Apple Cider Margarita

This apple cider margarita recipe is the perfect cocktail to serve in the Autumn and at the holidays, when apple cider is in season!  With only 3 ingredients, it’s easy to make and it’s delicious, pretty and festive!

There are many things to enjoy about Autumn: the kiddos are back in school, the weather is cooling off, it’s a great time to peep at beautiful foliage and you can even go apple or pumpkin picking.

Here in New England, we love those things just as much as the next person, but for most people around here, they love Autumn because that’s when you can consume as much fresh apple cider as you want.

Isn’t that awesome?

So, let’s go one step further.  Have you ever had an apple cider margarita?  If you have, don’t you just love them?  And if you haven’t, you are in for a treat!

Do you have to like apple cider to like this margarita?

Yes.  There is no getting away from the taste of the apple cider.  You could switch out the juice but then it wouldn’t be an apple cider margarita!

Tips for making the apple cider margarita:

• Use the freshest apple cider you can get; make sure there are no additives and that the ingredients are just apples
• You don’t need to use premium alcohol in this cocktail because you probably won’t be able to taste the difference but even so, I always do
• If you don’t have Grand Marnier, you can substitute Cointreau for it to stay premium or substitute triple sec for it as the cheaper alternative
• Cut the apples across the equator as thin as you can
• There are many ways you can garnish this cocktail:  apple wheels, apple slices, apple chunks and cinnamon stick to name just a few
• You don’t need to rim the glass with cinnamon and sugar. Although it makes the cocktail pretty, it will make it even sweeter

The ingredients:  Apple cider, tequila and Grand Marnier.

How to make the apple cider margarita

*If you are going to add cinnamon and sugar to the rim of the glasses, add 1/4 teaspoon of sugar and 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon to a small mixing bowl and mix until combined. Sprinkle it on a flat plate, wet the rim of the glass with apple cider and place each glass, rim side down to coat them.  Shake off the excess and set the glasses aside.*

Pre-step

Fill your cocktail shaker halfway with ice.  After measuring out the ingredients, pour them into the shaker.

Step one

Measure out 4 ounces of tequila. (1)

Step two

Measure out 2 ounces of Grand Marnier. (2)

Step three

Measure out 8 ounces of apple cider. (3)

Step four

Cut thin wheels out of the apple (through the equator).

Step five

Drop a few big cubes in the glasses. Cap the cocktail shaker and shake for at least 20 seconds.  Strain the apple cider margarita between the two glasses and add the ice cubes to the drink as well.

Step six

Place apple slice in the glasses.

Let’s look at the vertical view.

Mustn’t play favorites with the glasses.

I hope you enjoyed this apple cider margarita recipe!

Please leave me a comment.  What’s your favorite apple cider cocktail?

Other apple cider cocktails on Dishes Delish:

• Apple cider spritz
• Bourbon smash

And as always, may all your dishes/drinks be delish!

If you’ve tried this apple cider margarita or any other recipe on the blog, I’d love the hear what you thought about it in the comments below.  I love hearing from you!  You can also FOLLOW ME on FACEBOOK, TWITTER, INSTAGRAM and PINTEREST to see more of my delicious food and delightful cocktails!

5 from 6 votes

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Apple Cider Margarita

Prep Time

5 mins

Total Time

5 mins

 

It's festive, it's delicious and has only 3 ingredients!

Course: Cocktails

Cuisine: American

Keyword: apple cider, apple cider cocktail, apple cider margarita, margarita

Servings: 2 cocktails

Calories: 277 kcal

Author: Elaine Benoit

Ingredients

• 4 ounces tequila (I used Patron Silver)
• 2 ounces Grand Marnier (or Cointreau, or triple sec)
• 8 ounces apple cider

Tools

• cocktail shaker

Garnish

• 2 slices apples (wheels, cut through the equator of the middle of apple)
• 1/4 teaspoon sugar (optional - to rim glass)
• 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon (optional - to rim glass)

Glassware

• 2 margarita glasses

Instructions

1. If you are going to rim the glasses with cinnamon and sugar, add the two ingredients to a small mixing bowl and mix until combined then sprinkle on a flat plate.  Wet rim of glasses with apple cider and place rim side down into the cinnamon/sugar mixture.  Shake off excess and set glasses aside

2. Fill cocktail shaker halfway with ice

3. Add tequila, Grand Marnier and apple cider

4. Add fresh big cubes to glasses, cap shaker and shake for at least 20 seconds

5. Strain contents between the two glasses and distribute the shaker's cubes between the two glasses

6. Add apple wheels to the cocktail

7. Sip

8. Smile

9. Enjoy

Recipe Notes

You don't need to rim the glass with sugar and cinnamon.  It just makes for a pretty drink.  I usually swipe off a space on the rim to drink from.

Tips for making the apple cider margarita:

• Use the freshest apple cider you can get and make sure there are no additives and that the ingredients are just apples
• You don't need to use premium alcohol in this cocktail because you won't be able to taste the difference.  But even so, I always do
• If you don't have Grand Marnier, you can substitute it with Cointreau if you want to stay premium or triple sec as a cheaper alternative
• Cut the apples across the equator as thin as you can 
• There are many ways you can garnish this cocktail:  apple wheels, apple slices, apple chunks and cinnamon stick to just name a few
• You don't need to rim the glass with cinnamon and sugar, but it is pretty but it will make the cocktail sweeter

Nutrition Facts

Apple Cider Margarita

Amount Per Serving (1 cocktail)

Calories 277

% Daily Value*

Sodium 8mg 0%

Potassium 231mg 7%

Total Carbohydrates 37g 12%

Dietary Fiber 2g 8%

Sugars 31g

Vitamin A 1.2%

Vitamin C 7.3%

Calcium 1.6%

Iron 1.5%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.