If you're an apple cider fan like me, you'll love this easy cocktail! The Fireball Apple Cider is a delicious drink with fresh apple cider and cinnamon whiskey. You can drink it hot or cold too! It's so tasty, simple to make and perfect for fall!
This is always a great recipe to make in the fall, since fresh apple cider is in season. You can even make it in a big batch for a party!
Looking for some more tasty fall cocktails with apple cider? Try this Apple Cider Martini with Amaretto, this Thanksgiving Margarita, or the bubbly Apple Cider Mimosa with a caramel and cinnamon sugar rim.
This Fall Sangria with fresh apple cider is another great fall cocktail for a crowd! Or, try this Hot Apple Cider cocktail with rum for a drink to warm you up.
What is Fireball?
Fireball is a brand of cinnamon whiskey, probably the most common you'll find in stores in the US. (You can find it online here: Fireball cinnamon whisky.)
Fireball is not just cinnamon flavored whiskey, but it also has added sweetness. It has less alcohol than regular whiskey at 33% ABV (66 proof), so it's a little more like a liqueur.
Note: Fireball also makes a malt liquor product, which is sometimes confused with their whiskey. For this recipe, make sure it is the 33% ABV version, which you should see on the front label of the bottle.
Ingredients
You'll just need a few ingredients to make this tasty drink!
- Fresh apple cider
- Fireball cinnamon whisky
- Lemon juice
- Toasted pecan bitters (optional)
- Cinnamon sugar for the rim of the glass
Plus a cinnamon stick for garnish! You can also use a fresh apple slice for garnish if you like.
Substitutions
Need to substitute out some ingredients? If you don't have the Fireball, you can use a different brand of cinnamon whiskey, like Jack Daniels Tennessee Fire.
Or, you can make your own cinnamon whiskey by adding whiskey to a mason jar and adding a couple of cinnamon sticks. Let it sit for a few hours, then take out the cinnamon and add in a little maple syrup or honey to sweeten it.
If you don't have fresh apple cider, you could use apple juice instead, or use a juicer to make your own.
I really love the toasted pecan bitters in this! But if you don't have it, you could use Angostura bitters, or try out Hella brand ginger bitters. Or just add a splash of ginger beer.
Variations
This is a great drink to have hot instead of iced! Just heat up the apple cider until it just starts to bubble at the edges, and pour it into a mug. Then add the Fireball, lemon and bitters.
To make a non-alcoholic mocktail version of this recipe, you can use a whiskey substitute in place of the Fireball, like Lyre's American malt, plus a little cinnamon syrup.
If you want to give this drink a little more of an apple-y kick, try switching out the lemon juice for a teaspoon of apple cider vinegar. It sounds unusual, but is so good!
Equipment
This drink is made in the serving glass, so that is the most important thing to have ready! The glass I used holds 20 ounces, but a 12 or 16 ounce glass works great too. Just use less ice for the smaller size glasses.
You'll also want to have a long spoon or a straw to stir the drink, plus a small dish for adding the cinnamon sugar to the glass rim.
Instructions
Start by adding the cinnamon sugar to the side of the glass. To do this, add the cinnamon sugar to a small dish first.
Use water or a cut lemon to wet the glass, and then dip it into the cinnamon sugar so it sticks to the wet areas.
Fill the glass with ice, and then add in the apple cider and the Fireball whiskey.
Add in the lemon juice and the bitters.
Stir everything together gently, and add some more ice if you need to fill up the glass.
Add a cinnamon stick for garnish, and serve!
Hint: For a little extra flavor, you can grate some nutmeg over the top of the drink!
Top tip
This is such an easy drink to make for parties! To make it, just multiply the ingredients by the number of servings you want to make. Then, combine the ingredients (without ice) in a large pitcher.
Keep it in the fridge until you're ready to serve, and just pour it into your serving glasses for your guests!
📖 Recipe
Fireball Apple Cider
Equipment
- Small dish
- Cocktail serving glass
- Knife and cutting board (if using a fresh lemon)
Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoons cinnamon sugar (mix of sugar and ground cinnamon)
- 5 ounces apple cider (chilled)
- 2 ounces Fireball whisky
- ¼ ounce lemon juice
- 2 dashes toasted pecan bitters (or use Angostura or ginger bitters) (optional)
- 1 whole cinnamon stick
Instructions
- Add the cinnamon sugar to a small dish.
- Use a cut lemon or some water to wet the rim of your serving glass.
- Dip the rim into the cinnamon sugar so it sticks to the wet spots.
- Add ice to the serving glass, and then add in the apple cider, Fireball, lemon juice and bitters.
- Give everything a stir with a long bar spoon.
- Add a cinnamon stick for garnish, and serve!
Notes
- For a warm version, heat up the apple cider in a saucepan until it starts just bubbling around the edges. Pour it into a mug, and then add the Fireball, lemon juice and bitters.
- Try using a bar spoon of apple cider vinegar instead of the lemon juice for even more apple flavor!
Kimberly says
Love this one for fall, super easy to make! Let me know if you have any questions about this recipe!