Remember the scent of cinnamon wafting in the air. Taste that apple so juicy it drips down your chin with that first bite. Remember that creaminess of pumpkin pie in your mouth. These are some of our favorite parts of fall. Are you planning a fall gathering? Whether it’s Thanksgiving, a Halloween party, or an Oktoberfest with friends, of course you will need some autumn cocktails and food.
I admit that sometimes I search for cool cocktails, but when I look at the ingredients or directions they are too complicated. I mean really, unless you are a recluse, who wants to be stuck in the kitchen the whole time during a gathering. You planned the party. Of course, you want to enjoy it.
We came up with these easy fall cocktails for you to make at holiday gatherings. And now, I have added 2 more Autumn cocktails as well as a fun scarecrow cake for dessert.
Although we can’t always be with the ones we love during the holidays, these drinks will transport you to gatherings past and future.
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New! Add an easy Tom Turkey veggie platter for guests to gobble
You can see from the picture how easy it is to throw this turkey together. Choose whatever vegetables you like. Then add your favorite dip. Just use a mushroom for his head. In addition you can cut some end pieces of veggies for feet, beak, and eyes.
Once guests arrive, you can take the platter out of the fridge and focus on the cocktails.
Tempt them with a Bourbon Cider Autumn Cocktail
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 oz. Jim Beam Apple
- 2 1/2 oz. Apple cider
- apple slice for garnish
Simply fill a glass with ice, and add Jim Beam and apple cider. Then stir. After that, garnish with an apple slice. Can’t get easier than that. For warm autumn cocktails, skip the ice and warm the cider before mixing in the Jim Beam.
If you need glassware, you can order these from Amazon:
Pear Martini Autumn Cocktail
This is definitely one of my NEW fall signature cocktails!
Ingredients for Pear Autumn Cocktails
- 2 1/2 oz. Grey Goose Pear Vodka
- 2 oz. Pear Nectar
- pear slice for garnish
Mix vodka and pear nectar in an ice filled cocktail shaker. Then strain into a chilled martini glass. After that, garnish with a pear slice. It’s that easy! These are great fall vodka cocktails for vodka lovers.
I have also included these links for you to order the supplies you need:
Autumn Cocktails, Apple Pie ala Mode
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 oz. Evan Williams Apple Whiskey
- 1/2 oz. Chila Cinnamon Cream
- cinnamon
- apple slice for garnish
Directions
- First shake whiskey and cinnamon cream in a cocktail shaker. Then pour over ice in a rocks glass.
- Once you’re done, sprinkle with cinnamon and garnish with an apple wedge.
Here are some items we recommend to start you off as a mixologist:
Similarly, you may garnish the drink with a cinnamon stick instead of an apple wedge.
Note: We made several attempts at this drink before finding the right brands and proportions. Consequently, we found that these brands gave us the exact flavor we were looking for. On the other hand, if you use different brands your results may differ.
Autumn Cocktails, Tasty Pumpkin Pie
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 oz. Pinnacle Limited Edition Pumpkin Vodka
- 1/2 oz. Fulton’s Harvest Pumpkin Pie Cream Liqueur
- whipped cream
- cinnamon
Directions
- First, mix vodka and liqueur in a cocktail shaker. Then pour over ice into a rocks glass.
- After that, top with desired amount of whipped cream. Finally, sprinkle with cinnamon, and serve. These are certainly some of my favorite October cocktails.
Autumn Cocktails, Tangy Cranberry Refresher
This drink is a great drink before or during a holiday dinner because its light and not too filling.
Ingredients
- 2 oz. cranberry simple syrup
- 2 oz. white rum
- 1 tbsp. lemon juice
- seltzer
- fresh or frozen cranberries
Directions for Cranberry Autumn Cocktails
- Begin by filling a cocktail glass with ice.
- Then mix simple syrup, rum, and lemon juice in a cocktail shaker and pour in the glass over ice.
- After that, top with seltzer, and garnish with cranberries. I like using frozen cranberries because they help keep the drink chilled.
To make cranberry simple syrup mix two cups of sugar with one cup of water in a pot over medium heat. Then add one cup of cranberries. Stir until sugar is dissolved and liquid is dark pink. Don’t boil because cranberries will burst. Once it has cooled, strain the liquid. Further, you can use the leftover cranberry mixture as a substitute for preserves on some toast. Subsequently, store simple syrup in the refrigerator.
I often make this syrup recipe with other berries such as blueberries or strawberries. In addition, it makes a great pancake topping.
We usually buy our liquor at Total Wine. They have a wide variety at reasonable prices.
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Scarecrow cake to serve with autumn cocktails
I have to admit, I don’t do a lot of complicated baking because I don’t have the patience for it. However, this cake was simple enough to create with the help of a teenager and a 7 year old. As a result, I adapted a recipe I found years ago to simplify it.
Ingredients for Autumn Cocktail Scarecrow
- 2 tubs of whipped frosting
- 1 box devil food cake mix
- 6 chewy granola bars
- pumpkin cookie iced with orange icing
- yellow and blue food coloring
- shredded wheat cereal
- 15 or more Starburst candies
How to Make Autumn Cocktail Scarecrow
- Make the cake according to package directions. Then bake in a 13″x 9″ glass baking pan.
- While the cake is baking, assemble the scarecrow on a tray lined with wax paper. “Glue” 2 granola bars together with icing to great the scarecrow body, and place on the wax paper.
- Then “glue” a granola bar on each side for arms. Don’t worry if they fall apart a little, just push them back together. Then do the same for the legs. I like to cross one over the other to make it look more realistic.
- After that, “glue” the cookie head onto a few shredded wheat cereal to prop it up and place it where the scarecrow’s head should be.
- Then divide the rest of the icing from the first tub into 2 bowls. Mix a few drops of blue food coloring in one and yellow food coloring in the other. Mix until you get the color you want.
- Once the colors are mixed, use a small spatula to spread the blue icing on the scarecrow’s legs for pants. Similarly, spread the yellow on his arms and body for his shirt.
- Place the scarecrow in the refrigerator until the cake cools and you are ready to finish the project.
- Meanwhile, warm the starbursts in your hand so they become soft. Then remove the wrappers and using a rolling pin flatten them like pancakes. Once flattened, use a leaf shaped cookie cutter to make autumn leaves. In addition, you can reuse the scraps by rolling them out again or using small pieces as patches for the scarecrow’s clothing. You can even use some to make him a hat.
To assemble:
- When the cake has cooled, use the second tub of icing to ice the cake. By using a glass pan the chocolate shows through the sides to look like dirt.
- Then carefully slide the scarecrow onto the cake using a large spatula.
- Use icing for any touch ups. Then break up some shredded wheat to look like straw hands and feet. Add leaves wherever you choose and any additional decorations you like.
Oops! Our head is a bit warped. I thought I had a pumpkin cookie in the freezer, but I only had ghosts! And we used all of our candy eyes on our Halloween cookies!
Donna Emperador is a travel and food blogger and copywriter. Donna believes in learning about different cultures while sharing good food and cocktails. She has lived in South Florida for over 20 years and enjoys spending time exploring the road to find unique places to share with readers. She can be found on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest.
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I must admit that my cocktail choices change through the year. So fun to look at this list of autumn cocktails. I am looking for something that warms me up a bit. And tastes a little like the season. Apple whiskey sounds like a perfect addition to me.
A wonderful post and a great inspiration for autumn and even Christmas time. I still have some Italian booze – but somehow, they only taste truly amazing when it’s hot outside 😉 It’s far more difficult to find cocktails that match the spirit of the cold season; spirit matches the spirit….pun not intended 😉