Fall Cocktails

Fall really is the best season, isn’t it? The weather is great, the clothes are cozy, nature is exploding with color, the food is delicious and the drinks are strong. For our 21 and up crowd, I’ve put together this list of my five favorite fall cocktails. 

Plum and Thyme Prosecco Smash

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 Plums
• 6 Thyme Sprigs
• Juice from one Lemon
• 4 Tbsp. Thyme Simple Syrup (1/2 Cup of Sugar, 1/2 Cup of Water, bring to a boil, remove from heat, add thyme sprigs, stir, and let cool.  Chill until ready to use.)
• 1 Bottle of Prosecco 

STEPS:

• Peel and chop 2 plums.  
• Muddle the plums with the thyme simple syrup and lemon juice until all of the plum juices have been released.  (You can also muddle right in the glass if you prefer to have bits of fruit in your cocktail!)
• Shake with ice in a cocktail shaker.
• Pour over crushed ice evenly between two glasses.
• Top off with prosecco and garnish with extra plum slices and thyme sprigs. 
• Serve immediately.

Ginger Daiquiri 

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 ½ parts Sailor Jerry Spiced Rum
• ¾ part Homemade Ginger Syrup
• ½ part Fresh Lime Juice

STEPS:

• Add everything to an empty mixing glass, add ice and shake. 
• Double strain into a chilled cocktail glass.
• Garnish with candied ginger (optional)
• Serve immediately. 

Apple Cider Mimosa

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 bottle champagne
• 1 cup apple cider (*I like this recipe best with Trader Joe’s apple cider!)
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 1 tbsp ground cinnamon

STEPS:

• On a small plate, combine sugar and cinnamon. 
• Dip champagne flutes in water to wet the rims, then dip them in the cinnamon sugar mixture.
• Fill champagne flutes 1/4 full with apple cider, then top off with champagne.
• Serve immediately.

Photo courtesy of Roar Events 

Kahlúa Pumpkin Spice Hot Chocolate

INGREDIENTS: 

• 1/3 cup Kahlúa Pumpkin Spice Liqueur
• 4 cups whole milk (divided) (*I use almond milk to keep this dairy free and it works wonderfully!)
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• Pinch of salt
• 1 cup pumpkin puree
• 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
• Optional toppings: whipped cream (marshmallows, shaved chocolate, pumpkin pie spice)

STEPS:

• Measure 1/3 cup of Kahlúa and set aside.
• In a medium saucepan, whisk together 1 cup of milk, sugar, cocoa powder, and salt. Whisk in remaining milk until fully combined. Heat mixture over medium heat, stirring constantly, until sugar is dissolved and very hot, but not boiling.
• Whisk in pumpkin puree and pumpkin pie spice. Continue to whisk and heat mixture. Turn off and move from heat just before mixture begins to boil (do not let it boil). Immediately whisk in Kahlúa.
• Pour into glasses and top with optional toppings, if desired.
• Serve!

Cranberry Sauce Margarita

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 c. ice
• 2 oz. tequila
• 1 lime
• 1 1/2 tbsp. chunky cranberry sauce
• 1 tsp. honey
• Cranberries, fresh or frozen

STEPS:

• Rim a margarita glass with brown sugar.
• Fill a cocktail shaker with ice, tequila, the juice of 1 lime, chunky cranberry sauce, and honey.
• Shake, then strain mixture into glass.
• Garnish with fresh or frozen cranberries.

• cocktails
• fall
• halloween
• happy hour
• pumpkin