Enjoy the cozy and comforting flavors of fall with this refreshing Apple Cider Margarita. It’s the perfect blend of crisp apple cider and warm reposado tequila with a kick of citrus. The cinnamon and sugar rim takes this fall margarita over the top – it’s dangerously delicious!
This is a perfect cocktail choice for a fall gathering, Halloween party, Thanksgiving dinner, or sipping on at home by the fire. It’s incredibly simple to mix up and is a guaranteed crowd-pleaser.
If you love fall cocktails with apple cider as much as I do, you’ll love my caramel apple mimosa, apple cider moscow mule, and caramel apple martini!
Apple Cider Margarita Ingredients
- Tequila – I prefer the warm flavors of reposado tequila in this cocktail, but anejo or blanco (silver) tequila can also be used.
- Apple cider
- Orange liqueur (triple sec) – Cointreau or Grand Marnier
- Lime juice – Freshly squeezed is best!
- Lime wedge – For rimming the glass.
- Ground cinnamon and sugar – For rimming the glass. Feel free to use traditional coarse salt for rimming the glass if you prefer.
- Garnish – This is optional but highly recommended for a beautiful presentation! Ideas are apple slices, cinnamon sticks, star anise, rosemary sprigs, and lime wheels.
How to Prepare
- Rim the glass. Stir together cinnamon and sugar on a small plate. Moisten the rim of your glass with a lime wedge and dip the rim into the mixture to coat. Fill the glass with ice.
- Pour the ingredients into a cocktail shaker with ice.
- Shake. Cover the cocktail shaker and vigorously shake.
- Strain into the prepared glass. Garnish, if desired.
Common Questions
Apple cider is unfiltered, raw, and not sweetened. It has a cloudier, darker appearance than apple juice due to apple pulp and sediment being present. Apple cider has a more robust apple flavor than apple juice because of minimal processing. Apple juice is filtered, sweetened, and pasteurized to extend its shelf life.
Absolutely! But your cocktail will probably have a less pronounced apple flavor than when using cider. Apple juice is typically sweeter than apple cider, so feel free to add more lime juice for a more tart flavor.
A mason jar (or any glass jar) with a lid will work if you don’t have a cocktail shaker.
Helpful Tips
- Shake the cocktail shaker vigorously to thoroughly mix the ingredients and ensure your margarita is cold.
- Use freshly squeezed lime juice if possible. While bottled lime juice can be used, freshly squeezed lime juice has a much brighter flavor.
- Adjust to taste. Feel free to increase (or decrease) the ratios of ingredients to your personal taste.
- Choose a quality tequila that you enjoy.
More Fall Cocktails
Apple Cider Margaritas
Ingredients
For rimming the glass:
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- lime wedge
For the margaritas:
- 2 ounces reposado tequila ¼ cup
- 8 ounces apple cider 1 cup
- 1 ounce orange liqueur 2 tablespoons
- ½ ounce lime juice 1 tablespoon
- lime wheels, apple slices, star anise, cinnamon sticks, and/or rosemary sprig optional garnish
Instructions
- Stir together cinnamon and sugar on a small plate. Rub lime wedge around the rims of 2 glasses and dip in cinnamon and sugar mixture to coat the rims. Fill the glasses with ice.
- Pour tequila, apple cider, orange liqueur, and lime juice into a cocktail shaker with ice. Cover and shake vigorously.
- Strain into prepared glasses. Garnish, if desired.
Nutrition
If provided, nutritional info is a courtesy, is not guaranteed and should only be considered as a guideline.
I tend to prefer traditional margaritas, but enjoyed this recipe very much. It goes well with the flavors of the season.
this drink is amazing! i had a very similar one at a private cocktail party that was a huge hit, and this recipe tastes just like it. thank you!
Thanks so much, Kaylee – So glad you enjoyed it!
This drink was a huge hit! It is refreshing and not overly sweet. It was the perfect addition to our holiday party. We skipped the star anise, just not a fan of it.