Apple Cider Margarita

🍎 Why We Love This Recipe

• Fall flavors: With apple cider, maple syrup, and cinnamon, this apple cider margarita is packed with fall flavors and makes a perfect drink for the holidays/autumn months.
• Ridiculously easy: Just add everything to a cocktail shaker and shake! This apple cider margarita recipe is super easy and will keep your guests happy as they come back for seconds. Just 5 essential ingredients and 5 minutes to make.
• Tangy, sweet and perfectly balanced: maple syrup and fresh cider add just enough sweetness to this apple cider margarita, which is balanced out with tart lime juice, slightly bitter Cointreau, and of course, tequila. The cinnamon sugar rim also has a bit of salt so it doesn't overpower the cocktail.

🥃 Ingredients

Here's what you'll need to make an apple cider margarita:

📋 Ingredient Notes

• As always with cocktails, the fresher the ingredients, the better. Freshly squeezed lime juice makes all the difference in these apple cider margaritas. And if you can find it, locally-produced apple cider is probably your best bet! The fresher the cider, the more festive these cocktails will taste. (Plus, we'll take any reason to visit our local cider mill).
• Cointreau is an orange liqueur. Feel free to sub with another orange liqueur, like triple sec or Grand Marnier.
• Silver or blanco tequila is a perfect candidate for margaritas, but reposado will also work in this recipe. While we wouldn't typically use añejo (aged) tequila in a more classic margarita, it actually works well here. The complex flavor pairs well with fall flavors like maple syrup and apple cider.
• Cinnamon sugar rim: the rim is optional, but encouraged! It's delicious and adds a fun extra flair. You can also just use a regular salt rim, or no rim at all.

🔪 Step-by-step Instructions

(1): Combine sugar, cinnamon, and salt on a small, flat plate. Pour a small amount of maple syrup on another small plate. Dip the rim of the glass in a bit of maple syrup, then coat into the cinnamon sugar mixture.

(2): Fill a cocktail shaker halfway with ice. Add all ingredients and shake vigorously for about 30 seconds. Strain into glass and enjoy!

💭 Expert Tips and FAQs

• Cider: If you have a cider mill nearby, head there and grab some fresh apple cider. It almost always tastes better than anything you can get at the grocery store. And of course, it's always an excuse to pick up some apple cider donuts (or make your own vegan version!)
• Serving suggestions: This cocktail has a sweet flavor profile with a bit of acid, so it pairs very well with salads, desserts, and most Thanksgiving main dishes. It's also great served with fall appetizers like pumpkin hummus and persimmon crostini.
• Garnish: you don't really need any special garnishes for these apple cider margaritas, but you certainly can't go wrong with a few apple slices and a sprig of fresh herbs, like sage, rosemary or thyme. For a super fancy presentation, garnish with a cinnamon stick.
• Make ahead: if you're serving these apple cider margaritas for a crowd, feel free to multiply the ingredients and mix everything up ahead of time. Store in the refrigerator until ready to serve. Be sure to shake or stir well again before serving so everyone gets a well balanced drink! You can make up to 24 hours ahead of time.
• Cinnamon sugar rim: to get the cinnamon sugar to stick to the rim, we suggest using maple syrup. Pour a bit of syrup onto a plate and dip/roll the rim in the syrup just enough to coat. You can also use a lime wedge to rim the glass, but we've found syrup helps the cinnamon sugar stick better.
• Upgrade your apple cider margarita: for an extra fancy cocktail, try making cinnamon infused maple syrup. Add 1 cup of maple syrup to a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Add 2 sticks of cinnamon. Bring to a simmer for a few minutes, stirring often, then remove from heat and let infuse for at least 1 hour. Remove the cinnamon sticks and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator until ready to use.

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