This apple cider margarita recipe is a fun, festive fall cocktail! Easy to make with 4 ingredients, it's bright, refreshing, and full of sweet apple flavor.
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This apple cider margarita recipe is a fun fall twist on the classic cocktail! It comes together with just four ingredients: apple cider, tequila, orange liqueur, and fresh lime juice. I love the sweet, bright flavor of the cider alongside the tangy lime and citrusy liqueur. Garnishes like star anise, cinnamon sticks, and a cinnamon sugar rim round out the cozy autumn flavors.
Where I live in Austin, Texas, a classic margarita never feels out of season. But once October arrived this year, I started craving a festive fall drink. It’s still too hot here to make a hot toddy or mulled wine, but a fall margarita? That, I could go for.
I’ve already made this apple cider margarita recipe a few times this fall, and I know I’ll make it a few more before the season is over. It would be perfect for a dinner party or other fall gathering (Thanksgiving included!). As written, the recipe serves 1, but you can easily scale it up to serve a crowd. Check out my tips below to learn how!
How to Make an Apple Cider Margarita
This apple cider margarita recipe is simple to make:
Step 1:Â If you’d like a cinnamon sugar rim on your glass, prep that first. Fill a small plate with cinnamon sugar and rub a lime wedge around the edge of your glass. Dip the glass rim into the cinnamon sugar to coat it, then fill the glass with ice.
Step 2: Shake up the cocktail. Combine the apple cider, tequila, orange liqueur, and lime juice in a cocktail shaker with ice, and shake until chilled. Strain into the prepared glass.
Step 3: Taste and adjust. Add a little more cider if you’d like the cocktail to be sweeter or more lime juice for a brighter taste. For a stronger margarita, add an extra dash of tequila.
Step 4: Garnish and enjoy! Finish your glass with cinnamon sticks, star anise, and/or apple slices before serving.
Find the complete recipe with measurements below.
One ingredient note: Choose a good apple cider! If you’re able to get unfiltered cider from a local orchard or farmers market, I would use it in this recipe. It will have a crisp, sweet-tart apple flavor that’s hard to find in a commercial bottle. Just note that it will give the cocktail a darker, cloudier appearance than what you see in these photos.
If you’re shopping at the grocery store, Martinelli’s apple cider is a good-quality, widely available option. It’s what I used when I took these pictures, and it came out great!
Recipe Tip: Apple Cider Margaritas for a Crowd
This apple cider margarita recipe is such a festive drink for a fall gathering. To make it for a crowd, multiply the recipe by 8 and stir the ingredients together in a pitcher instead of shaking them in a cocktail shaker. When you’re ready to serve, pour into glasses filled with ice and add your desired garnishes.
You can make the cocktail base up to a day in advance. Store it, covered, in the refrigerator until you’re ready to serve. Tip: Wait to add ice to the pitcher until just before serving. If you add it too early, it will melt and dilute the drink.Â
More Fall Cocktails to Try
If you love this apple cider margarita, try one of these festive fall cocktails next:
Apple Cider Margarita
Ingredients
- 2 ounces apple cider
- 1 ounce blanco tequila
- 1 ounce orange liqueur, like Cointreau, Grand Marnier, or Triple Sec
- ½ ounce fresh lime juice
- Ice
- Lime wedge and cinnamon sugar, for the glass rim (optional)
Garnish Options
- Star anise
- Cinnamon sticks
- Apple slices
Instructions
- Prepare the glass rim (optional): Rub a lime wedge around the rim of a glass. Fill a small plate with cinnamon sugar. Dip the glass into the cinnamon sugar to coat the rim. Fill with ice.
- Place the apple cider, tequila, orange liqueur, and lime juice in a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake until chilled and strain into the glass. Taste and adjust as desired.
- Garnish with star anise, cinnamon sticks, and/or apple slices and serve.
