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    A Full Living » Blog » Beverages

    Published: Oct 2, 2021 · Modified: Dec 20, 2021 by Briana · This post may contain affiliate links.

    Bourbon Apple Smash (Refined Sugar Free)

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
    bourbon apple cider bourbon cocktail refined sugar free

    Looking for a fun, delicious fall cocktail? This Apple Bourbon Cocktail ticks all the boxes. It's made with hard apple cider, bourbon, honey crisp apple, a little lemon, warming spices and sugar free maple syrup. You're going to love this easy to make & delicious autumn drink!


    bourbon apple smash garnished with cinnamon sticks, apple slices, thyme, and a marigold flower

    Fall is officially in full swing with this apple cider cocktail! You can't go wrong with a naturally gluten free drink that's full of the flavors of apple pie and bourbon, that's ready in no time. Cozy up with this perfect autumn drink that you can make in under 10 minutes.

    We include lots of process pictures in the body of the text, as well as ideas for substitutions and more. Feel free to skip to the recipe card if you'd like to get right into it. This recipe is also available as a Google Web Story here!

    Ingredients:​

    bourbon apple smash cocktail ingredients with text to denote different ingredients
    • Honey crisp apples - Or any variety you prefer. We use about a quarter to one half of a large apple, and then muddle it at the bottom of a cocktail shaker before adding the other ingredients.
    • Maple syrup replacement - Since we eat a lower carb diet, we often use a lower sugar alternative to regular maple syrup. Although, the traditional stuff will work of course too. Sweeten the drink to taste!
    • Lemon juice - Freshly squeezed, to add a bit of sweetness and acidity
    • Ground cinnamon & nutmeg - Just a pinch of both, and they are optional, but it adds a lovely warming, fall flavor to this drink.
    • Angostura bitters - Optional, but balances this drink with a small amount of bitterness. The drink is fairly sweet otherwise.
    • Bourbon - Use something you really enjoy here, anything goes!
    • Dry hard apple cider - We will use the hard apple cider to infuse more apple flavor into the drink, as well as some fizz, and a little bit more alcohol. You could use our homemade spiced apple cider instead, or even a little apple juice. We chose dry hard cider to tone down some of the sweetness in this recipe, here's a good list of some ciders that are less sweet.
    • Garnish with: apple slices, cinnamon sticks, edible flowers, thyme sprigs (optional)

    How to Make an Apple Cider Bourbon Smash:

    Step 1: Muddle

    Add apples, ground cinnamon and nutmeg to the bottom of your cocktail shaker.

    chunks of honey crisp apple at the bottom of a cocktail shaker beside a fresh apple, cinnamon sticks, nutmeg and a muddler
    chunks of honey crisp apple  topped with cinnamon and nutmegat the bottom of a cocktail shaker beside a fresh apple, cinnamon sticks, nutmeg and a muddler

    Add lemon juice and sugar free maple syrup.

    hand holding a lemon over top of a cocktail shaker with honey crisp apple, cinnamon and nutmeg
    hand holding maple syrup replacement over top of a cocktail shaker filled with apples, lemon, cinnamon and nutmeg

    Pour in the bourbon.

    hand pouring in bourbon into a cocktail shaker with apples, cinnamon, nutmeg, lemon juice and maple syrup replacement

    Muddle very well.

    muddled apples with lemon, cinnamon, nutmeg, bourbon, maple syrup at the bottom of a cocktail shaker

    Step 2: Shake

    Fill the cocktail shaker with ice & shake vigorously for 30 seconds.

    ice in a cocktail shaker surrounded by apples, nutmeg, cinnamon and lemon

    Step 3: Strain

    Double strain into an ice filled glass.

    double straining an apple cocktail into a glass

    Step 4: Top & Garnish

    Top with dry hard apple cider. Garnish with apple slices, cinnamon sticks, thyme sprigs, edible flowers, or whatever you like!

    pouring dry apple cider into a cocktail glass
    bourbon apple smash with apples, cinnamon sticks, thyme sprigs and a marigold flower

    Tips For The Best Bourbon Apple Cider Cocktail:

    • Serve right away. To make a larger batch, pre mix all ingredients except for the the hard apple cider. Pour into a large punch bowl or serving container, then serve with ice and top with cider before serving.
    • Sweeten this drink to taste. It may also depend on the type of apple and hard cider that you use.
    Which Alcohol Goes Best With Apple Cider?


    While we are actually using alcoholic cider instead of plain apple cider in this drink, there's a reason why bourbon is such a perfect match. The warm, oaky flavors of bourbon pair perfectly with apple cider & all things apple.

    Some other good alcohols that go well with apple items include: whiskey, scotch, beer, sparkling wine, rum, vodka and even mezcal and tequila.

    two glasses of bourbon apple cocktails garnished with cinnamon sticks, marigold flowers, apple slices and thyme sprigs

    More Fall Recipes To Try:

    • Apple Cider Bourbon Cocktail (made with our homemade sugar free grenadine, and apple cider!)
    • Fall Harvest Whiskey Sangria
    • Sugar Free Apple Cinnamon Whiskey Sour
    • Apple Crumble Bars
    • Apple Cider Mimosa with Spiced Rum
    bourbon apple smash cocktail

    Shop This Recipe:

    Want to get supplies for this recipe or shop our keto kitchen or pantry? We've linked our favorites above and right here in our Amazon Store!  

    A Full Living is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associate program, an affiliate advertising program designed to promote a means for sites to earn advertising fees by linking products to amazon.com. We only share products we use and love. It doesn't cost you anything extra to shop using our links, but we earn a small commission that helps us keep this site going! 

    a flat lay of a bourbon apple smash with thyme, apple slices, a marigold flowers, and cinnamon sticks

    If you get a chance to try this recipe, let us know what you think, would ya?! Leave us a comment, or catch up with us on Facebook or Instagram, or pin to your favorite Pinterest board for later. We love sharing your versions of our creations over on Instagram @afullliving!

    If you could please leave a comment and/or a rating if you loved this recipe, we would be forever grateful! (Ratings helps users find our recipes, since users say that they like them!)

    Thanks for stopping by! Be sure to subscribe to our email newsletter so you're the first to know about new recipes we post on our blog.

    Until Next Time,
    Briana & Chamere

    bourbon apple smash cocktail

    Bourbon Apple Smash Cocktail (Refined Sugar Free)

    Looking for a fun, delicious fall cocktail? This Apple Bourbon Cocktail ticks all the boxes. It's made with hard apple cider, bourbon, honey crisp apple, a little lemon, warming spices and sugar free maple syrup. You're going to love this easy to make & delicious autumn drink!
    5 from 1 vote
    Print Pin Rate SaveSaved!
    Prep Time: 5 minutes
    Cook Time: 2 minutes
    Total Time: 7 minutes
    Servings: 1 serving
    Author: Briana

    Ingredients

    • ¼ large honey crisp apple
    • 2 tablespoons maple syrup replacement (could use regular maple syrup if not watching carbs)
    • 1 ounce fresh lemon juice
    • Dash Angosturra bitters (optional)
    • Pinch ground cinnamon
    • Pinch ground nutmeg (optional)
    • Ice to fill shaker + for the glass
    • 2 ounces bourbon
    • 2 ounces dry hard cider to top drink
    • Garnish with apple wedge, cinnamon stick, lemon, thyme springs (optional) 

    Instructions

    • Muddle apple in the bottom of a cocktail shaker with sugar free maple syrup, lemon, warming spices, bitters and sugar free maple syrup.
    • Pour in bourbon, then add ice to fill shaker. Shake vigorously for 30 seconds to chill. Double strain into an ice filled glass. Top with dry apple cider, and garnish with cinnamon sticks, apple slices and thyme if desired.
    • Serve right away. To make a larger batch, pre mix all ingredients except for the the hard apple cider. Pour into a large punch bowl or serving container, then serve with ice and top with cider before serving.

    Notes

    • Use whatever your favorite type of apple is, and be aware that the nutrition facts may vary depending on the apple. 
    • A dry hard cider was used for this cocktail, use your favorite variety. 
    • Regular maple syrup can be used in place of sugar free maple syrup but it will greatly impact the carbs, sugar, and calories. 

    Nutrition

    Calories: 213kcal | Carbohydrates: 19g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 1mg | Potassium: 90mg | Fiber: 9g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 32IU | Vitamin C: 14mg | Calcium: 5mg | Iron: 1mg

    These nutrition facts are provided as a courtesy and are only estimates. We cannot guarantee the accuracy.

    Did you love it?If you made this recipe, make sure to show us on Instagram at @AFullLiving or tag #AFullLiving! We love to see what you guys are making!
    Course: Drinks
    Cuisine: American
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