Sometimes you bring home hard cider, and it doesn't quite hit all the right notes. There is nothing to worry about, though; there are plenty of ways to utilize this serendipitous accident. You can quickly and easily transform your purchase into a multitude of flavored hard cider recipes.
Rum Punch Hard Cider
Slide a splash of hard apple cider into this twist on a rum punch.
Ingredients
- 1 ounce white rum
- ¾ ounce dark rum
- 2 ounces pineapple juice
- 2 ounces hard cider
- ½ ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice
- ¼ ounce grenadine
- Ice
- Green apple slice for garnish
Instructions
- In a cocktail shaker, add ice, white rum, dark rum, pineapple juice, hard cider, lemon juice, and grenadine.
- Shake to chill.
- Strain into highball glass over fresh ice.
- Garnish with apple slice.
A Peachy Hard Cider
Capitalize on peach flavors that go so swimmingly with hard cider.
Ingredients
- 2 ounces peach vodka
- 1 ounce peach liqueur
- ¾ ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice
- Ice
- Hard cider to top off, preferably dry, such as Angry Orchard
- Peach slice and mint leaf for garnish
Instructions
- In a cocktail shaker, add ice, vanilla vodka, peach liqueur, and lemon juice.
- Shake to chill.
- Strain into rocks glass over fresh ice.
- Top off with hard cider.
- Garnish with peach slice and mint leaf.
Ginger Snap Cider
Ginger provides a singularly sweet, savory, and spicy flavor, pair that with apple, and you have a new cocktail that will impress all tastebuds.
Ingredients
- 1¼ ounces vodka
- 1 ounce still hard cider
- ¾ ounce ginger liqueur
- ½ ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1-2 dashes aromatic bitters
- Ice
- Mint sprig for garnish
Instructions
- In a cocktail shaker, add ice, vodka, hard cider, ginger liqueur, lemon juice, and bitters.
- Shake to chill.
- Strain into rocks glass over fresh ice.
- Garnish with mint sprig.
Aperol Hard Cider Spritz
Play with the bitter, orange flavors of Aperol and the soft, smooth flavors of a sweeter hard cider together.
Ingredients
- 2½ ounces Aperol
- 1½ ounces prosecco
- 1½ ounces hard cider
- Ice
- Splash of club soda
- Orange slice for garnish
Instructions
- In a wine glass, add ice, Aperol, prosecco, and hard cider.
- Stir to mix.
- Add a splash of club soda.
- Garnish with orange slice.
Strawberry Cider Spritzer
Take a walk on the berry side to flavor your hard cider.
Ingredients
- 1 ounce vodka
- ¾ ounce strawberry liqueur
- ½ ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice
- ¼ ounce grenadine
- 1 ounce still hard cider to top off
- Ice
- Club soda to top off
- Strawberry and rosemary sprig for garnish
Instructions
- In a cocktail shaker, add ice, vodka, strawberry liqueur, lemon juice, grenadine, and hard cider.
- Shake to chill.
- Strain into rocks glass over fresh ice.
- Top off with club soda.
- Garnish with strawberry and rosemary sprig.
A Bramble in an Orchard
Toss out the gin but don't lose the blackberry flavors in this marriage of hard cider and a bramble.
Ingredients
- 1 ounce vodka
- ¾ ounce blackberry liqueur
- ¾ ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice
- ½ ounce simple syrup
- Ice
- Hard cider to top off
- Blackberry for garnish
Instructions
- In a highball glass, add ice, citron vodka, lemon juice, and simple syrup.
- Stir to mix.
- Top off with hard cider.
- Garnish with blackberry.
Cranberry Cider
Go ahead and match your cider with some tart cranberry. You'll find a crisp and bright cocktail waiting for you at the end of your straw.
Ingredients
- 3 ounces cranberry juice
- 2 ounces still hard cider
- ¾ ounce orange liqueur
- ¾ ounce vodka
- ½ ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice
- Ice
- Apple slice and cranberry for garnish
Instructions
- In a cocktail shaker, add ice, cranberry juice, hard cider, orange liqueur, vodka, and lemon juice.
- Shake to chill.
- Strain into highball glass over fresh ice.
- Garnish with apple slices and cranberry.
New Old-Fashioned
Use a sweet hard cider in place of simple syrup, with just a touch of pear to tie it all together.
Ingredients
- 2 ounces bourbon
- ¾ ounce pear liqueur
- ½ ounce sweet hard cider
- 3-4 dashes orange bitters
- 1-2 dashes aromatic bitters
- Ice
- Pear slice for garnish, optional
Instructions
- In a mixing glass, add ice, bourbon, pear liqueur, hard cider, and bitters.
- Stir rapidly to chill.
- Strain into rocks glass over fresh ice.
- Garnish with pear slice, if desired.
Giving Hard Cider a Flavorful Boost
There's nothing wrong with wanting a little something more, but when your spirit comes in a bottle, and you've only ever enjoyed it one way, it can be hard to think outside of the box. So cut your way through the apple orchard and add new life and a dash of unexpected flavor to that bottle of hard apple cider.
