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Who says all fall cocktail recipes must be warm? My easy and festive Brandy Apple Cider Slush recipe can act as an after-dinner drink and dessert all in one.
Table of Contents
Recipe ingredients
Ingredient notes
- Apple cider: You’ll use kid-friendly, classic apple cider in the slush base. Then as a fizzy finish, I call for topping off each glass with a splash of sparkling hard cider (Angry Orchard, Virtue, and Strongbow tend to be widely-available across America). You can also opt for sparkling water as the final element instead of the hard cider, if desired.
- Brandy: This distilled wine is often sipped as a digestif after meals, and has between 35% and 60% alcohol by volume. That alcohol will keep the Brandy Apple Cider Slush recipe from freezing rock hard (while adding some good spirit to your party).
Step-by-step instructions
- In an empty one-gallon ice cream pail, combine the apple cider and brandy. Place in the freezer and chill at least 8 hours, overnight, or up to a month in advance.
- Remove from freezer 1 to 2 hours before serving. As the slush melts, it will become easier to scrape and serve.
- To serve, add 1 cup slush to a glass (a ladle works well). Top with hard cider or sparkling water, as desired.
Recipe tips and variations
- Yield: This recipe makes 12 (1-cup servings), ideal for parties or for the adults to enjoy after dinner over a few fall weekends.
- Make ahead: Feel free to stir together and freeze this slush recipe up to 1 month in advance, then store in the freezer until you’re ready to slightly thaw and scoop.
- Garnish your glasses: Try nestling a few pieces of thinly-sliced apple in each mug or cup. Or make this drink a dessert by adding a dollop of Whipped Cream and a generous drizzle of Caramel Sauce.
Apple Cider Donuts
Overflowing with the flavors of fall, these homemade Apple Cider Donuts are baked, not fried, and then rolled in a cinnamon-sugar mixture for extra crunch.
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Brandy Apple Cider Slush
Who says all fall cocktail recipes must be warm? My easy and festive Brandy Apple Cider Slush recipe can act as an after-dinner drink and dessert all in one.
Ingredients
- 64 ounces apple cider (see note 1)
- 2 cups brandy (see note 2)
- hard apple cider or sparkling water, for serving
Instructions
- In an empty one-gallon ice cream pail, combine the apple cider and brandy. Place in the freezer and chill at least 8 hours, overnight, or up to a month in advance.
- Remove from freezer 1 – 2 hours before serving. As the slush melts, it will become easier to scrape and serve.
- To serve, add 1 cup slush to a glass (a ladle works well). Top with sparkling water or hard cider, as desired.
Notes
- Apple cider: You’ll use kid-friendly, classic apple cider in the slush base. Then as a fizzy finish, I call for topping off each glass with a splash of sparkling hard cider (Angry Orchard, Virtue, and Strongbow tend to be widely-available across America). You can also opt for sparkling water as the final element instead of the hard cider, if desired.
- Brandy: This distilled wine is often sipped as a digestif after meals, and has between 35% and 60% alcohol by volume. That alcohol will keep the Brandy Apple Cider Slush recipe from freezing rock hard (while adding some good spirit to your party).
- Yield: This recipe makes 12 (1-cup servings), ideal for parties or for the adults to enjoy after dinner over a few fall weekends.
- Make ahead: Feel free to stir together and freeze this slush recipe up to 1 month in advance, then store in the freezer until you’re ready to slightly thaw and scoop.
- Garnish your glasses: Try nestling a few pieces of thinly-sliced apple in each mug or cup. Or make this drink a dessert by adding a dollop of Whipped Cream and a generous drizzle of Caramel Sauce.
Nutrition
Serving: 1cupCalories: 162kcalCarbohydrates: 17gProtein: 1gFat: 1gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 6mgPotassium: 154mgFiber: 1gSugar: 15gVitamin A: 2IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 12mgIron: 1mg
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Meggan Hill is a classically-trained chef and professional writer. Her meticulously-tested recipes and detailed tutorials bring confidence and success to home cooks everywhere. Meggan has been featured on NPR, HuffPost, FoxNews, LA Times, and more.
