Sparkling Apple Pie Mocktail
This delightful non-alcoholic party drink brings the beloved taste of apple pie into a refreshing, effervescent beverage that's perfect for everyone at your table. The magic of this Sparkling Apple Pie Mocktail lies in its ability to harness authentic apple pie flavors – from the warming cinnamon to the sweet-tart apple notes.
Equipment
- Medium Saucepan
- Fine-mesh Sieve
- Heat-safe container
Ingredients
For the Base
- 2 cups fresh apple cider unfiltered works best for rich flavor
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
- 2 cinnamon sticks
For Serving
- 2 cups sparkling water or club soda
- 1 Honeycrisp apple thinly sliced for garnish
- additional cinnamon sticks for garnish
- ice cubes
- cinnamon sugar optional, for rimming glasses
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan, combine the apple cider, lemon juice, ground cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice. Add the cinnamon sticks and bring the mixture to a gentle simmer over medium heat. Don't let it reach a full boil.
- Reduce heat to low and simmer for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally. You'll know it's ready when the kitchen fills with the aroma of apple pie and the liquid has reduced slightly.
- Remove from heat and allow the cider mixture to cool completely. This cooling step is crucial - adding sparkling water to hot cider will cause it to go flat immediately.
- Once cooled, strain the spiced cider through a fine-mesh sieve to remove any spice particles. Press gently on the solids to extract maximum flavor before discarding.
- If desired, rim your glasses with cinnamon sugar. Simply rub a lemon wedge around the rim and dip in a mixture of 2 tablespoons sugar combined with 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon. Fill glasses halfway with ice.
- Pour the cooled spiced cider mixture into glasses, filling them about halfway. Top with sparkling water in a 1:1 ratio. Gently stir once to combine without losing carbonation.
- Garnish each glass with fresh apple slices and a cinnamon stick. Serve immediately while the carbonation is at its peak.
Notes
- The spiced cider base can be prepared up to 3 days ahead and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator
- Do not pre-mix with sparkling water until serving time to prevent loss of carbonation
- Apple garnishes can be prepared 2 hours ahead; toss with a little lemon juice to prevent browning
- For a lower-carb version, use sugar-free sparkling flavored water instead of plain sparkling water
- For an alcoholic version, add 1-1.5 oz of bourbon, spiced rum, or vanilla vodka per serving
- Do not pre-mix with sparkling water until serving time to prevent loss of carbonation
- Apple garnishes can be prepared 2 hours ahead; toss with a little lemon juice to prevent browning
- For a lower-carb version, use sugar-free sparkling flavored water instead of plain sparkling water
- For an alcoholic version, add 1-1.5 oz of bourbon, spiced rum, or vanilla vodka per serving
Nutrition
Calories: 85kcalCarbohydrates: 21gSodium: 12mgFiber: 0.5gSugar: 18g
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