A Note from my Kitchen

I prefer making this apple cider margarita with mezcal because its smoky flavor balances the sweetness of the cider beautifully. If you're not a fan of smoky cocktails, you can easily substitute silver or blanco tequila.

One of my favorite things about this recipe is that you can prepare the spiced cider mixture ahead of time and have a pitcher ready for your guests. It's and easy cocktail for entertaining without mixing individual drinks all night. I hope you love it as much as we do. Cheers! Xoxo -Katie.

Ingredient Notes and Substitutions

You will need the following ingredients to make apple cider margaritas.

apple cider - Use fresh, unfiltered apple cider rather than apple juice for the richest flavor. If you buy cider that is already heavily spiced, you can omit or reduce the added cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and all spice.

Cointreau - Cointreau is my preference for this cocktail. It has a rich, sweet, orange flavor. However it can be on the expensive side. Grand Marnier or Triple Sec can be substituted for a less expensive option.

mezcal - Mezcal is my first choice because its smoky flavor contrasts with the sweet apple cider and warm spices. If you don't enjoy smoky cocktails, substitute an equal amount of silver or blanco tequila. I do not suggest gold tequila.

cloves, ground nutmeg, allspice, cinnamon sticks - These turn plain apple cider into a warmly spiced cider. If you're starting with a strongly spiced cider, you may not need all of them.

lemon - Used to moisten the rim of the glass for the spices of the rim to stick. You can substitute with an orange also.

margarita salt - If you do not have margarita salt, you can substitute with a coarse salt.

sugar and ground cinnamon - Adds sweet fall flavor to the rim.

How to make an Apple Cider Margarita Pitcher

Follow these steps to make an apple cider margarita pitcher.

Add apple cider, cinnamon sticks, ground nutmeg, cloves, and allspice to a large pot.

Bring to a boil and cook for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and rest until completely cooled.

Strain out all loose spices. Pour cooled apple cider mixture to a pitcher.

Add in mezcal or tequila depending on your desired flavor.

Add Cointreau. Give the apple cider margarita a good stir.

Create the rim spice by mixing together sugar, margarita salt, and cinnamon on a small plate.

Cut a slice of lemon and run it around the rim of the serving glass. Dip the glass into the cinnamon-sugar-salt mixture. Fill the glass completely full with ice.

Fill the glass with apple cider margarita. You can garnish with a cinnamon stick and slice of apple.

Tips for the Best Apple Cider Margarita

If you buy spiced seasoned apple cider, omit the cinnamon sticks, ground nutmeg, cloves, and allspice.

The cloves, ground nutmeg, all spice, and cinnamon sticks are used to add the rich fall flavors to the apple cider. If there is a spice you do not like, just omit it.

Cool the cider before adding mezcal and Cointreau.

The apple cider margarita is relatively sweet. The margarita salt on the rim balances the drink similar to the traditional margaritas. The cinnamon and sugar continues the fall flavors that pair nicely with the cider.

Mezcal vs. Tequila: Which should you use?

I prefer mezcal in this apple cider margarita because its smoky, earthy flavor balances the sweetness of the cider and pairs beautifully with cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and allspice.

If you prefer a more traditional margarita flavor or don't enjoy smoky cocktails, use silver or blanco tequila instead. Both work well, so the choice really comes down to how much smoky flavor you want in your drink.

For mezcal, I recommend choosing one with a smooth, balanced smoke rather than an intensely smoky bottle that may overpower the apple cider.

📖 Recipe