Few things call to mind autumn like a spiced cocktail that warms you to the bone and provides a little tingle in your throat to combat the crisp air. There's just something about a certain fiery red spice that perfectly accentuates seasonal fall foods like pumpkin and apple.
So if you want to have a red hot evening, grab some cinnamon and your usual cocktail ingredients and get ready to turn things up!
1. Spiced Manhattan
The bittersweet, boozy original is a classic for good reason, but this cognac version is fabulous as well. Sweet vermouth infused with allspice, cinnamon, cloves and cayenne pepper highlight the herbal flavors you get in a Manhattan for a fun fall twist.
2. Bourbon Apple Cider Cocktail
Bourbon goes beautifully with apple flavors. So what better way to enjoy the season than mixing it with some fiery apple cider that gets an extra kick from cinnamon and ginger?
3. Holiday Apple Cinnamon Old Fashioned
Swap out the typical aromatic orange peel for a more autumnal apple skin (or an unpeeled apple wheel slice) and sweet apple butter that gets stirred right into the mix. Yum!
4. Coriander and Cinnamon Gin and Tonic
Spiced gin goes so well with a bit of coriander and cinnamon, which bring out the fresh flavors in the liquor for a subtle way to mix up your go-to cocktail. Scroll down to #4 on the recipe page to learn how to make this tasty drink.
5. Caramel Cinnamon Martini
As the weather gets colder and colder, I find myself putting down the fruity cocktails in favor of thicker, desserty drinks. This milk-based RumChata and caramel vodka mixture makes an absolutely fab beverage to sip while you warm yourself by the fire.
6. Apple Pie Moonshine Cocktail
Because any excuse to drink apple pie moonshine is a good one. If you don't see it in stores near you, it's not hard to make something similar yourself -- here's how.
7. Cinnamon Toast Crunch Cocktail
Not only is this recipe impossibly easy -- it only requires three ingredients (plus optional cinnamon sugar to rim the glass) -- it tastes fabulously similar to one of your favorite childhood cereals. Check the accompanying blog post for ideas on how to make other drinks that taste like classic sweet treats such as cinnamon buns, cinnamon grahams and cherry pie.