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This Apple Cider Mocktail is a delicious non-alcoholic drink that is packed with cozy spices that pair well with fresh apple cider. Made with apple cider, cinnamon, ginger, and turmeric, this recipe is perfect for the fall season, even helping boost immunity!
If you love fall flavors, you’ll love this apple mocktail. It’s so easy and can be ready to sip in less than 15 minutes. Use the leftover base as a ginger turmeric shot!
Looking for more apple cider recipes? Try my Winter Wassail, Apple Cider Pork Chops or Baked Donut Holes. You may especially love these Apple Pie Bites!
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
This fall apple cider mocktail has all the best flavors of the season, but also packs some anti-inflammatory power with ginger, turmeric, and cinnamon. Here’s why you’ll love it!
- Easy – The apple cider base can be store-bought, or you can use a fresh apple as well. It also just requires blending – no reducing or extra dishes!
- Lower sugar – This mocktail without simple syrup just uses natural sugars from the apples without anything else added to sweeten.
- Inexpensive – All you need are pantry staples to make this recipe, saving you a lot more money to make it at home.
- Immune-boosting – The natural properties of ginger, turmeric, and cinnamon can help with the immune system and natural pain relief.
- Fall mocktail – This and my pear mocktail should be a hit for the fall season!
Ingredients
Just a few ingredients are needed for this simple apple mocktail – most of which you probably have on hand!
- Apple cider – You can also use apple juice or a fresh apple and water, if you can’t find good quality apple cider. I really recommend one that’s fresh from a local farm, which you can sometimes find in grocery stores September through November. Since it’s the base of this drink, it makes a big difference.
- Ginger – Fresh ginger is recommended. If substituting dried, it can change the flavor of the recipe.
- Turmeric – Dried turmeric is fine for this recipe. Black pepper is needed to aid with the absorption of the curcumin in turmeric.
- Cinnamon – Use your favorite kind of cinnamon here. I think Ceylon changes the flavor too much for me, but know some people enjoy it!
- Sparkling water or ginger ale – I love Topo Chico because it’s the most carbonated, ginger ale or non-alcoholic ginger beer is also great for this.
See the recipe card below for the full ingredients and amounts.
How to Make an Apple Cider Mocktail
Step 1: Make the apple cider base
This recipe uses the base of my ginger turmeric shots to make an apple cider mixture. Blend together the apple cider, ginger, turmeric, cinnamon, and black pepper till well combined.
Use a fine mesh strainer to pour the apple cider blend into a larger cup or bowl, straining out the pulp from the ginger. Set the strained apple cider mix aside.
Step 2: Mix the mocktail
Add ice to a glass or make this in a coupe glass without ice by using a cocktail shaker. Pour in about 1/2-3/4 of the apple mixture. Then add the sparkling water or ginger ale to top the drink off.
Serve with sliced apples, cinnamon sticks, or a sprinkle of cinnamon for garnish.
Recipe Substitutions
Here are a few ideas if you’re sensitive to any of the components in this apple cider mocktail.
- Turmeric – If you’re sensitive to turmeric, just leave it out of this mixture.
- Cinnamon – Replace cinnamon with a pinch of nutmeg or cardamom. You could also use pumpkin pie spice.
- Apple cider – Use apple juice or blend an apple with water.
- Sweetener – I recommend adding honey or maple syrup to make
- Ginger ale or sparkling water – Ginger ale, ginger beer (non-alcoholic) or sparkling water can all be used as the final mixer.
Use ginger beer for the strongest flavor, ginger ale for more mild sweetness, and sparkling water for the least amount of added sugar.
Serving Ideas
Garnish – For a fun garnish, add sliced apples, cinnamon sticks, star anise, or ginger slices/candied ginger.
These apple cider mocktails will also pair well with a cozy, fall dinner like these:
If you have any extra apple cider to use, you can try these apple cider pork chops or apple oatmeal smoothie!
Frequently Asked Questions
Apple cider usually is made from freshly pressed apples. It’s unfiltered and because it’s made with fewer preservatives, often has a shorter shelf life and less sugar. Apple cider is not the same thing as hard cider – which contains alcohol.
Apple cider is great for cooking! Try it in these baked donut holes, apple cider pork chops, or even in a pot roast without wine.
Yes! The best way to do this is to make the apple cider base ahead of time, blend and strain, then store in a mason jar till you’re ready to combine with the ginger ale, ginger beer, or sparkling water.
Fall Mocktails
Drinks
Sleepy Girl Mocktail (Tart Cherry Drink)
These fall mocktails are packed with lots of cozy flavors and perfect for cooler days, just like this apple cider drink!
Love this recipe? Please leave a 5-star 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 review in the recipe card! Don’t forget to tag me @thedizzycook on Facebook and Instagram, and follow along on Pinterest for more great recipes!
Apple Cider Mocktail
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cup apple cider*
- 1 ounce fresh peeled ginger root, 2-3 inch knob
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground turmeric
- A few grinds of freshly ground black pepper
- 1 can sparkling water, non-alcoholic ginger beer, or ginger ale
Instructions
- Blend all ingredients in a high-powered blender, on high, for 20 seconds. Strain the mixture through a fine-mesh strainer into a glass jar or measuring cup, using a spoon to push the juice through the strainer to remove the pulp. Discard the pulp.
- Add about 1/4-1/3 of a cup of the juice to a glass with ice or a coupe glass. Top off with sparkling water, non-alcoholic ginger beer, or ginger ale. Garnish with cinnamon sticks or sliced ginger.
Notes
- Instead of apple cider, you can use 1 apple (core removed and chopped) + 1 cup filtered water or apple juice. The flavor won’t be as strong as the apple cider.
- Freeze the juice in an ice cube tray and/or store any remaining juice in a glass bottle or mason jar in your fridge for up to 5 days.
- I recommend Topo Chico for the most carbonation for sparkling water, and Fever Tree or Regatta light for ginger beer.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Hello! If i’ve already made the ginger juice – how do I make this apple cider mocktail?
Thank you!
Hey! Blend everything without the ginger, then add in the ginger juice to your taste. If you’re mixing into a mocktail I’d do 1/4 cup of apple juice and start with 2-3 teaspoons of the ginger juice, then add more from there.
I thoroughly enjoy your recipes – which I use at least once a day. I’m excited to try this recipe on the weekend. Have you ever heated the apple cider mix before serving this mocktail?
I haven’t yet because it’s been 90 degrees plus here this year haha! But I bet it would be pretty good. Try it and let me know!
Such great flavors and really easy to make. I froze some for later!
Thanks, Ann!