Looking for a drink to warm up on a chilly evening? A hot toddy is one thing, but even better? Try an Apple Cider Hot Toddy! Apple cider is the ideal balance in a hot toddy: it brings just the right sweet tart nuance to the flavor. Mix one up as a single serving, or make a big batch for guests like a spiked cider. Either way, you’ll love this warming beverage!
Ingredients in an apple cider hot toddy
A hot toddy is a mixed drink made of liquor, hot water, and honey, often made with lemon, spices, or tea. It’s got a long history: originating in India, it was standard in Britain as early as the 1780’s. By the mid-1800’s it had spread: Americans were prescribing it as a cure for the common cold. Some hot toddy recipes use water as a base, like our Classic Hot Toddy. Others use tea, but the best idea we’ve found? Apple cider. It adds a great amount of flavor and compliments the liquor perfectly. Here are the ingredients you’ll need for this apple cider hot toddy recipe:
Apple ciderBourbonHoney (or pure maple syrup)Lemon
Use bourbon, or any of these alternatives
Bourbon and apple cider is a classic combination: in fact, we’ve got several apple cider cocktails that feature this pairing (like Apple Cider Bourbon Cocktail, Spiked Apple Cider, and Whiskey and Apple Cider). But don’t want to use whiskey? The Hot Toddy was classically made using any of these liquors:
Any type of whiskey, including Scotch or Irish whiskey (you can also use rye)Rum, which was commonly used in America in the 1800’s (try a Rum Hot Toddy)Brandy, another American spin (try a Brandy Hot Toddy)
Whatever the case, the cider melds seamlessly into the liquor, making this drink incredibly easy to sip.
How to make an apple cider hot toddy
The hot toddy in its purest form is more of a restorative drink to sip by the fire than a cocktail to serve at parties (though you can do that, too!). Here’s how to make an apple cider hot toddy:
Mix: In the serving glass, stir together 3 tablespoons bourbon with 1 tablespoon honey.Add hot cider: Pour in ½ cup hot apple cider.Add lemon: Squeeze in a lemon wedge.
Or, make it for a crowd!
Want to make apple cider hot toddy recipe for a crowd? You can do that too. Here’s how to make a batch that serves 8 at once! Warm the following on the stove until hot but not boiling:
4 cups apple cider1 ½ cups bourbon4 tablespoons honey
Then garnish the glass and serve! Speaking of…
Garnishes for an apple cider hot toddy
There’s no need to garnish a hot toddy, especially since it’s not intended as a fancy drink. But, you can if you’d like! It makes it look more festive and interesting, as well as adding a little flair to the flavor. Here’s what you can add:
Orange slice (this really adds to the flavor)Cinnamon stickStar aniseWhole cloves
More hot drinks
Love a good warming drink in the fall or winter? Here are some of our top hot drinks to try:
Try the classic Hot Toddy or Bourbon Hot ToddyOpt for Spiked Hot Chocolate or Peppermint Schnapps Hot ChocolateGo for Spiked Cider or Mulled CiderGrab Hot Buttered RumGo classic with Mulled Wine
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