The fall is a particular season where we start to say goodbye to the summer and its scorching temperatures and hello to cool, crisp air, color-turning leaves, and some of our favorite cozy fall cocktails. Many fall cocktails are designed to warm your bones while exciting your taste buds.
However, there are some excellent fall cocktails that we think everyone should try.
Fall is a season of anticipation of celebrations and what better way to celebrate than with autumn cocktails?
As the leaves begin to change color and the air turns crisp, it’s time to start transitioning your cocktail menu to embrace the flavors of fall. The season offers a plethora of rich, warm, and inviting tastes that pair perfectly with cooler weather. From spicy cinnamon accents to classic apple delights, these autumn-inspired cocktails will add a touch of sophistication to your gatherings and help you celebrate the season in style.
In fact, there is a good argument to be made that fall is the perfect time to sit back and enjoy a cocktail with friends and family.
We have decided that it’s time to share some of our favorite fall drinks. Fall alcoholic drinks are all over the internet this time of year, and below, we have shared 26 of our favorite fall cocktail recipes.
Let’s start this list of autumn cocktails off with a bang with a tangy and spicy apple cider cocktail.
Fireball is a cinnamon whiskey that is as spicy as it sounds. The spicy cinnamon pairs beautifully with tangy apple cider.
This spicy liquor isn’t just for doing shots when you’re on vacation. When you mix it up well with other ingredients, it can be completely sophisticated.
The Fireball Cider cocktail delivers a bang, and it will definitely warm you up from your toes to the top of your head.
To garnish this cocktail, use a lemon peel and a cinnamon stick.
If you’re a person who enjoys fall cocktails, you have probably had a glass of mulled wine at one time or another.
This delicious wine is a traditional Christmas drink, but it’s also delicious for fall.
For entertaining a large group of people, this cocktail is perfect because it is made in huge batches in your slow cooker. How easy is that?
You can also heat it on your stovetop if you prefer that. It smells wonderful thanks to the cloves, cardamom, cinnamon, orange, apple cider, and star anise.
Making this wine with a bit of blood orange juice can give this alcoholic drink an interesting flavor.
Brandy or mulled cider gives this mulled wine its nice kick. Apple brandy would make a great choice for this drink, too.
When you add honey to that phrase, it sounds absolutely decadent to us!
This little glass of heaven has not just the roasted pears, but also some wonderful spices, including cinnamon, ground nutmeg, ground clove, and a teaspoon of pure vanilla extract.
A tablespoon of balsamic vinegar gives this cocktail a refreshing and interesting kick.
You can mix your drink with grapefruit juice or sparkling white grape juice. Alternatively, you can use sparkling wine or champagne.
A White Russian fall cocktail is usually made with coffee, cream, and vodka. Just those three wonderful little ingredients create an absolutely heavenly cocktail.
However, to make this Pumpkin Spice White Russian, you’re going to substitute Kahlua (coffee-flavored liqueur) for the coffee.
Technically, it’s not precisely a White Russian if you don’t have vodka, but it’s fall, so we’re going to be flexible.
This recipe calls for whole milk, but you can use almond milk if you like.
Nothing warms the bones like a steaming hot toddy, and we are here with a whiskey cocktail just for autumn.
Like many of the drinks on our list of favorite fall cocktail recipes, this one makes use of apple cider. Whiskey and lemon give this toddy the medicinal goodness that makes it so popular.
If your primary experience with figs is the popular Fig Newton cookie, it’s time to try something new with this delicious fruit.
The Brown Turkey cocktail was created by a bartender named Justin Chamberlin.
The Austin, Texas bartender tasted fig in a Thanksgiving stuffing and knew he had to make a cocktail out of this interesting fruit.
This interesting cocktail combines the subtle flavors of aged rum with the dark sweetness of figs. Add in a pop of bubbly sparkling wine and you have a masterpiece.
Cranberries are the beloved berries of autumn and winter, and they deliver quite a kick in this Cranberry Apple Moscow Mule Punch.
You can serve this at holiday parties right on into the new year. It’s a seasonal beverage for more than one season, much like cranberries are for more than one holiday.
To make this fall cocktail, use cranberry apple juice, ginger beer, and fresh lime juice.
The liquor to use is vodka, and the diced apples and cranberries floating on top are just gorgeous. Garnish this fall drink with lime.
Do you want another twist on the classic Old Fashioned cocktail? This Vanilla Chai Old Fashioned made with Crown Royal will warm your heart (and your tummy).
This beautiful cocktail gets its sweet flavor from chai tea syrup, which perfectly balances out the orange bitters.
To make this Old Fashioned, we recommend using Crown Royal Vanilla. Yes, it’s just as amazing as it sounds.
An ounce of lemon juice adds flavor and some vitamin C, so this is totally good for you.
Garnish this fall drink with star anise, an orange slice, and cinnamon.
As we’ve already mentioned, Moscow Mules are traditionally served in copper mugs.
Besides keeping your cocktail nice and cold, the original creator of this classic cocktail apparently had a girlfriend who owned a copper factory. Who knew, right?
This version of the Moscow Mule has vanilla vodka. Other ingredients include pumpkin puree, pumpkin pie spice, lime, and ginger beer.
What a time to be alive, when such wonderfully flavored liquors exist!
If a White Russian is made with Kahlua, vodka, and cream, what is a Black Russian made from?
Well, you just leave out the cream!
The Black Russian made its appearance in 1949 and was first served by a Belgian bartender named Gustave Tops. Mr. Tops created the cocktail at Brussels’ Hotel Metropole to honor Perle Mesta, an American ambassador.
The name of the cocktail has Russian in it as a nod to Russia’s beloved vodka.
A Black Russian is made with vodka and Kahlua. We like to garnish ours with a cherry.
Watch the video below for more great fall cocktails.
26 Fall Cocktails to Cozy Up With (+Fireball And Apple Cider)
These recipes are sure to please. So, gather your family and friends and enjoy. Let us know your thoughts!
Cassie brings decades of experience to the Kitchen Community. She is a noted chef and avid gardener. Her new book "Healthy Eating Through the Garden" will be released shortly. When not writing or speaking about food and gardens Cassie can be found puttering around farmer's markets and greenhouses looking for the next great idea.
