Apple butter is a brilliant shortcut to a robustly flavored drink. Deeply appley, spiced with cinnamon and sometimes ginger, nutmeg, or clove, it brings in every essential autumn note in a teaspoon or two. In this drink from Zach Lynch, bar manager of the Ice Plant in St. Augustine, Florida, the apple butter meets its match in bourbon (plus lemon juice and dark brown sugar to bring out both high and low notes). All that’s missing is a pumpkin patch and a freshly fried cider doughnut.
Recipe information
Yield
Makes 1 cocktail
Ingredients
1
1
1½
½
2
Need to make a substitution?
Preparation
Stir together 1 tsp. dark brown sugar and 1 tsp. hot water in a cocktail shaker to dissolve. Let cool, then add 1½ oz. bourbon, ½ oz. fresh lemon juice, and 2 tsp. apple butter and fill with ice. Shake until well chilled, about 15 seconds. Strain into an ice-filled rocks glass. Garnish with orange twist and freshly grated or ground cinnamon.
