Sip Festive Fall Flavors with a Post-Apple-Picking Mocktail

(Feature Impact) As the air turns crisp and the leaves start to turn, it’s time to return to favorite fall traditions like leaf peeping, bonfires, and, of course, apple picking. Once you’ve returned from the orchard, raise a glass to autumn with this fizzy, fruity Apple Cider Mocktail.

With smooth apple cider, warm cinnamon, bright citrus, gentle spice from ginger, and sweetness from maple syrup and brown sugar, this mocktail tastes complex but is simple to make. If you’d like to turn it into a cocktail, all it takes is a splash of bourbon, rum, or vodka – making this drink equally adaptable for a quiet evening at home or a celebratory weekend with friends.

Put on your favorite cozy sweater, grab a jug of apple cider, and discover more seasonal recipes at Culinary.net.

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Apple Cider Mocktail

Recipe adapted from Mindful Mocktail

Total time: 5 minutes

Servings: 1

• 1/2 teaspoon brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon powdered cinnamon
• 1/2 lemon, divided, for rim, then squeezed for juice
• 3 ounces apple cider
• 1 teaspoon maple syrup
• 1/4 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
•  ice
• 4 ounces ginger beer, ginger ale or non-alcoholic sparkling wine
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1/2 small apple, sliced

On a shallow plate, mix brown sugar and cinnamon. Moisten the rim of the cup with a lemon wedge and roll in the cinnamon mixture until it sticks.

In a cocktail shaker or jar with a lid, add squeezed lemon juice, apple cider, maple syrup, apple cider vinegar, and ice. Shake for 10-15 seconds to combine.

Fill a glass with ice and strain the mixture from the shaker or jar. Top with ginger beer, ginger ale, or sparkling wine. Garnish with a cinnamon stick and sliced apple.

Note: Sweetness can be customized to taste by using more or less maple syrup, if desired.