Autumn is here and after a summer of weather extremes, we are here for it. From apple and maple to pumpkin spice and pomegranate, we welcome all the fall flavors and cocktails we can make with them. Here are some cocktail ideas for the autumnal season.

Apple Mule

1 ¾ oz. Volcan Blanco tequila  

1 oz. Fresh lime juice

3 tbsp. Applesauce

5 oz. Ginger beer

Stir tequila, lime juice and applesauce briefly in a highball glass/copper mug on ice cubes, then top with ginger beer. Garnish with an apple fan, grated nutmeg and tonka bean.  

The mixologists at Volcan created this recipe.

La Tormenta

1 ½ oz. Santa Teresa 1796 rum

¼ oz. Plum brandy

½ oz. Ginger juice

⅔ oz. Fresh lemon juice

¼ oz. Runny honey

Top with Ginger ale

Combine all ingredients except ginger ale into a shaker. Shake and strain into a highball glass. Top with ginger ale.

The mixologists at Santa Teresa created this recipe.

Pumpkin Scotch Latte

1 ¾ oz. Glenmorangie Scotch

1 ¾ oz. Espresso

1 ¾ oz. Spiced pumpkin syrup

3 ½ oz. Hot milk

Pour ingredients into cup. Stir. Garnish with whipped cream and a dusting of cinnamon.

The mixologists at Glenmorangie created this recipe.

Beauty Queen

1 ½ oz. Mi Campo Reposado tequila

¾ oz. Rosemary syrup

¼ oz. Ginger syrup

1 oz. Lime juice

4 dashes Scrappy’s Lavender bitters

2 oz. Lambrusco

Combine ingredients (except Lambrusco) in a mixing tin and shake. Strain into a rocks glass and float Lambrusco on top. Garnish with a rosemary sprig.

The mixologists at Culaccino in Franklin, TN, created this recipe.

Maple Flag Cider 

1 ½ oz. Old Line Spirits American Single Malt whiskey

1 ½ oz. Apple cider 

¼ oz. Maple simple syrup 

¼ oz. Lemon juice 

3 dashes Black walnut bitters 

Shake all ingredients together and serve over ice in an Old Fashioned or Collins glass. Garnish with a dehydrated apple wheel. 

The mixologists at Old Line Spirits created this recipe.

Caramel Apple  

1 ½ oz. Coopers’ Craft Barrel Reserve bourbon

5 oz. Apple cider  

1 oz. Caramel syrup

Heat cider to the desired temperature. Add bourbon and caramel syrup. Pour into mug and garnish with cinnamon sticks and apple slice. 

For Caramel syrup:
½ cup Butter  

1 cup Sugar  

1 tsp. Fresh lemon juice 

¾ cup Whipping cream  

Melt butter in a heavy saucepan over medium heat; add sugar and lemon juice, and cook, stirring constantly, 5 to 6 minutes or until mixture turns a caramel color. Gradually add whipping cream, and cook, stirring constantly, 1 to 2 minutes or until smooth. Serve immediately, or store in an airtight container in refrigerator up to 1 week.  

Fitz Bailey, Brown-Forman mixologist, created this recipe.

Honey Badger

2 oz. Pomegranate and jalapeño-infused Milagro Reposado tequila*

¾ oz. Lime juice

½ oz. Cointreau

½ oz. Honey syrup**

Shake all ingredients together. Strain into a rocks glass. Garnish with a lime wheel and large cube of frozen pomegranate juice and/or pomegranate arils.

*Pomegranate and jalapeño-infused tequila: Combine 2 cups of pomegranate seeds and 1 seeded and roughly chopped jalapeño with 1 liter of tequila. Let infuse for 1 to 2 days, stirring or agitating occasionally. Strain and bottle.

** Honey syrup: Use a 2 to 1 ratio of honey to water. Simmer over medium heat until the honey dissolves. Bottle and refrigerate.

Jason Hedges, author of The Seasonal Cocktail, beverage director at Laurent Tourondel Hospitality, created this recipe for The Vine in New York.

Paloma con Manzana

1 ¾ oz. Tequila Blanco

½ oz. Giffard Pamplemousse pink grapefruit liqueur

½ oz. Fresh lime juice 

¾ oz. Fresh grapefruit juice 

2 ½ oz. Martinelli’s Sparkling Cider

1 Grapefruit wheel

1 Small apple 

1 tbsp. Tajin spice mix

1 dash Salt 

Mix Tajin and salt together on a small plate and set aside. Add tequila, liqueur, lime and grapefruit in cocktail shaker. Shake vigorously and strain over ice, top with cider, and stir briefly. Add one wheel of fresh grapefruit, placed inside glass against one side, slightly curved, cut 3 apple slices, “fan” them and place on top of the cocktail. Serve with a straw. 

The mixologists at Martinelli’s created this recipe.

Fall Forward

1 ½ oz. Amaricano

2 oz. Apple cider

¾ oz. Bourbon

½ oz. Fresh lime juice

Barspoon Allspice Dram

Combine all ingredients and shake. Strain into glass; can serve up hot or cold.

The mixologists at Fast Penny Spirits created this recipe.

Blackberry Bramble

1 ½ oz. Milam & Greene port cask finished rye whiskey

6 or 7 ripe blackberries

1 oz. Simple syrup

1 oz. Ginger beer or sparkling water

1 cup Ice (preferably pebble)

Sprig of mint for garnish

Muddle at least 5 blackberries and simple syrup gently in your serving glass, pour in rye whiskey and add half a cup of ice and stir for 20 seconds until some ice has melted. Add additional blackberries and ice, top with ginger beer or sparkling water for a less sweet preference and garnish with mint. 

The mixologists at Milam & Greene created this recipe.

Pumpkin Pie Martini

1 ½ parts Absolut Vanilia vodka

1 tbsp. Cinnamon syrup

1 part Milk

2 tbsps. Pumpkin puree

Fill a shaker with ice cubes. Add all ingredients. Shake and strain into a cocktail glass.

The mixologists at Absolut created this recipe.

Solar Flare

2 oz. Oak & Eden Wheat & Honey Bourbon
1 oz. Orange juice
¾ oz. Lime juice
¾ oz. Hot maple syrup (1:1 ratio of maple syrup and gochujang, or Korean chili paste)
2 dashes Angostura bitters

Add all ingredients into a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake and strain into a rocks glass with ice. Garnish with a chili pepper. 

Oak & Eden mixologist Grace Terrell created this recipe for Ático in Fort Worth, TX.

The Marigold

2 oz. Maker’s Mark bourbon

¾ oz. Lemon juice

¾ oz. Pomegranate honey simple syrup

Mint leaf for garnish

Add all ingredients to shaker tin. Add ice and shake hard. Strain into coupe glass. Garnish with mint leaf.

The mixologists at The House of Marigold in Louisville, KY, created this recipe.