Name: Apple Ginger Margarita
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 25 min
Ingredients: 1 Tbsp cinnamon (for rimming glasses); Ice cubes; 2 cups apple cider; 2 oz. ginger simple syrup ((recipe below)); 1/3 cup silver (white) tequila; 2 oz. apple brandy; Chopped apples (optional for garnish); 1 cup granulated sugar; 1 cup water; 1 Tbsp sliced ginger

Instead of making you wish you were sitting on a beach, this Apple Ginger Margarita will make you wish you were sitting around the Thanksgiving dinner table! Made with apple cider, ginger simple syrup, tequila, and apple brandy, it's a delightful fall cocktail.

Head-on view of an apple ginger margarita with cinnamon rim and red and white striped straw on an outside table with a second cocktail and bottle of apple brandy in the background and "Apple Ginger Margarita" text at top.

Welcome to another edition of Cocktail Monday. We have a lot to celebrate this week.

The best holiday ever is happening! One of my Thanksgiving "jobs" is to bring the cocktails (best job ever). If that's your job, too, I'd like to highly recommend this Apple Ginger Margarita.

It's everything you'd want in a margarita… But perfect for the Thanksgiving season. Margaritas generally make me wish I was sitting on the beach somewhere, but this one makes me wish I was sitting around the Thanksgiving dinner table.

🍎 How to make an apple ginger margarita

I didn't take a single photo of this cocktail-making process. It must have been because it was so ridiculously simple. Just trust me on that.

Then again, I could (and maybe do?) make simple syrup in my sleep, I've made it so many times before.

This ginger simple syrup will take you 10 minutes to do. But with only about 1 minute of actually doing anything. All you have to do is bring the sugar, water, and ginger to a boil, lower the heat to a simmer, and let simmer for about 10 minutes. Remove mixture from heat, strain ginger out, and pour into a jar or bowl. Let cool. And try not to drink it with a straw.

For the rest of the drink, I strongly recommend rimming the glass with cinnamon. Brush a little simple syrup on (or honey or even just water) and it will stick perfectly.

Fill the glasses with some ice and then put more ice into a cocktail shaker. Also add the half the apple cider, ginger simple syrup, tequila, and apple brandy and shake.

Pour the apple margarita into a glass. Repeat for the second drink. If you're in the mood, I recommend topping with some chopped apples and sprinkling a little more cinnamon over the top.

Overhead view of apple ginger margarita in a mason jar with cinnamon rim, chopped apple garnish and red and white striped straw with second cocktail and bottle of apple brandy in the background.

For all the apple recipes I posted this season, I'm honestly sad about how little apple cider I drank.

Does that mean I need to make these apple margaritas 14 more times within the next week? Probably.

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Apple Brandy is also going down as one of my best new discoveries of 2014. I'm sure it will be back with a vengeance next year.

Landscape head-on view of two apple ginger margaritas in mason jars with cinnamon rims and red and white striped straws with bottle of apple brandy and cocktail shaker in the background.

Thanksgiving also used to be the time where I'd head home to meet up with everyone from high school. But now it's the time where I go to my parents' house and sit on the couch in my pajamas and just stalk everyone from high school on Facebook.

I'd rather sit on my parents' couch drinking one of these margaritas than have a bad drink at a crowded bar packed with people I haven't seen for 13 years for a reason. Actually, I'd rather sit on my parents' couch drinking one of these margaritas than most things.

Can you blame me? Plus, apple ginger margaritas go really, really well with turkey.

Do you make a special cocktail every Thanksgiving?

I hope so. I'm pretty sure this apple ginger margarita will be on my Thanksgiving dinner table this year! Have I mentioned I can't wait? Also, happy Thanksgiving week!!

If you're looking for more fall-themed cocktails, be sure to check out my recipes for Pumpkin Pie Martinis and Holiday Spiced Honeycrisp Apple Cocktails. I also love these Caramel Apple Vodka Martinis from Sense and Edibility!

📖 Recipe