Fall is here! That’s right sweet summer children of Memphis, the official first day of fall was Tuesday, September 22 (and the weather will soon be catching up and cooling down). What better way to celebrate our coming Autumn equinox, than to craft a few incredibly special Fall inspired cocktails! We’ve searched high and low, and here are our picks for the 5 best Fall inspired cocktails!
BONUS: Movie Pairings! – Once your drinks have been mixed and mastered, take these tastes, and sit down with our movie pairing suggestion! Both experiences will be better by enjoying them together!
1. The Fantastic Hot buttered Rum
Kicking off our Fall cocktail list, is Hot Buttered Rum. This is a perfect pairing for the cool autumn nights that have more than just a slight hint of the season in the air.
INGREDIENTS LIST
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon cardamom
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 stick unsalted butter, soft
- 2 cup dark brown sugar
Directions:
- Cream together the butter, sugar, and spices. Stir liberally. You should be able to roll this into a log. Cover completely and refrigerate or freeze.
- Find your favorite mug and add a tablespoon of the butter mix.
- Pour in the 1/2/3 ounces of rum along with about ½ a cup of hot water.
Movie Pairing: The Fantastic Mr. Fox
2. Autumn “Colors of the Wind” Sangria
Just because it’s cool outside doesn’t mean you can’t still enjoy a cold, refreshing, fizzy, and fantastic Sangria.
INGREDIENTS LIST
- 2 tart apples, Pink Lady or Braeburn, thinly sliced
- 2 Anjou pears, thinly sliced
- 6 tangerines, thinly sliced
- 2 cups unfiltered apple juice
- 1 ½ cups orange liqueur, such as Cointreau
- 2 750-ml bottles sparkling wine, Prosecco or Cava, chilled
Directions:
- In a large pitcher or glass jar, combine sliced fruit, apple juice and orange liqueur.
- Stir and taste multiple times, just to make sure.
- Chill for 30 minutes in your refrigerator. (not you! The Sangria!)
- Top with chilled sparkling wine and stir (again) and taste (again)
- Pour heavily into a large glass and enjoy!
Movie Pairing: Disney’s Pocahontas
3. The Irish(man) Coffee
Sometimes, you just need a little “something” in your glass of coffee to get you through the day, or this incredibly long and complicated movie. But, just like the film, The end result will have you thinking about things a little differently. (and that’s the point!)
INGREDIENTS LIST
- 6 oz Hot Coffee
- 2 oz Baileys Original Irish Cream
- 1 oz Irish Whiskey
- 1 DOLLOP Whipped Cream (optional)
Directions:
- Brew a cup of your favorite (premium) coffee
- Add 2 oz’s of Baileys Irish Cream
- Pour in 1 oz of Irish whiskey (or more depending on how cold it is outside)
- Top with Whipped Cream (just because you deserve it)
Movie Pairing: The Irishman
4. The Sleepy Orange Tyme Old Fashioned
This Cocktail combines the tastes and feeling of Autumn with an old Fashioned sense of adventure…
INGREDIENTS LIST
- 2 oz. bourbon
- 1 tbsp. Orange-Thyme Simple Syrup
- 1 dash Angostura bitters
- Ice
- Orange-Thyme Simple Syrup (Combine 4 strips orange zest, 3 sprigs thyme, and 1 cup each sugar and water in a small saucepan. Simmer until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat and cool; strain.)
- 4 strips orange zest
- 3 sprigs thyme
- 1 c. sugar
- 1 c. water
Directions:
- Make the Orange-Thyme simple syrup
- Place bourbon, Orange-Thyme Simple Syrup (recipe below), and Angostura bitters in a cocktail shaker top with ice.
- Shake vigorously until shaker is cold, 10 to 20 seconds. Strain into a glass with a large ice cube.
- Serve with a strip of orange zest and a thyme sprig.
Movie Pairing: Sleepy Hollow
5. Spiced (and Spiked!) Mexican Hot COCO
Come back to life again with this spiked and spicy version of a Autumn Classic! It’s… to die for?
INGREDIENTS LIST
- 4 c. whole milk
- 2 c. half-and-half
- 1/2 c. dulce de leche
- 2 Cinnamon sticks
- 10 oz. 70% dark chocolate
- 2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp. Kosher salt
- 1/2 c. bourbon
Directions:
- Whisk together milk, half-and-half, dulce de leche, and cinnamon sticks in a large saucepan.
- Simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat; cover and let stand 10 minutes.
- Return mixture to a simmer over medium heat. Gradually whisk in finely chopped 70 percent dark chocolate, whisking until melted and smooth.
- Remove from heat and stir in pure vanilla extract, kosher salt, and bourbon, if desired. Discard cinnamon sticks. Serve warm.
Movie Pairing: Pixar’s COCO
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