Apple Crisp Cocktail

A comforting yet refreshing fall cocktail.

By
Maggie Hoffman
Maggie Hoffman is a contributing writer at Serious Eats.
Maggie Hoffman
Maggie Hoffman is a longtime food and drink expert whose recipes and cocktail-making tips can be found on her newsletters What to Drink and The Dinner Plan. She is the author of  The One-Bottle Cocktail and Batch Cocktails, both published by Ten Speed Press.
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Published October 10, 2025
A glass filled with a fizzy lightcolored beverage garnished with a lemon wedge placed on a wooden surface

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Why It Works

  • Infusing the bourbon with green cardamom pods gives it a warm, spiced note.
  • Honey brings sweetness, while lemon juice provides a touch of sweetness.

This autumnal highball from Union Square Cafe in NYC combines Laird's bonded apple brandy with bourbon infused with spicy green cardamom pods. It's lightly spicy but still refreshing. We used Buffalo Trace bourbon, but you can use whichever drinkable bourbon you have on hand. Don't infuse the bourbon for longer than directed, or it will take on an overly aggressive flavor. This recipe makes 1 cup of infused bourbon, which you can save in a sealed container for future cocktails. To make honey syrup, stir together 1 ounce of boiling water and 1 ounce of honey until dissolved. Let cool before using.

Apple crisp cocktail in a glass with a lemon peel garnish on a wooden surface

Serious Eats / Deli Studios

September 2012

Recipe Details

Apple Crisp Cocktail

Prep 5 mins
Infusing Time 90 mins
Total 95 mins
Serves 1 serving
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Ingredients

For the Cardamom-Infused Bourbon:

  • 1/4 cup green cardamom pods (1 ounce; 28 g)

  • 1 cup (240 ml) bourbon, such as Buffalo Trace

For the Honey Syrup:

  • 1 ounce hot water

  • 1 ounce honey

For the Cocktail:

  • 1 ounce Laird's 100 Proof Apple Brandy (1 ounce honey Applejack)

  • 1/2 ounce cardamom-Infused bourbon, from above

  • 3/4 ounce fresh juice from 1 medium lemon

  • 3/4 ounce honey syrup, from above

  • Club soda, for serving

  • Lemon twist, for serving

Directions

  1. For the Cardamom-Infused Bourbon: In a mortar and pestle, coarsely crush 1/4 cup cardamom pods. Place crushed cardamom pods in a resealable container or glass jar. Add bourbon, shake, and let sit until fragrant, about 1 1/2 hours at room temperature. Using a fine-mesh sieve, strain bourbon into a clean container or jar; set aside.

    Two steps of cocktail preparation crushing cardamom pods in a mortar and pouring liquid into a glass with spices

    Serious Eats / Deli Studios

  2. For the Honey Syrup: In a small bowl, whisk water and honey to combine. Set aside.

  3. For the Cocktail: Fill a cocktail shaker with ice. Add apple brandy, cardamom-infused bourbon, lemon juice, and honey syrup. Shake until well chilled, about 15 seconds.

    Four steps showing the preparation of a cocktail using ice liquid ingredients and a mixing container

    Serious Eats / Deli Studios

  4. Strain into an ice-filled highball glass. Top with club soda and garnish with lemon twist.

    A cocktail being prepared and a finished golden drink in a glass with ice and a garnish

    Serious Eats / Deli Studios

Special Equipment

Mortar and pestle, resealable container or glass jar, fine-mesh sieve, whisk, cocktail shaker

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
252 Calories
0g Fat
42g Carbs
0g Protein
×
Nutrition Facts
Servings: 1
Amount per serving
Calories 252
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 0g 0%
Saturated Fat 0g 0%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 5mg 0%
Total Carbohydrate 42g 15%
Dietary Fiber 1g 3%
Total Sugars 40g
Protein 0g
Vitamin C 12mg 58%
Calcium 17mg 1%
Iron 0mg 1%
Potassium 79mg 2%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

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