Apple Cider Hot Toddy

While pumpkin spice, in all of its many forms, may be the drink of fall, we think there’s a strong case to be made for all things apple cider too. Not only do we make our own cider, we whip up icy slushies, make party-perfect sangria, and sip on apple cider Old Fashioneds. We drink apple cider mimosas at brunch, enjoy fall-inspired margaritas with chips and salsa, and raise glasses of apple cider spritzes with friends. And of course, we drink cup after cup of hot apple cider.

When the leaves start to turn, the temperatures start to drop, and the first sniffles of the season start, hot toddies are delicious and healing too. To make a truly fall version of the hot toddy, we needed to make an apple cider version. (Pumpkin spice, wait your turn.) Here’s how we combine the hot toddy and hot cider into one fantastic drink:

Hot cider 2.0:
Hot water and honey are added to bourbon or whisky for a classic toddy. Here, we warm apple cider and honey instead. To bump up the fall flavor, we add cinnamon sticks to the cider. For extra coziness, we also add sliced fresh ginger and a pinch of cayenne. While the cayenne is optional, it’s a nod to the hot toddy served at New York City’s now closed Prune restaurant, and it’s an unexpected but delicious addition. It doesn’t add heat, but more a slightly spicy warmth that is pretty perfect here.

Bourbon & fresh lemon:
Bourbon, whisky, or Scotch all pair well with cider and are go-to's for hot toddies, while squeezing half of a juicy lemon into each drink balances out the sweetness of both the honey and the cider.

Did you try this recipe? Let us know in the comments.