught on, and Cincinnati chili quickly became a regional favorite.
This spicy chili is traditionally served over spaghetti with a generous topping of shredded cheddar on top. Depending on the locals you happen to ask, the best way to enjoy this chili is over spaghetti, with or without cheese, kidney beans, and/or grated white onion. Within these barriers, one cannot go wrong. Just make sure to always, always use your fork to cut the pasta into bite-size portions. Twirling is absolutely out of the question.

Cincinnati chili recipe
While spaghetti is the traditional choice for serving Cincinnati chili, another popular option is pouring a generous heap over hot dogs. If you ask us, this is the absolute best way to make chili dogs.

Read more