Apple Cider Rum Cocktail

This Apple Cider Rum Cocktail is the perfect fall drink to serve a crowd at a festive fall or holiday party. It’s also a great way to highlight fresh apple cider! For ample flavor, a rosemary simple syrup sweetens the drink and adds a hint of winter herb flavor.

There’s nothing quite like a festive cocktail to celebrate the start of fall. And this Apple Cider Rum Cocktail is the ultimate autumn drink. It’s sweet and spiced while also being refreshing. The best part? It’s made with just a handful of ingredients and is super simple to mix together. Plus, it can easily be made into a pitcher cocktail.

For the past 4 or so years, I’ve been sharing a brand new cocktail recipe on Instagram every Friday. My cocktail Friday series has included all types of liquors and an array of cocktails. But this type of cocktail, one that features fresh citrus, is served on the rocks, and has an herby note to it, is my favorite kind of cocktail.

For starters, it’s just straight up refreshing. And it’s tart. For me, it doesn’t get better. And, this apple cider rum cocktail is incredibly versatile and forgiving—play around with what herb you want to use, add some whole spices to the simple syrup, the options are vast!

Once you give this one a try, stick around and check out my other drink recipes (settle in, we’ve got a lot!) Use up the rest of your apple cider in a spiced Apple Cider Margarita or try my festive Red Wine Apple Cider Sangria. Cheers!

The Perfect Cocktail for Fall

What’s not to love about a festive apple cider and rum cocktail? Here’s why it’s an especially good option for the season.

• Quick and Flavorful Fall Cocktail. Fresh apple cider and spicy dark rum make this the ultimate fall drink. The only “work” this cocktail requires is a homemade rosemary simple syrup. Not bad for a craft cocktail at home!
• Easy to Customize. We love this drink as is, but it can definitely be riffed on. Serve it cold on the rocks, or warm it up for a rum toddy. Add a sugared rim, change up the alcohol (tequila or bourbon would be great), or omit the booze all together for a family-friendly fall mocktail. I also love tossing a cinnamon stick and a clove into the simple syrup.
• Make-Ahead for any celebration. Save time by making this drink in advance. Mix together all of the ingredients ahead of time and store in the fridge. When you’re ready to serve, divide between glasses, top with club soda and enjoy.

Ingredient Needed

• Sugar: you’ll need this to make the homemade simple syrup. I recommend granulated sugar, but for a dose of molasses flavor, you can use light brown sugar.
• Rosemary or Thyme: Herbaceous and earthy, both of these herbs work nicely here and give the cocktail more depth of flavor.

• Apple Cider: I recommend using fresh apple cider (that requires refrigeration). This cocktail doesn’t have any spices in it, so feel free to use spiced apple cider if you wish.
• Dark Rum: Rich, slightly spicy, full-bodied with a sweet-smoky flavor, this pairs perfectly with the apple cider. Use your preferred brand.
• Lime Juice: Bright and tart, this balances out the flavors from the syrup, cider and rum.
• Club Soda: Adds a little fizz and sparkle on top. Add this right before serving.

How To Make Apple Cider and Rum Cocktail

First step, make the simple syrup.

1. It doesn’t get easier than making a homemade simple syrup. Simply combine the sugar, water and roasemary or thyme in a saucepan. Bring to a simmer and stir until the sugar is dissolved.
2. Remove the pan from heat, cover and let steep until the syrup is cool. Strain the herbs out and store the syrup in an airtight glass container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

Shake up the cocktail.

1. Add the cider, rum, lime juice, and simple syrup to a cocktail shaker filled with ice, and shake vigorously until chilled.
2. Strain the cocktail over large ice cubes in two rocks glasses, then top with club soda.
3. Garnish with a sprig of rosemary or thyme and an apple slice.

Storage and Make Ahead

This is a great drink to have on hand, ready to serve to guests. Simply multiply the ingredients by how many cocktails you want to make (as written, the recipe serves 2). Then mix everything (minus the club soda) together in a pitcher, cover and store in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.

Wait to add the club soda to individual cocktails as you are serving them.

How Else to Use Rosemary Simple Syrup

I like to add rosemary simple syrup to all kinds of cocktails. It’s great in a Paloma or Apple Cider Margarita. The earthiness of rosemary also pairs wonderfully with gin cocktails—try it in my Empress Gin Cocktail. Perfect for fall and winter! You can also use rosemary simple syrup in place of the sage simple in this Mezcal Margarita recipe.

For non-cocktail ideas, dry drizzling the syrup over Lemon Olive Oil Cake or Orange Olive Oil Cake. Drizzle it over some Lemon Ice Cream or drizzle it over plain Greek yogurt paired with my Pecan Granola.

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