Food and Recipes Drinks Cocktails The Best Apple Cocktails To Celebrate The Autumn Season By Kaitlyn Yarborough Kaitlyn Yarborough Part of the Southern Living team since 2017, Kaitlyn Yarborough is a Georgia native living in Austin, Texas, who covers a wide variety of topics for both the magazine and website, focusing on culture and lifestyle content, as well as travel in the South. Southern Living's editorial guidelines Published on September 13, 2022 Share Tweet Pin Email Trending Videos Photo: Victor Protasio; Food Styling: Melissa Gray; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis In the South, autumn can sometimes seem like more of a mindset than a season. Southerners carve their pumpkins and make their soups knowing that the temperature outside doesn't necessarily reflect the date on the calendar. However, one thing that everyone can agree on is that there's no reason to delay celebrating the season and enjoying all the flavors that fall brings along with it. Whether you're gearing up for a football tailgate, hosting a Halloween party, or planning your Thanksgiving menu, these apple cocktails are ripe for a good time. Apple cider and hard cider are already staples of the season, and we've got all the big-batch punches and cozy spritzes that incorporate the festive autumn flavor. From our crowd-pleasing Caramel Apple Sangria to our spiced Harvest Punch, make these delicious apple cocktails all fall long. 01 of 09 Bourbon Apple Cider Thyme Punch Caitlin Bensel Recipe: Bourbon Apple Cider Thyme Punch Fresh thyme gives this party-ready punch an aromatic twist that pairs well with apple cider and bourbon. 02 of 09 Bourbon-Cider Mule Victor Protasio; Food Styling: Melissa Gray; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis Recipe: Bourbon-Cider Mule This version of a traditional Moscow mule takes an autumnal approach, swapping the vodka for bourbon and adding in apple cider. 03 of 09 Caramel Apple Sangria Photo: Alison Miksch, Food styling: Erin Merhar; Prop styling: Prissy Lee Recipe: Caramel Apple Sangria The secret ingredient in this drink is the pecan-flavored vodka from Cathead Distillery, the oldest distillery in Mississippi. 04 of 09 Cranberry-Apple Cider Victor Protasio; Food Styling: Melissa Gray; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis Recipe: Cranberry-Apple Cider This punch tastes great with brandy or bourbon stirred in just before serving, but you can also leave the alcohol on the side to keep this cider family-friendly. 05 of 09 Fizzy Cider Punch Photo: Hector Manuel Sanchez; Prop Styling: Karin Olsen; Food Styling: William Smith Recipe: Fizzy Cider Punch Think of this like a holiday version of a classic mimosa. You'll want to serve it from Thanksgiving through Christmas brunch. 06 of 09 Harvest Punch Photographer: Antonis Achilleos, Prop Stylist: Claire Spollen, Food Stylist: Margaret Dickey Recipe: Harvest Punch If you could capture autumn in a sip, it would be this big-batch recipe that includes apple cider, hard cider, ginger beer, cinnamon sticks, and oranges. 07 of 09 Spiced Hard Cider Fizz Becky Luigart Stayner Recipe: Spiced Hard Cider Fizz Seasonal flavors abound in this hard cider cocktail infused with a spiced simple syrup featuring notes of cardamom, cinnamon, star anise, ginger, peppercorns, and fennel seeds. 08 of 09 Whiskey-Apple Cider Punch Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Mindi Shapiro Levine; Food Styling: Torie Cox Recipe: Whiskey-Apple Cider Punch We made this with fall tailgating in mind, but the sweet-and-tart punch is a hit all-around, no matter the occasion. 09 of 09 Apple Cider Shandy Victor Protasio; Food Styling: Melissa Gray; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis Recipe: Apple Cider Shandy Made with just 3 ingredients—two of which are apple cider and hard cider—this drink couldn't be easier to make and enjoy. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit