Friday Favorites: Fall Cocktails

Ahhhhh, fall—the season of plaid shirts, boots, scarves, and Pumpkin Spice Lattes. Take a look at any clothing ad for fall seasonal wear, and there is a Starbucks cup front and center.  Not to wade into the “to PSL or not PSL” debate, but here are a few of my favorite adult fall beverages when you need a break from your seasonal coffee.

Apple Cider Mimosas

I love this one for two reasons: it’s festive and fall feeling, but still refreshing enough for “second summer” when the temps are in the 80s well into October, and secondly, it’s E-A-S-Y.  Here’s what you’ll need: apple cider and champagne/prosecco/sparkling grape juice. That’s it. I’m not even going to tell you what proportions to do because that is entirely up to you.

This one is great to mix up in a pitcher ahead of time for entertaining, and of course, you can throw in a cinnamon stick or apple slices to make it look snazzier.

Ginger Apple Moscow Mule

This one is a little more involved but a fun spin on one of my favorite summer refreshers.  The full recipe is here, courtesy of Half Baked Harvest.  I think you could easily swap bourbon for vodka, and it’s easy to simplify down to apple cider, vodka, lime juice, and ginger beer if you’re short on time. As an added bonus, copper cups are a lovely fit with fall décor!

Hard Ciders

Ok, I’ll admit this isn’t a cocktail, and it actually doesn’t take any “making.” But we really enjoy hard ciders through the fall season as a change-up to beer in the summer.  Some store-bought favorites: Magner’s, Stella Artois Cidre, and Woodchuck. Most local breweries will have seasonal ciders- check the menus for a bit of something different next time you go!

Pumpkin Spice Bushwacker

Feel like letting someone else whip up your fall beverage for you? The good folks at Perennial Patio Bar have managed to take our favorite Pensacola summer drink and give it a fall twist, and you can enjoy it while sitting outside at The Garden at Palafox and Main.  It’s a mix of vodka, spiced rum, dark rum, Demerara, pumpkin puree, and vanilla ice cream topped off with whipped cream, and I cannot WAIT to try one!

Mulled Wine

This one can take you from fall into the holiday season! It’s another easy one that is great for entertaining- and as a bonus, it makes the house smell delightful. All you’ll need is mulling spices (you can buy these at some grocery stores, specialty food stores, and Amazon – or you can mix up your own) and red wine. Simmer it all together on the stove (most mulling spices will have directions on the package) for 20-30 minutes until it’s all warm and fragrant. You can also simmer the mulling spices in apple cider for a non-alcoholic treat!

I hope these add a little fun and “spice” to the fall season for you!

Enjoy!