Spirits

The Best Cozy Cocktail Recipes for Fall & Winter

As the season changes, so should your cocktails. Discover our favorite fall cocktail recipes for your coziest autumn yet.

By 

Meyme Nakash & Emily Singer

 |  January 6, 2024

When the leaves start changing color and balmy summer evenings turn into crisp autumn twilight, fall has arrived. With it, we begin to crave the rich flavors of seasonal fruits such as cranberries, pears, and apples, as well as cinnamon and other spices. We’ve rounded up some of our favorite fall cocktail recipes with the essence of autumn that are guaranteed to keep you cozy this season. 

The Best Cozy Cocktail Recipes for Fall & Winter

Smoke Signal

This cocktail is an earthy take on a Negroni. It uses a mezcal reposado base and replaces the vermouth with a combination of cherry wine and coffee liqueur. In addition, the mixture is just the right amount of smoky and sweet. It’s also best served in an old-fashioned glass over a large ice cube. It can be found at the Amaranto Bar at the Four Seasons Hotel London at Park Lane.

Ingredients:

1 oz Ilegal Mezcal Reposado

1 oz Campari

0.5 oz Visciolata del Cardinale 

0.25 oz coffee liqueur

3 drops Laphroaig Lore whisky

Autumn 

Dante, a famed cocktail bar in New York City, creates elegant craft cocktails in its stylish circa-1915 bar and restaurant. Its Autumn cocktail is a fruit-forward concoction — a combination of Calvados (apple cider distilled into Brandy), Laird’s Applejack Brandy, Sauternes (a French sweet wine), Dolin Dry Vermouth, and lastly, Pear Eau de Vie (pear brandy). In fact, one barspoon of smoked maple syrup adds a delicious, sticky sweetness. Lastly, a dash each of Wormwood bitters, Dale DeGroff bitters, and apple cider vinegar finishes off the cocktail. Stir with ice, and then strain into your favorite glass. Sliced figs look lovely as a garnish, as well as star anise.

Ingredients:

1 oz Calvados

0.5 oz Laird’s Straight Applejack Brandy

1 oz Sauternes

0.5 oz Dolin Dry

0.25 oz Pear Eau de Vie

1 barspoon of smoked maple syrup

1 dash Wormwood Bitters

1 dash Dale DeGroff bitters

1 dash apple cider vinegar

Espresso Martini 

Impress your coffee-addicted friends by making them a caffeinated cocktail. Although you can use just about any spirit, we love this particular take on an espresso martini, which uses cognac instead of vodka. First, you’ll need Rémy Martin 1738, espresso, coffee liqueur, and simple syrup. Then, combine all of the ingredients, shake well, and strain twice. Don’t forget to embellish the cocktail with coffee beans for presentation, of course. It’s also best served in a classic coupe or martini glass. 

Ingredients:

1.5 oz Rémy Martin 1738

1 oz espresso

0.5 oz coffee liqueur

0.5 oz simple syrup

Bee + Chamomile

The Bee + Chamomile is a craft cocktail reminiscent of chrysanthemum flowers that bloom in the fall. Chamomile-infused gin blends with orange-blossom water, honey, and also grapefruit juice, giving the drink a delicate floral sweetness. Additionally, half an ounce of lemon juice adds just the right amount of tanginess. Stir and then pour over a large ice cube in your glass of choice. NR — an NYC cocktail bar that also serves delicious Japanese fare — suggests garnishing it with dried chamomile flowers.

Ingredients:

2 oz chamomile-infused gin 

0.3 oz orange-blossom water

0.3 oz honey

1.5 oz grapefruit juice (milk wash clarified)

0.5 oz lemon juice (milk wash clarified)

James Whiteside’s The Ballerino

James Whiteside’s The Ballerino is a fresh and floral cocktail. Angel’s Envy Bourbon brings in flavors of candied fruits, subtle toffee, as well as maple syrup. Secondly, St-Germain Elderflower Liqueur is a sweet add-in. In fact, we love this liqueur crafted from elderflower blossoms handpicked in the foothills of the Alps. Sparkling water and ginger-lemon kombucha make the spirit bubbly, while lemon juice and Bittercube Jamaican No. 1 Bitters give it a slight bite. St-Germain also suggests building the ingredients over pebbled ice in a Collins glass. Additionally, confetti looks beautiful as garnish. 

Ingredients:

1 oz Angel’s Envy Bourbon

1 oz St-Germain Elderflower Liqueur 

2 oz sparkling water

1 oz Ginger-Lemon Kombucha

0.5 oz lemon juice

2 drops Bittercube Jamaican No. 1 Bitters 

​​The Rémy Sidecar

An easy-to-make yet sophisticated cocktail, the ​​Rémy Sidecar is a refined cocktail for the fall season. A simple combination of ​​Rémy Martin 1738 Accord Royal, Cointreau, and a spritz of fresh lemon juice produces flavors that are fresh and crisp. Combine the ingredients, shake, strain, then serve in a classic coupe or martini glass. Lastly, don’t forget a sliced lemon peel for garnish.

Ingredients:

1 oz Rémy Martin 1738 Accord Royal

0.6 oz Cointreau

0.3 oz lemon juice

Bacardí’s Hot Buttered Rum

Hot Buttered Rum is also a great dessert cocktail that offers the rich flavor of melted caramel and spices. While any dark rum works for this recipe, we recommend using Santa Teresa 1796. Place the butter in your desired glass. Combine the rest of the ingredients in a saucepan and heat until barely bubbling. Pour the mixture into your glass and stir until the butter is melted. Finally, garnish with cinnamon and nutmeg.

Ingredients:

2 oz Santa Teresa 1796

1 tsp pumpkin butter or unsalted butter

0.5 oz honey syrup

1 dash nutmeg

1 dash of ground cinnamon

Apple Cider Mimosa

We love this Apple Cider Mimosa recipe from Delish because it’s an easy way to elevate brunch during colder seasons. All you need to do is swap orange juice with apple cider and then mix it with Champagne or Prosecco. In fact, this swap is easy enough to do with other drinks, too, to make more apple cider cocktails. For example, you can add apple cider to your classic Old Fashioned or Moscow Mule. For an extra hint of sweetness and spice, dip the glass’s rim in water and then into a mixture of cinnamon and sugar. Then garnish your glass with an apple slice.

Ingredients:

1 Honeycrisp apple

1.5 tsp granulated sugar

1 tsp cinnamon 

6 oz Champagne or Prosecco 

Locke + Co.’s Apple Cider Hot Toddy

Apple cider is simply raw, unfiltered apple juice. When mixed with honey, freshly squeezed lemon juice, and whiskey, it becomes a Hot Toddy with a cozy fall twist. To make an Apple Cider Hot Toddy, combine the apple cider, honey, and lemon juice in a saucepan and then bring to a boil over medium heat for about five minutes. Then remove it, immediately stir in the whiskey, and enjoy this cocktail while it’s still deliciously warm.

Ingredients:

2 oz Locke + Co. Aspen Aged Rye Whiskey 

4 oz apple cider

1 tsp lemon juice

2 tsp honey

Kahlúa’s Pumpkin Spice White Russian

The Pumpkin Spice White Russian is a seasonal spin on a classic cocktail. For the pumpkin spice latte enthusiast, this simple combination of pumpkin spice syrup, vodka, and Kahlúa will satisfy your craving with an even stronger kick than caffeine. Top off the concoction with half-and-half, or replace that with pumpkin spice creamer if you want an even more intense flavor. For a final festive touch, dip the rim of your glass into water and then into a mixture of crushed graham crackers and pumpkin pie spice. 

Ingredients:

1.5 oz Kahlúa

0.5 oz Absolut Mandarin Vodka (or your choice of vodka)

1 oz half-and-half 

0.5 oz pumpkin spice syrup

1 pinch grated nutmeg

3 tbsp crushed graham crackers

1 tsp pumpkin pie spice

Cranberry Mulled Wine

There’s nothing more cozy than the fruity aroma of mulled wine filling your home, and Ali Martin perfected the recipe. To craft this delicious drink the next time you host guests, combine the wine, brandy, and cranberry juice in a large saucepan. Then add the cinnamon sticks, orange slices, whole cloves, ginger, star anise, and your choice of sweetener. Bring the mixture close to a simmer over medium heat, but don’t let it boil (you don’t want to reduce the alcohol). Cover the saucepan and bring the heat to low for at least 30 minutes. Lastly, strain the wine before pouring it into a glass, and garnish with a cinnamon stick. 

Ingredients:

1 bottle of red wine

0.3 c brandy

1 c cranberry juice

1 sliced orange

8 whole cloves

2-star anise

2-inch ginger

2-6 tbsp sweetener (honey, sugar, or maple syrup)

Additional Reporting by Meyme Nakash

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