apple cider tequila sour
A big jug of cider in my fridge means plenty of cider-forward cocktails in my future.
Happy Friday, kids! We’re greeting the weekend with an Apple Cider Tequila Sour, a simple, frothy, cozy bevvy. This is a drink for those of ya’ll who prefer a “less is more” approach to your cocktail: it’s effortless, low volume, yet high flavor thanks to homemade chai syrup which has become, quickly, my favorite sweetener for these seasonal sips.
I bought a big bottle of Trader Joes’ spiced cider, one of my fall essentials from the joint, and am eager to put it into action this fall. Sure, I’ll also drink it straight up (a warm mug sounds delightful right now even though it’s a blazing 90 degrees out), but playing with it in a shaker is oodles of fun, too.
Our trusty coupe today takes a little prep-ahead for the syrup, so I’ll shut my gab and let’s get mixing.
Chai Me
This chai syrup, as I said, is quintessential fall for me. Stupidly easy to whip up, makes a good amount, and lasts a couple weeks, so leftovers can be utilized to mix up, say, an Apple Cider Old Fashioned if you’re feeling a little bourbon at your fist.
Pop some sugar and water into a saucepan and simmer a few minutes until the granules dissolve, then toss in a few chai tea bags and steep for about 15 minutes. When the timer dings, gently squeeze excess syrup from the bags and discard. The bags, not the syrup. Please don’t throw out the syrup.
For the cocktail, combine tequila, apple cider, chai syrup, lemon juice, and an egg white. Dry shake (without ice) for 30 seconds, then add ice and shake 30 seconds longer. This warm-cold cycle creates that gorgeous snowy cap from the shaken egg white.
Of course, if raw egg white skeeves you out, you can omit it from the drink. Just keep in mind that you won’t have the foam.
I embellish my glass with a star anise pod right atop the foam. Then, all you gotta do is sit down and enjoy!
No big yapping for me to do today. I’ve got a buttload to do this afternoon, including a hair buzz, and need to get truckin’, so enjoy a drink for me, will you?
Tried this recipe out? Leave a rating and comment below with your thoughts, and don’t forget to come say hi on Instagram and show me what you made!
Buzzin’ over fall drinks:
Pumpkin Spice Espresso Martini
apple cider tequila sour
Ingredients
- 1 cup sugar
- 4 chai tea bags
- 2 oz tequila
- 2 oz apple cider
- 1/2 oz lemon juice
- 1 egg white
- star anise, to garnish
Instructions
- In a small saucepot, simmer the sugar in 1 cup of water until dissolved, about 3-4 minutes. Remove from heat and drop in the tea bags. Steep 10-12 minutes. Squeeze excess syrup from the used tea bags back into the pot and discard the bags.
- In a shaker, combine the tequila, apple cider, 1/2 oz chai syrup (or more, to taste), lemon juice, and egg white. Dry shake for 30 seconds with no ice, then add ice and shake 30 seconds more until chilled. Strain into a coupe glass and garnish with a star anise, as desired.
