This Apple Cider Mocktail is easy to make, simple, and delicious. It's perfect for fall, winter, and the holidays! You only need 4 ingredients and 5 minutes to make it! It's sweet, fresh, and flavorful. The whole family can enjoy it! Try it at your Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
Warming spices and apple cider - The mocktail is made with apple cider, lemon juice, cinnamon syrup, and sparkling water. The warm cinnamon compliments the flavor of rich apple cider really well. No more boring mocktails!
Easy and simple - The cocktail can be ready in 5 minutes and has only 4 ingredients! You can make your own Cinnamon Simple Syrup that comes together in less than 30 minutes and lasts 2 weeks in the fridge!
Great for a crowd - You can make a single serving of this cocktail or a whole pitcher! The recipe includes measurements for both. Both are super easy and straightforward.
Ingredients
- Apple cider - Apple cider is fresh, unfiltered, and often unpasteurized apple juice. It's mainly available during fall and winter months and may be hard to find during other seasons. While you can use apple juice as well here, I highly recommend apple cider. It's darker in color and opaque. It has an amazing apple flavor that shines in this mocktail.
- Lemon juice - Freshly squeezed lemon juice will yield the best flavor and I highly recommend it but you can use bottled lemon juice in a pinch.
- Simple syrup - You can flavor the mocktail with plain simple syrup but it's delicious with a little flavor so I recommend Cinnamon Simple Syrup (the easiest and most delicious with apple cider), Brown Sugar Simple Syrup, or Apple Brown Sugar Syrup. For the cinnamon syrup, you only need water, cane sugar, and cinnamon sticks.
- Sparkling water - Any drink is better with a little sparkling water to make it more fun! You can use plain sparkling water or a flavored soda. I like using plain sparkling water for this mocktail, or lemon soda one by LaCroix because it has no added sugar.
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Add apple cider, lemon juice, and cinnamon simple syrup to a cocktail shaker.
- Add a handful of ice and shake the cocktail shaker vigorously for a few seconds until chilled.
- Fill a short glass with ice and strain the mocktail over the ice.
- Top up the drink with sparkling water.
- Garnish the drink with apple slices, a lemon slice, and a cinnamon stick if desired. Enjoy!
Make Ahead and Pitcher Options
You can prep the drink ahead of time and just add ice and sparkling water right before serving! This is especially great when you're making more than just one serving or making it in a pitcher. I like squeezing all my lemons ahead of time to make shaking up the drink much quicker.
To make a pitcher for 10 people, mix together 20 oz apple cider, 10 oz freshly squeezed lemon juice, 10 oz cinnamon simple syrup, ice, and 2 ½-5 cups sparkling water. Mix together the apple cider, lemon juice, and cinnamon syrup in a pitcher. Divide between 10 glasses, add ice, and top up with sparkling water.
FAQs
You can use apple juice if you really can't find apple cider but I highly recommend using apple cider for the best flavor. Apple juice just isn't the same.
Apple cider is just unfiltered, unpasteurized apple juice. It has a richer, stronger flavor than apple juice and it's darker in color and opaque.
I like Monin's Cinnamon Syrup but Torani is also a popular choice.
Other Mocktail Recipes
If you love this apple cider drink and want to try more mocktails, check out the three below! They're my favorite because each one is flavored with a different fresh herb but I also have lots of others that can be made in a pitcher. See Non-Alcoholic Drinks for all the latest ones.
- Pomegranate Mocktail with rosemary
- Blackberry Mocktail with thyme
- Blueberry Mocktail with mint
📖 Recipe
Apple Cider Mocktail
- Prep Time: 5 mins
- Total Time: 5 minutes
- Yield: 1 1x
- Category: Mocktail
- Method: No Cook
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegan
Description
This Apple Cider Mocktail is incredibly easy to make, delicious, and perfect for fall and winter, especially the holidays! It's sweet, fresh, and flavorful.
Ingredients
- 2 oz apple cider (NOT apple cider vinegar)
- ½ oz freshly squeezed lemon juice
- ½-1 oz cinnamon simple syrup (or other simple syrup)
- Ice
- ¼-½ cup sparkling water (or as needed)
- Garnish: apple slices, lemon slice, a cinnamon stick (optional)
Instructions
- Add apple cider, lemon juice, and cinnamon simple syrup to a cocktail shaker.
- Add a handful of ice and shake vigorously for a few seconds until chilled.
- Fill a short glass with ice and strain the mocktail over the ice.
- Top up the drink with sparkling water.
- Garnish the drink with apple slices, a lemon slice, and a cinnamon stick if desired. Enjoy!
Notes
Storing and making ahead tips: This drink is best enjoyed right away once it’s mixed with ice. You can juice your lemons ahead of time if you’re making more servings. It can also be made in a pitcher ahead of time without the sparkling water. Divide the drink between your glass and top with sparkling water.
Pitcher: To make a pitcher for 10 people, mix together 20 oz apple cider, 10 oz freshly squeezed lemon juice, 10 oz cinnamon simple syrup, ice and 2 ½-5 cups sparkling water. Mix together the apple cider, lemon juice, and cinnamon syrup in a pitcher. Divide between 10 glasses, add ice, and top up with sparkling water.
Veronika Sykorova
My go to fall mocktail! Super easy to make, really tasty, and not overly sweet.