Month: October 2020

rum

Kraken’s Cavern | A Spiced Pomegranate Cocktail That’s Perfect for Fall

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Kraken's Cavern is a delicious, spiced pomegranate cocktail. It's bright and fruity, thanks to the pomegranate juice, but has some warm complexity thanks to the spiced rum, cinnamon syrup, and ginger beer.

Kraken’s Cavern is a delicious, spiced pomegranate cocktail. It’s bright and fruity, thanks to the pomegranate juice, but has some warm complexity thanks to the spiced rum, cinnamon syrup, and ginger beer.

Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links. If you buy a product via my affiliate link, I will receive a commission. This is at no additional cost to you. I only recommend products I actually like! 

I’ve been brainstorming ideas for a Halloween cocktail all week. I knew I wanted something that was going to be dark in color. There isn’t a lot of food out that is naturally super-rich in pigment. At least not rich enough for a small amount to saturate an entire cocktail. But then I thought about those dark, almost-black crimson bottles of pomegranate juice that I see at the grocery store all the time. If you’ve never had pomegranate juice, it’s uber tart and ultra-pigmented. Perfect for a Halloween cocktail.

Pears, apples, cranberries, and figs get all the attention in fall but did you know that pomegranates actually belong on the list of fall fruits, too? I didn’t until recently. As in, just now when I looked it up to see if I could justify making a fall pomegranate cocktail. Turns out they’re in season from late September into early December. Yep. Fall fruits.

Kraken's Cavern is a delicious, spiced pomegranate cocktail. It's bright and fruity, thanks to the pomegranate juice, but has some warm complexity thanks to the spiced rum, cinnamon syrup, and ginger beer.

If you’ve noticed a trend here on Girl & Tonic, gin is kinda my go-to spirit. I just love it so much. Each brand varies wildly from the next and it’s an extremely versatile spirit. The first time I attempted to make this Kraken’s Cavern, I used gin. And it was okay. It just… didn’t feel very fall-y. And the cinnamon simple syrup that I was so excited to use didn’t quite mesh with the gin I had chosen. I was wanting this recipe to come across much warmer… How could I warm it up?

I was already using cinnamon syrup (very warming) and ginger beer (lots of great spice & kick). Aside from actually serving the drink warm, I didn’t know what to do. Then it hit me. Spiced rum. YES. I could already imagine what it tasted like before it hit my tongue. One of my favorite go-to cocktails of all time is the Sea Monster. Unfortunately for the tastebuds of the world, it’s not a well-known drink. But I’ve been seeking to change that for a few years now.

The 4 building blocks of the Sea Monster are spiced rum, grapefruit juice, grenadine, and ginger beer. And since grenadine is a pomegranate-flavored syrup (not cherry, like many believe), I knew that the pomegranate and the spiced rum would marry wonderfully in Kraken’s Cavern. Kraken is also my favorite brand of spiced rum but any spiced rum would work well in this recipe.

Kraken's Cavern is a delicious, spiced pomegranate cocktail. It's bright and fruity, thanks to the pomegranate juice, but has some warm complexity thanks to the spiced rum, cinnamon syrup, and ginger beer.

This cocktail is so good y’all. It’s got some depth and complexity while remaining pretty simple. I used some Pomegranate Margarita mix in this recipe because I had a gifted bottle on hand. But you can definitely just use more pomegranate juice in its place. You may also want to add a little more cinnamon syrup, too, since the Pom Marg mix was pretty sweet. Or you know, keep it tart. That’s the beautiful thing about cocktails– they’re completely customizable. I mean, I used pomegranate margarita mix with rum. All cocktail “rules” are meant to be bent and broken.

If you’re looking for a more traditional fall cocktail, check out my Mulled White Wine, the Autumn in Tuscany, or Morgan Mends the Line. A good ol’ Rum Old Fashioned also makes for a great fall cocktail. But if you’re in the mood for a unique recipe, don’t sleep on Kraken’s Cavern. Or should I say in?

Kraken's Cavern is a delicious, spiced pomegranate cocktail. It's bright and fruity, thanks to the pomegranate juice, but has some warm complexity thanks to the spiced rum, cinnamon syrup, and ginger beer.

Ingredients for a Kraken’s Cavern

  • 1 1/2 oz spiced rum (Use Kraken if you’ve got it!)
  • 3/4 oz pomegranate juice
  • 3/4 oz pomegranate margarita mixer
  • 3/4 oz lemon juice
  • 1/2 oz cinnamon simple syrup (here’s an easy recipe)
  • 1+ oz ginger beer

How to Make a Kraken’s Cavern

Add all ingredients, except for the ginger beer, into a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake well, about 20 seconds. Pour into a lowball glass filled with ice. Top the glass off with the ginger beer and stir to incorporate. Add another small splash of pomegranate juice on top for spooky dramatic effect.

Kraken’s Cavern

A spiced pomegranate cocktail with spiced rum, cinnamon syrup, and ginger beer.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 3 mins
Course Drinks
Servings 1

Equipment

  • cocktail shaker

Ingredients
  

  • 1½ oz spiced rum (Kraken, if you've got it!)
  • ¾ oz pomegranate juice
  • ¾ oz pomegranate Margarita mixer*
  • ¾ oz lemon juice
  • ½ oz cinnamon simple syrup**
  • 1+ oz ginger beer

Instructions
 

  • Add all ingredients, except for the ginger beer, into a cocktail shaker filled with ice.
  • Shake well, about 20 seconds. Pour into a lowball glass filled with ice.
  • Top the glass off with the ginger beer and stir to incorporate.
  • Optional – Add another small splash of pomegranate juice on top for spooky dramatic effect.

Notes

*If you can’t find a pomegranate Margarita mixer, add in another 1/4 oz of pomegranate juice and another 1/4 oz of cinnamon simple syrup.
**It’s super easy to make your own cinnamon simple syrup. Here’s a recipe.
Keyword cinnamon, cinnamon simple syrup, kraken’s cavern, lemon, lemon juice, margarita mixer, pomegranate, pomegranate juice, spiced rum
rum

Bishop of Bordeaux Cocktail | A Unique White Wine Cocktail with Rum and Lime

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The Bishop of Bordeaux cocktail is a white wine cocktail with white rum, lime juice, and simple syrup. This recipe is a riff on the classic Bishop cocktail, also known as the Obispo de Cuba.

The Bishop of Bordeaux cocktail is a white wine cocktail with white rum, lime juice, and simple syrup. This recipe is a riff on the classic Bishop cocktail, also known as the Obispo de Cuba.

Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links. If you buy a product via my affiliate link, I will receive a commission. This is at no additional cost to you. I only recommend products I actually like! 

I was recently gifted a couple bottles of white wine but here’s the thing– I’m not a big white wine drinker. It’s not that I don’t like it. It’s the fact that it often tastes like straight-up juice to me. Which is a problem for a few reasons. 1) I chug it. Bad idea. 2) It’s expensive compared to actual juice. 3) I actually like the taste of alcohol. That’s three strikes. So although I’m highly unlikely to purchase my own white wine, I’ll happily chug sip it if it’s served to me.

But then I thought I could actually change problem #3 by adding in some alcohol. And that would also solve problem #1, too. And if I’m sipping and savoring the drink, it justifies problem #2. So basically I think I’ll start using it cocktails all the time now.

In fact, with one of the bottles I received, I made some mulled white wine with apple cider. It was so good. It had the classic warm spices of a traditional mulled wine but was much lighter on the palate. A real winner.

But for this second bottle, I wanted to delve deeper into the realm of mixed drinks. I wanted to make a true white wine cocktail. Not a mulled wine, not a sangria, but a cocktail.

The Bishop of Bordeaux cocktail is a white wine cocktail with white rum, lime juice, and simple syrup. This recipe is a riff on the classic Bishop cocktail, also known as the Obispo de Cuba.

Truthfully I would’ve been at a loss for what to make but my Instagram friend Risa had shared the Obispo de Cuba recipe on her page awhile back. This recipe is a lighter rendition of the Obispo de Cuba, also called the Bishop, that’s made with dark or gold rum and red wine. But since I used wine from Bordeaux, it seemed only fitting to call it the Bishop of Bordeaux. I thought about translating it in French to be fancy but Évêque de Bordeaux looks a little intimidating for non-French speakers like myself.

For this Bishop of Bordeaux cocktail recipe, you can use any fruit-forward white wine. If the wine is on the dry side, you can add more simple syrup to the drink if you’d like. This particular white Bordeaux that I used here was very sweet– too sweet for my wine-sipping preference. But it worked so well in this cocktail recipe.

The Bishop of Bordeaux cocktail is a white wine cocktail with white rum, lime juice, and simple syrup. This recipe is a riff on the classic Bishop cocktail, also known as the Obispo de Cuba.

You may notice that this recipe is very similar to a classic Daiquiri. If you’re a Daiquiri fan, I think you’ll enjoy the small addition of white wine in this cocktail. It brings another layer of sweet fruitiness that works really well.

I’ve gotta admit that I was hesitant to incorporate wine into a cocktail, especially white wine. But I really enjoyed this Bishop of Bordeaux cocktail and plan on making it again soon. Next up on my list is to start incorporating red wine into some recipes.

Have you ever used wine in a cocktail before? If so, let me know your favorite recipe down below!

The Bishop of Bordeaux cocktail is a white wine cocktail with white rum, lime juice, and simple syrup. This recipe is a riff on the classic Bishop cocktail, also known as the Obispo de Cuba.

Ingredients for a Bishop of Bordeaux

  • 1 1/2 oz white rum
  • 1/2 oz white Bordeaux or other sweet white wine
  • 1/2 oz lime juice, freshly squeezed
  • 1/2 oz simple syrup

How to Make a Bishop of Bordeaux

Add all ingredients to a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake well for about 20 seconds. Strain into a coupe or a Nick & Nora glass. Garnish with a lime twist.

Bishop of Bordeaux

The Bishop of Bordeaux is a lighter verison of the Obispo de Cuba, or the Bishop. It's made with white wine and white rum. It's a perfect balance between tart, sweet, and fruity.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 3 mins
Course Drinks
Servings 1

Equipment

  • cocktail shaker

Ingredients
  

  • 1½ oz white rum
  • ½ oz white wine
  • ½ oz lime juice, freshly squeezed
  • ½ oz simple syrup*

Instructions
 

  • Add all ingredients to a cocktail shaker filled with ice.
  • Shake well for about 20 seconds.
  • Strain into a coupe or a Nick & Nora glass.
  • Garnish with a lime twist.

Notes

*If you haven’t made simple syrup, check out the truly simple recipe here.
Keyword Bishop of Bordeaux, lime, lime juice, rum, simple syrup, white rum, white wine, white wine cocktail
The Bishop of Bordeaux cocktail is a white wine cocktail with white rum, lime juice, and simple syrup. This recipe is a riff on the classic Bishop cocktail, also known as the Obispo de Cuba.
mocktail

Grapefruit Rosemary Spritzer | An Excellent 5 Ingredient Non-Alcoholic Cocktail

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This Grapefruit Rosemary Spritzer is an easy non-alcoholic cocktail that can be served any time of year. It's also easily made into an alcoholic cocktail by simply adding your favorite spirit.

This Grapefruit Rosemary Spritzer is an easy non-alcoholic cocktail that can be served any time of year. It’s also easily made into an alcoholic cocktail by simply adding your favorite spirit.

Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links. If you buy a product via my affiliate link, I will receive a commission. This is at no additional cost to you. I only recommend products I actually like! 

I love cocktails (obvs) but every now and then, I ditch the alcohol and enjoy a good ol’ mocktail. Actually, I frequently drink mocktails during the day but those are typically super easy (fresh juice + sparkling water). But when I make a mocktail at night, I want it to ~feel~ like a cocktail. Just a non-alcoholic cocktail.

There’s actually a bit of a push these days in the beverage world to stop saying “mocktail” and use the term “alcohol-free cocktail” or “non-alcoholic cocktail” instead. People claim that the word mocktail has negative connotations, that it makes a drink sound inferior and even childish. I can see where they’re coming from. A non-alcoholic cocktail does sound a bit more upscale, I suppose. But regardless of which term you like to use, this Grapefruit Rosemary Spritzer is a dang one.

This Grapefruit Rosemary Spritzer is an easy non-alcoholic cocktail that can be served any time of year. It's also easily made into an alcoholic cocktail by simply adding your favorite spirit.

This booze-free beverage was actually inspired by my young daughter. You see… she loves sparkling water. I mean loves. Actually, obsessed may be a more fitting term. I can’t crack open a can of anything without her running from the other room to ask for some. Now, she’s totally content with just sparkling water. But I wanted to make it a little more fun for her. Then I remembered I had some Paloma mix that a company had sent me in the fridge.

I poured some sparkling water into my toddler’s glass and then added a splash of the Paloma mix, turning it a pretty pale pink color. She oohed and ahhed and had seriously chugged it by the time I had put the Paloma mix back into the fridge. She immediately asked for “more peas” (more please) so I poured in some more sparkling water. Well… That was met with a sharp “No” and an enthusiastic gesture towards the fridge. I pulled the Paloma mix back out and she squealed–squealed!— with glee. Oh boy.

If you’re familiar with my cocktails preferences or if you’ve read this post, you know I always say to use fresh citrus when you can. This Grapefruit Rosemary Spritzer does use fresh grapefruit juice; however, when making mocktails or non-alcoholic cocktails, it’s often a challenge to find ingredients to attribute to the overall volume of the drink. Mixers help fill up the glass and are a great way to introduce more flavor to a recipe.

This recipe is actually the perfect one to serve a crowd because it can easily be made into a cocktail by adding your liquor of choice. You could even display a few and let people choose which spirit they’d like to add to their Grapefruit Rosemary Spritzer. It tastes amazing with tequila, vodka, rum, and gin! I’ve never tried it with whiskey, but that could be good, too.

And if rosemary’s not your thing, you could serve it with thyme or even mint or basil. It really is a versatile drink that’s sure to please just about anyone.

If you try the boozy version or the non-alcoholic cocktail version of this Grapefruit Rosemary Spritzer, be sure to tag me on Instagram and let me know how you liked it in a comment below. Cheers!

Ingredients for a Grapefruit Rosemary Spritzer

How to Make a Grapefruit Rosemary Spritzer

Add the grapefruit juice, lime juice, and rosemary to a cocktail shaker. Muddle the rosemary with a muddler to release the flavor of the herb. Then add the Paloma mixer, rosemary sage simple syrup, and ice. Shake well. Strain into a lowball glass filled with ice. Top off the glass with the grapefruit sparkling water. Garnish with a grapefruit slice and a sprig of rosemary.

Grapefruit Rosemary Spritzer

This Grapefruit Rosemary Spritzer is an easy non-alcoholic cocktail that can be served any time of year. It's also easily made into an alcoholic cocktail by simply adding your favorite spirit.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 3 mins
Course Drinks
Servings 1

Equipment

  • cocktail shaker
  • muddler

Ingredients
  

  • ¾ oz grapefruit juice
  • 2 oz Paloma mixer
  • ½ oz lime juice
  • ½ oz rosemary simple syrup*
  • 1 sprig rosemary
  • 2+ oz grapefruit sparkling water, unsweetened

Instructions
 

  • Add the grapefruit juice, lime juice, and rosemary to a cocktail shaker.
  • Muddle the rosemary with a muddler to release the flavor of the herb.
  • Add the Paloma mixer, rosemary simple syrup*, and ice. Shake well.
  • Strain into a lowball glass filled with ice.
  • Top off the glass with the grapefruit sparkling water.
  • Garnish with a grapefruit slice and a sprig of rosemary.

Notes

*To make the rosemary simple syrup (it’s SUPER easy & takes only 5ish minutes), follow the directions on this post but just leave out the sage. 
Keyword cherry limeade, grapefruit, grapefruit juice, grapefruit rosemary spritzer, grapefruit sparkling water, lime juice, Paloma mixer, rosemary, rosemary simple syrup
tequila

Apple Cider Margarita | An Easy Fall-Inspired Margarita Recipe with 4 Ingredients

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Love Margaritas but want to embrace some classic fall flavors? This Apple Cider Margarita combines them both. The Margarita mix makes it easy but you can certainly use fresh citrus juice as well.

Love Margaritas but want to embrace some classic fall flavors? This Apple Cider Margarita combines them both. This easy, 4-ingredient recipe allows you to sip on the flavors of fall while still feeling cool and refreshed. The Margarita mix makes it easy but you can certainly use fresh citrus juice as well.

Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links. If you buy a product via my affiliate link, I will receive a commission. This is at no additional cost to you. I only recommend products I actually like!

I don’t know about you, but Margaritas feel very summer-y to me. I’m not saying I haven’t ever had one before the Summer Solstice or after the Autumnal Equinox, but I am usually pretty seasonal. I really celebrating the flavors and holidays that are unique to each season. And fall is definitely my favorite of the four.

Buuut it often doesn’t feel like Fall here in central Texas. In fact, it’s typically quite warm up until Halloween. That means there’s a whole month of fall where it’s too hot to enjoy all the cozy traditional things the season has to offer. Sweaters and scarves are a no-go. Warm hot chocolate with extra whipped cream? Hard pass. But apple cider is good both warm and cold so I can work with that.

Love Margaritas but want to embrace some classic fall flavors? This Apple Cider Margarita combines them both. The Margarita mix makes it easy but you can certainly use fresh citrus juice as well.

An ice-cold Apple Cider Margarita seems like the most appropriate cocktail to drink in Texas in October. It gives me the fall feel without making me sweat.

I’ve gotta be honest though and say that this was not my idea. I saw it on my pal @little_cantina‘s feed on Instagram. It wasn’t his idea either but he was definitely the one who inspired me to make my own version of an Apple Cider Margarita.

Many people use tequila blanco (white or silver tequila) for Margaritas. Since we’re going for a warm feel here, tequila reposado works well. It’s got a deeper, slightly sweeter taste than it’s clear cousin.

I also opted to use a Margarita mixer. Now, if you’ve read my 5 Tips for Making Killer Cocktails at home post, you know I always recommend using fresh citrus juice. Sometimes, you need to simply steps and maximize time. Just make sure you use a high-quality mixer. You can hop over to my Instagram to see the brand I recommend. If mixers aren’t your thing, you can use fresh lemon juice or a mixture of fresh lemon and lime juice.

The apple cider is already pretty sweet on its own so I didn’t find that it needed to be sweetened more. Then again, I’m not really a sweet drink kinda girl. If you prefer your drinks on the sweeter side, add 1/4 ounce of agave or honey simple syrup. You can even make it more fall-y and add some cinnamon syrup.

If you make this Apple Cider Margarita, be sure to comment below and tag me on Instagram! I love sharing y’all’s remixes on my Instagram stories.

Love Margaritas but want to embrace some classic fall flavors? This Apple Cider Margarita combines them both. The Margarita mix makes it easy but you can certainly use fresh citrus juice as well.

Ingredients for an Apple Cider Margarita

  • 1 1/2 oz tequila reposado
  • 2 oz apple cider
  • 1/2 oz triple sec
  • 1/2 oz Margarita mixer or a combination of fresh lemon and lime juice
  • optional – 1/4 oz agave*

*this drink will already be naturally sweet due to the apple cider. If you like your drinks extra sweet, add 1/4 oz of agave or honey simple syrup.

How to Make an Apple Cider Margarita

Add all ingredients to a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake well. Strain into a Margarita glass or a lowball glass filled with ice. Garnish with an apple slice.

Love Margaritas but want to embrace some classic fall flavors? This Apple Cider Margarita combines them both. The Margarita mix makes it easy but you can certainly use fresh citrus juice as well.

Apple Cider Margarita

A fall-inspired Margarita recipe made with fresh apple cider. It's the perfect fall-time drink when the weather's still warm.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 3 mins
Course Drinks
Servings 1

Equipment

  • cocktail shaker

Ingredients
  

  • 1½ oz tequila reposado
  • 2 oz apple cider
  • ½ oz triple sec
  • ½ oz Margarita mixer or a mix of lemon & lime juice
  • ¼ oz agave (optional) *

Instructions
 

  • Add all ingredients to a cocktail shaker filled with ice.
  • Shake well.
  • Strain into a Margarita glass or a lowball glass filled with ice.
  • Garnish with an apple slice.

Notes

*apple cider is pretty sweet on it’s own so if you’re not a fan of super sweet drinks, skip the agave.
Keyword apple brandy, apple cider, apple cider margarita, citrus, margarita mixer, tequila, tequila reposado

If you like Margarita recipes, check out my Spicy Basil Margarita and the Cero Miedo that’s made with mezcal and guava.

Love Margaritas but want to embrace some classic fall flavors? This Apple Cider Margarita combines them both. The Margarita mix makes it easy but you can certainly use fresh citrus juice as well.
wine

Mulled White Wine with Apple Cider | The Perfect Drink for Fall and Winter

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This mulled white wine is made with apple cider, brown sugar, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, orange, and vanilla bean-infused vodka. The spices bring delicious warmth to the drink while the apple cider and brown sugar sweeten it the perfect amount. This mulled white wine recipe will be your new go-to for hosting fall and winter get-togethers. It's light enough to please your friends who don't like red wine, but it's also got enough spice to satisfy those who typically pass on white wine.

This mulled white wine with apple cider is made with brown sugar, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, orange, and vanilla bean-infused vodka. The spices bring delicious warmth to the drink while the apple cider and brown sugar sweeten it the perfect amount.

Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links. If you buy a product via my affiliate link, I will receive a commission. This is at no additional cost to you. I only recommend products I actually like! 

This mulled white wine recipe will be your new go-to for hosting fall and winter get-togethers. It’s light enough to please your friends who don’t like red wine, but it’s also got enough spice to satisfy those who typically pass on white wine.

I’m one of those people. I usually don’t like white wine. It’s often too sweet and too… juice-like for my liking. Give me alllll the dry red wine any day. But I have a few friends who wouldn’t drink red if their life depended on it. Okay, I’m sure they would if their life depended on it. They’d just really prefer not to. So what’s a fun cool-weather cocktail that would please people on both sides of the spectrum? Mulled white wine with apple cider.

My friend came over the other day and we made this together. It’s still pretty warm outside these days but since this is made with white wine, it feels a lot lighter than traditional mulled wine so were able to enjoy a mug-full while watching our kiddos play outside.

This mulled white wine is made with apple cider, brown sugar, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, orange, and vanilla bean-infused vodka. The spices bring delicious warmth to the drink while the apple cider and brown sugar sweeten it the perfect amount. This mulled white wine recipe will be your new go-to for hosting fall and winter get-togethers. It's light enough to please your friends who don't like red wine, but it's also got enough spice to satisfy those who typically pass on white wine.

Before I jump to the recipe, there are few things to note. When making mulled wine, whether red or white mulled wine, it’s best to pick a wine that is on the dry side and isn’t too sweet. However, I had a bottle of sweet white Bordeaux and it actually turned out great. My friend and I chose to embrace the fruity notes and added some fresh apple cider in.

We also played-up the sweetness of the wine by adding vanilla bean-infused vodka and vanilla extract. Many traditional mulled wines are fortified with brandy. However brandy could overwhelm the delicate notes in white wine so vodka seemed like a better choice. You do you though.

One of the great things about mulled wine is that it’s extremely customizable. You can change up the number of spices you put in according to your personal preference. You can also taste as you go to see if you need to pull any spices out or add more in. Many white mulled wine recipes also call for a couple whole pods of star anise. Star anise is not my favorite flavor (it tastes like licorice), so I used it to garnish only.

This mulled white wine is made with apple cider, brown sugar, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, orange, and vanilla bean-infused vodka. The spices bring delicious warmth to the drink while the apple cider and brown sugar sweeten it the perfect amount. This mulled white wine recipe will be your new go-to for hosting fall and winter get-togethers. It's light enough to please your friends who don't like red wine, but it's also got enough spice to satisfy those who typically pass on white wine.

Another thing to note: mulled white wine can be made ahead of time. It will typically keep for 1-2 days in the refrigerator and can be reheated on the stovetop before you’re ready to drink it. However, strain out all of the aromatics before storing it. Otherwise, you run the risk of the spices overpowering the whole deal.

Have you ever made mulled white wine with apple cider before? How do you like it compared to traditional mulled red wine? Let me know in a comment below!

A mulled white wine with apple cider and brown sugar, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, orange, and vanilla bean-infused vodka. The spices bring delicious warmth to the drink while the apple cider and brown sugar sweeten it the perfect amount. This mulled white wine recipe will be your new go-to for hosting fall and winter get-togethers. It's light enough to please your friends who don't like red wine, but it's also got enough spice to satisfy those who typically pass on white wine.

Ingredients for Mulled White Wine with Apple Cider

  • 1 bottle of white wine (dry or semi-sweet works well)
  • 1 cup apple cider
  • zest* and juice from 1 orange
  • 2-3 cinnamon sticks
  • 3-4 whole cloves
  • 3 cardamom pods
  • 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1-2 oz vanilla bean-infused vodka (caramel vodka could be good, too!)
  • 1-2 Tablespoons of brown sugar

*be careful not to remove any of the pith (white part) as it will make the drink bitter

How to Make Mulled White Wine with Apple Cider

Add all of the ingredients except for the sugar into a medium-sized saucepan. Heat on low, allowing the wine to slowly heat up. Be careful not to boil it. When it starts to steam, remove from heat or put it on your stove’s “warm” setting. Add in the brown sugar, 1 Tablespoon at a time, tasting as you go to make sure you don’t oversweeten it. Allow the wine to mull for 20-30 minutes. Serve in a mug. You can strain the spices out or ladle them into the mug along with the wine.

Remove any spices before storing leftover mulled wine in an air-tight container in the fridge. It should keep for 1-2 days.

Mulled White Wine with Apple Cider

This mulled white wine is made with apple cider, brown sugar, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, orange, and vanilla bean-infused vodka.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Cook Time 30 mins
Course Drinks
Servings 4

Equipment

  • medium-sized saucepan

Ingredients
  

  • 1 bottle white wine (dry or semi-sweet works best)
  • 1 cup apple cider
  • zest* and juice from 1 orange
  • 2-3 cinnamon sticks
  • 3-4 whole cloves
  • 3 cardamom pods
  • ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1-2 oz vanilla bean-infused vodka
  • 1-2 Tablespoons brown sugar

Instructions
 

  • Add all of the ingredients except for the sugar into a medium-sized saucepan. Heat on low, allowing the wine to slowly heat up. Be careful not to boil it.
  • When it starts to steam, remove from heat or put it on your stove's "warm" setting. Add in the brown sugar, 1 Tablespoon at a time, tasting as you go to make sure you don't oversweeten it.
  • Allow the wine to mull for 20-30 minutes.
  • Serve in a mug. You can strain the spices out or ladle them into the mug along with the wine.
  • Remove any spices before storing leftover mulled wine in an air-tight container in the fridge. It should keep for 1-2 days.

Notes

*be careful not to remove any of the pith (white part) when zesting your orange. This will make the mulled wine bitter.
Keyword brown sugar, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, mulled white wine, mulled wine, orange, vanilla extract, vanilla vodka, white wine

Interested in other drinks that are perfect for fall or winter? Check these out: