Gin Apple Pie Cocktail
Enjoy fall flavors by mixing a Gin Apple Pie Drink! Calling for three simple ingredients and homemade cinnamon simple syrup, this floral, spiced gin cocktail is perfect for cooler weather. Makes 1 drink, but can easily be made for a crowd.
Love autumnal cocktails? Then you’re going to adore Apple Cider Moscow Mule, Sparkling Bourbon Pumpkin Apple Cider Punch and Apple Cider Margaritas!
Whenever I eat apple pie, I think of my grandmother, Bugga.
Her apple pie was simply the best.
(And other family and friends can confirm that her other pies were the bees knees, too.)
So today, I’m giving Bugga a nod by turning my favorite pie of hers into a cocktail.
I would like to think this adaptation would make her smile, even though she’d probably ask why I wouldn’t just make a pie.
Because hey, this is me, and y’all know I rarely bake pies, minus my yearly Bourbon Pecan Pie.
So today, I hope my Bugga is smiling down as I serve this cocktail.
Why I love this recipe:
This liquid apple pie drink is quite simple and requires just three ingredients.
Think of it as a unique twist to a classic gin and tonic, sans tonic water. We replace it with a powerhouse of fall flavors: apple cider.
The base is a crazy flavorful cinnamon-infused simple syrup that you make in advance of your event — whether it be a cocktail party, tailgate or a random weeknight because hey, you deserve a dessert drink!
Once that’s made, you mix it with gin and apple cider. That’s it.
Shake ‘em together, and you’ve got THIS drink that tastes like a slice of apple pie. The combination of the cinnamon syrup with apple cider really brings out that apple pie flavor and you get super interesting floral notes from the addition of the gin.
What’s not to love about this easy recipe?
Please note that this is not a HOT apple pie cocktail, so if you’re looking for that, this recipe is not for you.
Also, please note that this is a gin drink, and this is NOT a homemade apple pie moonshine recipe (or one that involves vanilla vodka, cinnamon whiskey, high-proof grain alcohol or apple moonshine.)
Other delicious fall cocktail recipes you might enjoy: Toasted Pecan Old Fashioned | Cranberry Mule | Spiked Caramel Apple Cider | Pumpkin Spice Mule| Citrus Cranberry Sangria | Cranberry Moscow Mule (Yule Mule)
What you need to make this drink:
The Speckled Palate participates in affiliate programs. As an Amazon Associate, I earn a commission from qualifying purchases. Please refer to my disclosure page for more information about these affiliate programs.
- A cocktail shaker
- Saucepan
- 8 oz. mason jar
- Your favorite drinkwear
- Sphere ice molds
Let’s talk ingredients!
In addition to the tools above, you’re going to need some ingredients to make this recipe, too! Chances are, you might already have some of them in your fridge or pantry. Scroll down to the recipe card for the full measurements and instructions.
Here’s what you’ll need to make this drink:
- Granulated sugar — this is our sweetener for the cinnamon simple syrup. It’s also known as white sugar. (You could use brown sugar in its place for the syrup, if you like those deeper molasses flavors.) We also need some for the rims of our glasses.
- Cinnamon — we need sticks and ground cinnamon for the infused syrup, as well as the rim of the drink.
- Gin — I used a cucumber-infused gin (Hendricks) but a London dry gin would be awesome here, too. If you are unsure what to purchase, speak to a professional at your local liquor store for advice.
- Apple cider — this unfiltered apple goodness packs so much flavor and deliciousness into this drink. Most grocery stores sell this, though you can find exceptional cider at an apple orchard (if there’s one nearby.) If you can’t find cider, you may use apple juice.
Garnishes:
I love a fall cocktail because there are so many fun things you can use to garnish them with.
Add apple slices that are thinly cut.
Garnish with whole spices, like a cinnamon stick, whole cloves or star anise.
Use fresh herbs, like a thyme sprig or even a sprig of fresh rosemary.
How to make this Gin Apple Pie Cocktail recipe
This gin drink is actually quite simple to make!
There are two major stages to making this cocktail, though: the making of the cinnamon-infused simple syrup and the mixing of the drink itself.
So first…
Make the Cinnamon-Infused Simple Syrup
Measure the water and sugar into a heavy-bottomed saucepan.
Bring to a simmer (not a rolling boil) over high heat. Swirl the liquid around the bottom of the pan until the sugar has dissolved.
Remove the syrup from the heat.
Add in the cinnamon sticks, and let the ingredients steep for 30 minutes to 3 hours.
The longer you let the syrup infuse, the more cinnamony it’ll become. I love the warm spices cinnamon gives this, but I know it’s not everyone’s jam.
Give the syrup a small sip. Does it taste cinnamony enough? Awesome.
Strain it and pour it into a mason jar, then refrigerate it until it’s mixed drink time. You can also mix it into the drinks at room temperature, but I do not recommend using hot syrup.
Make the Gin Apple Pie Drinks
Combine sugar and cinnamon (or apple pie spice) in a shallow bowl to put on the rims of our glasses! Is this step necessary? No. But is it fun and tasty? Yes!
Run a lemon wedge (or a finger coated in simple syrup) over the rim of the glass(es), then dip the glass(es) into the cinnamon-sugar mixture. The lemon juice helps the cinnamon sugar adhere to the glass.
When the rims are coated, add a large ice cube (or smaller ice cubes).
Pour the gin, apple cider and the cinnamon-infused simple syrup into a cocktail shaker.
Add ice, then shake vigorously.
You want the entire mixture to get suuuuuuuuper cold. Since I use a metal cocktail shaker, I know my drink is ready when it almost gets too cold for me to shake.
Pour this festive autumn gin cocktail over the ice cube(s) in your prepared glass(es), and serve immediately.
Erin’s Easy Entertaining Tips
This Gin Apple Pie Drink is so much fun to make and share during the fall or winter months because it’s the perfect after-dinner drink that actually tastes like pie. It could also be a lovely addition to a fall party, a Thanksgiving or Friendsgiving gathering or even holiday parties.
It’s also great for sharing because you can very easily make batches of this goodness.
Here’s how I suggest entertaining with this apple cider mixed drink:
- Make the cinnamon simple syrup in advance. Because it can be refrigerated for up to two weeks, you can throw this together beforehand, and let it hang out in the fridge until it’s cocktail hour.
- Double or triple the recipe. While the cinnamon simple syrup makes 10 servings, you can easily double or triple the drink recipe in the cocktail shaker to make a batch.
- Try it with different types of gin to see what you like best! I used Hendricks Gin because that’s what we had at the house, but it would be fun to see the differences in flavor based on the different types and styles of gin!
More fall cocktails to try:
- Gin Gin Mule
- Spiced Gin Punch
- Caramel Apple Martini with Salted Caramel-Infused Vodka
- Mandarin Orange Gin & Tonic
- Thyme Apple Gin and Tonic
Who wants to give this crisp apple cocktail a try?
Scroll on down to learn how you can make it at home!
Gin Apple Pie Cocktail
Ingredients
Cinnamon-Infused Simple Syrup (Makes 10 servings)
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup water
- 2 sticks cinnamon
Gin Apple Pie Cocktail (Makes 1)
- 2 oz. gin
- 3 oz. apple cider
- ¾ oz. cinnamon simple syrup
Cinnamon-Sugar Rim
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Lemon wedge
As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Instructions
Make the Cinnamon-Infused Simple Syrup
- In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, measure out the water and sugar. Bring to a boil, then remove from the heat.
- Add in the cinnamon sticks, and cover for 30 minutes to three hours. (The longer the simple syrup infuses, the more cinnamon-y it will become. Proceed with caution.)
- When the syrup has finished infusing (and tastes good to you!), strain and pour into a mason jar. Refrigerate until time to make cocktails.
Make the Cocktail(s)
- In a shallow bowl, combine the sugar and cinnamon.
- Run a lemon wedge over the rim of the glass(es) you plan on using, then dip the glass(es) into the cinnamon-sugar mixture.
- Set the glasses aside.
- In a cocktail shaker, combine your favorite gin, apple cider and the cinnamon-infused simple syrup.
- Add ice, then shake vigorously until combined.
- Pour over large ice cubes, and serve immediately.
Notes
Nutrition
About the Author:
Erin Parker is a Southern gal living in Texas with her husband and two daughters. She started The Speckled Palate to share what she was cooking as a newlywed… and over the years, it’s evolved to capture her love for hosting. Specifically, the EASIEST, lowest key entertaining because everyone deserves to see their people and connect over good food. Learn more about her…
Love your styling in these photos, and this recipe looks so good!
This gin apple pie cocktail looks refreshing and fun!!
They look tasty!
Lovely autumn cocktail for when you don’t feel like a hot toddy. It’s still warm out in LA in October, so this fit the bill. One star off because it’s SUPER boozy and sweet for me… I will make a second round with just 1 shot of gin and some lemon juice for acidity to balance the sweetness. I may try to find a more tart apple cider too, I just got cheap generic brand to try for this. I really appreciate the cinnamon-infused simple syrup recipe included and will make this again!