tequila reposado - Girl & Tonic

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

by corrie.pennington / October 20, 2020

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.

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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.

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.

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.

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.

Passionfruit Paloma w/ Beet Syrup

by corrie.pennington / February 7, 2020

– Easily make this cocktail a mocktail by skipping the tequila. –

Passionfruit Paloma made with tequila reposado, grapefruit juice, sparkling passionfruit water, and beet simple syrup.

I’ve never been a big fan of a Paloma but this Passionfruit Paloma may have redeemed them. I like tequila and I like grapefruit soda, but putting together in a cocktail leaves me… grossed out. The last time I had one was in a casino in Reno. I lived in The Biggest Little City for a span (absolutely loved it) and had been raving to my friend about being able to get free drinks in the casinos. She came in town & off we went with $40 in hand.

Turns out, drinks aren’t free when you order them from the bar. I ordered us both a Paloma, because what was I thinking?, and they were awful. We hunkered down at the Blackjack table to drink our disgusting drinks because we paid for those dang things. But not all was lost. I mean that both figuratively & literally– we each hung on to twenty-five cents.

A traditional Paloma has tequila, grapefruit soda (like Fresca or Jarritos), and lime juice. I opted for grapefruit juice to bring that flavor upfront. I still needed to get that fizz from somewhere and I found it in the perfect form of unsweetened passionfruit sparkling water. The beet syrup brings a hint of earthy sweetness to the drink and imparts the stunning color.

Don’t be intimidated by the beet syrup. I got a huge bag of beet powder from Walmart for under $10. Beet powder is great for upping the antioxidant power of smoothies and for dying baked goods a range of pink shades. I recently used it to dye the icing of my daughter’s vanilla birthday cake. Only one party guest asked what the icing was flavored with, and he guessed cinnamon, so I’d say that it won’t make your recipes too beet-y. I’m not entirely health & wellness conscious but if I have the option to use something artificial or natural, I’m gonna opt for natural.

If you’re looking to make a *small* investment in your barware, consider buying a giant ice cube mold. A bigger ice cube is going to melt slower and make your drink a little colder. Plus they look cool & profesh.

The Ingredients for a Passionfruit Paloma

1 1/2 oz. tequila reposado (skip this & make a great mocktail)
1 oz. grapefruit juice
1/2 oz. beet simple syrup
unsweetened passionfruit sparkling water (Aldi’s PurAqua Belle Vie brand is fantastic)
slice of grapefruit of lemon to garnish

How to Make a Passionfruit Paloma

Fill a cocktail shaker with ice, tequila, grapefruit juice, & beet syrup. Shake well to combine. Pour into a low-ball glass with ice. Top off with your passionfruit sparkling water. Alternatively, you can “float” the syrup for a more layered effect but honestly, the taste is more uniform if you shake it with the other ingredients.

Passionfruit Paloma with Beet Syrup

A unique twist on the Paloma, this Passionfruit Paloma uses passionfruit sparkling water in place of grapefruit soda and beet simple syrup to sweeten it up.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 3 mins

Course Drinks

Servings 1