Yes to Yolks

a food journal

  • Home
  • Recipes
  • About
  • Work with Me
  • Privacy Policies

Apple Cider Manhattans

October 27, 2017 by Molly Leave a Comment

Jump to Recipe·Print Recipe

 

Apple Cider Manhattans

Happy Friday, friends!

What are your weekend plans? Are you attending any fall festivals? Halloween parties?

As per usual, our plans this weekend are fairly low key. Our big plans for tonight are bingeing “Stranger Things” after Kieran is in bed. We’ll probably be up way too late for our old selves, but it will be so worth it. Then, tomorrow night, we’re having dinner with some good friends at a new local restaurant. Sunday is booked with family and football. All good things. All low key. Just the way we like it.

One thing is for sure: these apple cider Manhattans are going to happen this weekend. Probably more than once.

You guys. These cocktails are. so. good. I am not a brown liquor person usually (I’ve talked about this several times before), and I usually stick to my comfort zone of vodka and gin, but one that I can handle better than others is bourbon. Especially when it’s cut with brown sugar syrup (!!!) and a healthy splash of apple cider.

Apple Cider Manhattans

Manhattans are probably the only brown liquor drink I can say with any hint of confidence that (1) I can make a good one, and (2) I can drink a whole one (maybe even two if I’m feeling feisty). The taste doesn’t immediately put my gag reflex in motion (bad college memories, ahem), and all the other flavors in this drink make it go down super smooth.

My husband LOVES brown liquor. In fact, in his mid 30s, he has discovered that they may even be his hard liquor drink of choice. He does a lot of sazeracs, old fashioneds, and Manhattans when we’re out to eat, usually as a pre-dinner cocktail. I’m usually sitting next to him with a fizzy gin drink chock full of champagne, elderflower liquor, and/or citrus. Haha. Brown liquor just isn’t my thang.

These certainly warm me up to the idea of a glass of bourbon, though.

The thing I love about Manhattans is how freaking EASY they are to put together. You fill a tall glass with ice and pour in the bourbon (or rye whiskey!), vermouth, and any other accompanying flavors you might want, stir it up until everything is mixed and chilled, and then strain it into a serving glass. Garnish with orange wedges/peels and a brandied cherry. Voilà! You’re good to go. No shaking. No rimming the glasses. It’s just booze in a glass. No frills.

Except!

Apple Cider Manhattans

In this case, I garnished the glasses with homemade brandied cherries. This was my first attempt at brandied cherries, and guys, I gotta tell ya…they are life changing.

Back in August, when fresh cherries were still OMG-AMAZING, I stocked up on a few pounds and pitted and stemmed each one of those suckers. I made a spiced brandy-brown sugar syrup for them to soak in. I jarred them (like, for real this time. With boiling water and everything! Look at me being a grown up) and popped them in the fridge to hang out for a couple months. We popped open the first jar a couple weeks ago (to make these Manhattans, actually!), and holy crappola….

Brandied cherries are definitely going to be something I make every summer. They are the perfect addition to wintery, cozy cocktails like these Manhattans.

(Side note: would you guys be interested in a recipe for brandied cherries? Let me know!)

But! They are the only high-maintenance aspect of this recipe. You can totally skip making them (I did for years!) and buy them at the liquor store. The only other thing that is slightly out of the ordinary with these Manhattans is the brown sugar syrup, which essentially is just a simple syrup made with brown sugar. If you don’t like your drinks sweet (or if you’re a beast and can take bourbon down mostly straight), then you can skip it altogether! For a weakling like me, though, it makes these Manhattans much easier to drink.

Apple Cider Manhattans

I actually keep a container of brown sugar syrup in the fridge most of the time. It’s great in a pinch when it comes to cocktail time, and it adds a slightly smoky, caramely flavor to whatever drink you’re making.

In other words: it’s delicious.

As are these apple cider Manhattans! Make ’em happen this weekend.

 

Print
clock clock iconcutlery cutlery iconflag flag iconfolder folder iconinstagram instagram iconpinterest pinterest iconfacebook facebook iconprint print iconsquares squares iconheart heart iconheart solid heart solid icon
Apple Cider Manhattans

Apple Cider Manhattans


5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

No reviews

  • Total Time: 15 minutes
  • Yield: 2 cocktails with extra syrup (easily multiplied) 1x
Print Recipe
Pin Recipe

Description

These Apple Cider Manhattans are a fall twist on a classic cocktail. Sweetened with a caramely brown sugar syrup and topped off with apple cider, these are a whiskey-lover’s dream come true!


Ingredients

Scale

For the Brown Sugar Syrup:

  • 1 cup water
  • 1 cup light brown sugar

For Two Cocktails:

  • 3 oz bourbon or rye whiskey
  • 1½ oz sweet vermouth
  • ½ oz fernet-branca liqueur (optional)
  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar syrup
  • ¼ cup apple cider
  • Orange slices
  • Brandied cherries

Instructions

For the Brown Sugar Syrup:

  1. Combine the water and brown sugar in a small saucepan. Heat until the mixture is simmering. Cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently, or until all the sugar is dissolved in the water.
  2. Cool to room temperature and then store in an airtight container in the fridge.

For Two Cocktails:

  1. Fill a tall glass with ice. Add the bourbon, vermouth, fernet-branca liqueur, brown sugar syrup, and apple cider. Stir well to mix and chill all the ingredients.
  2. Strain the mixture into two chilled glasses and garnish each with an orange slice and a brandied cherry. Serve immediately.
  • Prep Time: 5 minutes
  • Cook Time: 10 minutes
  • Category: cocktails

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @yestoyolks on Instagram and hashtag it #yestoyolks

 

Apple Cider Manhattans

 

SaveSave

SaveSave

Related

Filed Under: Drinks, Fruit, Recipes, Vegetarian Tagged With: alcohol, apple cider, beverages, booze, bourbon, brandied cherries, brown sugar, cocktails, drinks, libations, Manhattans, simple syrup

« One-Pot Chicken Parmesan Pasta Skillet
Sweet Potato Noodles with Chai-Spiced Cream Sauce »

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe rating 5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Hi there. I’m Molly. Welcome to my little space devoted to all things FOOD! More about me...

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

Recent Posts

  • Blueberry Chocolate Chip Skillet Cookie
  • Strawberry & Pistachio Galette
  • Sesame Ginger Pork with Wasabi Soba Noodles
  • Crispy Halloumi Grain Bowls with Creamy Dill Dressing
  • Guinness Brookies
  • Pepperoni Pizza Lasagna Rolls

Archives

Subscribe to Blog via Email

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Connect

Hi There. I'm Molly. I'm a food-obsessed, self-taught cook and I can't wait to share my passion for all things culinary with you. My love for egg yolks is just the tip of the iceberg! Read More…

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • TikTok
  • Twitter
Copyright © 2025 Yes to Yolks