Now that 80-degree days and “false Fall” are officially behind us, those of us here in Kentucky can breathe in the cooler air and truly settle into the cozy, crisper days of autumn. Wherever you may be this season, we’re here to warm up your chilly evenings with a few unique fall cocktails that are easy drinks to make for one, two, or several people. We know October means firepits, football games, and friends — and because fall is busy enough, our simple cocktail recipes use a few ingredients for maximum fall flavor. 

Now, because we at Cox’s & Evergreen like to think outside the box, we’re branching out beyond pumpkin spice cocktails and embracing rich, warm flavors of autumn like maple, apple, chai, and cinnamon. Whether you’re looking for a fall-themed cocktail to warm up after your leaf-peeping walk (we like this list for places to see foliage in the Louisville area) or craving a drink that tastes like apple pie and bourbon (who isn’t?), here’s five recipes to help you welcome the season.

Apple Whiskey Cocktail

Someone once told us a good apple whiskey cocktail should taste like you tripped and dropped an apple pie into a whiskey barrel. Sounds like something we would do, so it only seems right to share our favorite recipe…it’s easy to whip up one or make a pitcher for a party, and in our humble (but highly experienced) opinion it just happens to be one of the best cocktails to drink around a fire. We like to use Ole Smoky Apple Pie Moonshine, which gives notes of cinnamon and tastes like biting into a ripe, boozy apple. Another favorite is Jim Beam Apple Bourbon - a juicy, sweetly tart twist on classic Jim Beam that still offers the spice and heat of this beloved bourbon. 

Apple Whiskey Cocktail Recipe

• 2 oz apple whiskey (see our favorite recommendations above)

• ¾ oz lemon juice

• ¾ oz simple syrup

• Optional: Cinnamon-sugar rim (dampen rim of glass and turn rim onto a plate with 1 tsp sugar and 1 tsp cinnamon)

1. Add all ingredients to a cocktail shaker with ice.

2. Shake for 15-20 seconds and strain into a rocks glass with ice.

3. Garnish with a thin apple slice

* To convert this recipe into batch whiskey cocktails, multiply your ingredients by 6 and add to a pitcher with three whiskey ice balls, then stir for 30 seconds with a wooden spoon and serve.

Chai Tea Martini

If you’re familiar with an espresso martini, this is a similar concept — rich, creamy, a little frothy — but this is like a martini wearing a sweater…a burst of warming spices include ginger, cardamom, cinnamon, and the sweet nuttiness of amaretto liqueur. This drink feels sophisticated (serve in a martini or coupe glass) and can be festively garnished with an easy sprinkle of cinnamon, or channel your inner bartender and float a single star anise seed on top. 

Chai Tea Martini Recipe

• 1 tsp instant chai powder or one chai tea bag

• 1 oz hot water

• 2 oz milk

• 1.5 oz gin

• ¾ oz maple syrup

• ½ oz amaretto liqueur 

1. Pop your glass into the fridge to chill (only have a minute? Go ahead and put it in the freezer, just don’t forget it).

2. Dissolve the chai powder in the hot water (or if using a tea bag, steep for 3-5 minutes then discard the tea bag).

3. Add all ingredients to a cocktail shaker filled with ice and shake 20 seconds or until frosty.

4. Strain into your chilled glass and garnish.

Maple Syrup Old Fashioned

Rule #1 — use real maple syrup (not pancake syrup, which is made with corn syrup). There are no other rules. In this simple twist on a classic Old Fashioned recipe, the toasty vanilla and oak notes of bourbon emerge in waves thanks to the natural and subtly sweet maple syrup. This is the drink we want after a sunny afternoon at a pumpkin farm. Chilled, but the bourbon warms you from within, much like a jack-o-lantern’s candle, now that we think about it.

Maple Syrup Old Fashioned Recipe

• 2 oz bourbon

• ½ oz maple syrup

• 2 dashes angostura bitters

• Strip of orange peel (We like to use an apple peeler, the Y shaped kind)

• 1 maraschino or Amarena cherry (we love these Woodford Reserve cherries)

1. Add the bourbon, maple syrup, and bitters to a chilled rocks glass with ice and stir.

2. Twist the orange peel an inch above the glass to release the essence and oils, then drop it into the glass.

3. Add the cherry and serve.

Warm Cider and Rum Punch

When the evening air gets chilly and you know the next morning’s grass will have frost, you need a warm cocktail with fall flavors to shoo the cold away. If the temps are dipping, sip on this delicious cider and rum punch in a mug, and you can pretend you’re on the cover of a Martha Stewart magazine…she did actually publish this recipe, and we can’t argue with the fact it’s flawless. Well done, Martha, well done.

Warm Cider and Rum Punch Recipe

• 8 cups (64 oz) apple cider

• 1 apple, thinly sliced

• 1 orange, thinly sliced (Martha specifies it should be sliced crosswise, and who are we to argue?)

• 2 cinnamon sticks

• 1-inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and thinly sliced (we’ve often substituted 1/2 teaspoon of ground ginger powder, but don’t tattle on us)

• 2 cups (16 oz) dark rum

1. In a large pot, combine apple cider, apple slices, orange slices, cinnamon sticks, and ginger. 

2. Bring to a boil over high, reduce to a simmer and cook 5 minutes. (Keep warm over low, up to 2 hours.) 

3. Remove from heat and stir in rum. Transfer to a punch bowl, serve warm.