Hard cider is a stand-alone drink. Then again, so is whiskey, and yet people have been crafting new and exciting cocktails while still honoring old recipes. There's no reason cider shouldn't get the same treatment with the creation of hard cider cocktails. A hard apple cider cocktail hits the spot, whether it's fall or the weather is just starting to turn to spring.
Bourbon Cider Smash
Apple and bourbon is a natural pairing, so why fight it? If you're really short on time, you can skip the muddling and shake the lemons with the bourbon.
Ingredients
- 2-3 lemon slices
- ½ ounce simple syrup
- 2 ounces bourbon
- Ice
- Hard cider to top off, preferably dry
- Apple slice for garnish
Instructions
- In a cocktail shaker, muddle lemon slices with simple syrup.
- Add ice and bourbon.
- Shake to chill.
- Strain into rocks glass over fresh ice.
- Top off with hard cider.
- Garnish with apple slice.
Hard Cider Mule
Just when you thought you'd seen all the possible riffs on a mule, the hard cider mule comes running to surprise you.
Ingredients
- 2 ounces apple vodka
- ½ ounce freshly squeezed lime juice
- 1½ ounces ginger beer
- Ice
- Hard cider (such as Angry Orchard) to top off
- Lime wheel and mint sprig for garnish
Instructions
- In a rocks glass or copper mug, add ice, vodka, lime juice, and ginger beer.
- Top off with hard cider.
- Stir to mix.
- Garnish with lime wheel and mint sprig.
Ingredients
- 4-6 fresh mint leaves
- ¼ ounce simple syrup
- 1¼ ounces bourbon
- 2 ounces hard cider, preferably dry
- Ice
- Mint sprig and cherry for garnish for garnish
Instructions
- In a rocks glass or julep cup, muddle mint leaves with simple syrup.
- Add ice, bourbon, and hard cider.
- Garnish with mint sprig and cherry.
Spiced Hard Cider
Consider this the easier way to get all those apple crisp flavors into a glass.
Ingredients
- 1½ ounces spiced rum
- ½ ounce freshly squeezed lime juice
- ¼ ounce simple syrup
- Ice
- 2 ounces hard cider to top off
- Cinnamon stick for garnish
Instructions
- In a cocktail shaker, add ice, spiced rum, lime juice, and simple syrup.
- Shake to chill.
- Strain into rocks glass over fresh ice.
- Top off with hard cider.
- Garnish with cinnamon stick.
More About Hard Cider
 |  |
Hard Cider Margarita
With just a splash of tequila and orange liqueur, you'll have a crisp apple margarita in no time. Even shorter on time? Add the ingredients to a half-empty bottle of hard cider and give it a swirl.
Ingredients
- 1 ounce tequila
- ¾ ounce freshly squeezed lime juice
- ½ ounce orange liqueur
- Ice
- Hard cider to top off
- Lime wedge for garnish, optional
Instructions
- In a cocktail shaker, add ice, tequila, lime juice, and orange liqueur.
- Shake to chill.
- Strain into rocks glass over fresh ice.
- Top off with hard cider.
- Garnish with lime wedge, if desired.
Fall in the Orchard
Go big on the crisp, fall vibes with this hard cider cocktail that'll take you directly to fall.
Ingredients
- 1 ounce apple brandy or bourbon
- ½ ounce maple syrup
- ¼ ounce allspice dram
- 3 dashes cinnamon bitters
- Ice
- Hard cider to top off
- Apple slices for garnish
Instructions
- In a cocktail shaker, add ice, apple brandy, maple syrup, allspice dram, and cinnamon bitters.
- Shake to chill.
- Strain into rocks glass over fresh ice.
- Top off with hard cider.
- Garnish with apple slices.
Pine-apple Hard Cider
Add a hint of tropical pineapple to give your apple hard cider a little boost of flavor and vitamins.
Ingredients
- 1 ounce vodka
- ½ ounce pineapple juice
- ¼ ounce raspberry liqueur
- Ice
- Hard cider to top off
- Apple sticks and raspberry for garnish
Instructions
- In a cocktail shaker, add ice, vodka, pineapple juice, and raspberry liqueur.
- Shake to chill.
- Strain into highball glass over fresh ice.
- Top off with hard cider.
- Garnish with apple sticks and raspberry.
Honey Crisp Highball
What beats that first bite of a honey crisp apple? Nothing, except for when you can sip this cider highball on the couch.
Ingredients
- ¾ ounce vodka
- ¾ ounce honey liqueur
- ½ ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice
- Ice
- Hard cider to top off, preferably dry
- Apple slice, lemon wheel, and thyme sprig for garnish
Instructions
- In a cocktail shaker, add ice, vodka, honey liqueur, and lemon juice.
- Shake to chill.
- Strain into highball glass over fresh ice.
- Top off with hard cider.
Apple Pie
The apple pie hard cider cocktail: for when you cannot be bothered to watch your pie crust crumble in all the wrong ways.
Ingredients
- 1 ounce vanilla vodka
- ¾ ounce cinnamon whiskey
- ¾ ounce apple cider
- ½ ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice
- Ice
- Hard cider to top off
- Cinnamon stick for garnish
Instructions
- In a cocktail shaker, add ice, vanilla vodka, cinnamon whiskey, apple cider, and lemon juice.
- Shake to chill.
- Strain into rocks glass over fresh ice.
- Top off with hard cider.
- Garnish with cinnamon stick.
Hard Cider Cocktails Make for Easy Drinks
There's more than one way to eat an apple, and there's certainly more than one way to drink a hard apple cider. If you're already a fan of hard cider, these cocktails are a dream to mix up and try, and for those just starting down this path, you'll find that hard cider is more than just a pretty bottle on a shelf.
