This is a perfect cocktail to serve at Thanksgiving or any Fall event! This makes a large batch – you can cut the recipe in half and have a nice amount for 6-8 people.
A sweet sangria perfect for Fall events like Thanksgiving! Make the day ahead so all the flavors blend together.
Author: SimpleSolutionsDiva.com
Recipe type: Cocktail - Large Batch
Cuisine: Cocktails
Serves: 12-16
Ingredients
2 bottle sweet wine, like resiling or muscato
5 cups fresh apple cider
2 cups ginger ale
2 cups caramel flavored vodka
3 honey crisp apple, cored & chopped
3 pears, cored & chopped
2 cinnamon sticks
Instructions
In a large serving container, add the pears and apples. Add the remaining ingredients, except for the cinnamon sticks. Stir well and cover. Refrigerate overnight (or at least 6 hours).
About 4 hours before serving, add the cinnamon sticks.
Optional: Remove a cup or two of the apples and pears and place in bowl to add to glasses. (Keep in mind, the fruit is now soaked in alcohol, so don't give to kids or pets!)
Simple Syrup is the secret ingredient for many cocktail recipes! Since simple is in the name, I, of course, love it! You can also use Simple Syrup when baking cakes to give them extra moisture – just brush the layers of cake with a little simple syrup (imagine adding the flavored syrup for another hint of flavor!). Here is the basic recipe:
Simple Syrup Recipe
Ingredients
1 Cup water
1 Cup sugar
Preparation
Combine water and sugar in a saucepan and cook over med-high heat. Stir frequently, ensuring the sugar dissolves – bring to a boil, then quickly remove from heat. Allow to sit until the mixture is cool.
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one month.
Flavored Variations:
Basil Simple Syrup
Add one cup of washed/dried basil leaves to the sugar water mixture. Bring to boil, stirring frequently. Remove from heat and allow to cool. Pour mixture through a sieve to remove basil leaves. Store in airtight container in refrigerator for up to one month.
Lemon Basil Simple Syrup
Follow the Basil Simple Syrup recipe, adding the zest of one small lemon.
Mint Simple Syrup
Follow Basil Simple Syrup recipe, replacing basil with mint.
Apple Cinnamon Simple Syrup
Add the peels of three apples, plus three cinnamon sticks to the basic simple syrup recipe above. Bring to boil, remove from heat and allow to cool at least 30 minutes. Strain through sieve and store in airtight container in refrigerator for up to one month. (This one is perfect for Autumn Cocktails like this one – The Clean Slate Cocktail from AboutFood.com!)
Here is one of my favorite martini recipes, Ruby Red Grapefruit Martini (Adapted from TommyBahama.com). The flavor is fresh and light:
Ruby Red Grapefruit Martini
Ingredients
2 ½ parts Grey Goose Vodka
¼ part freshly squeezed Ruby Red Grapefruit juice
¾ part Basil Simple Syrup
2 Fresh Basil Leaves, washed and dried
Preparation
Muddle one basil leaf with simple syrup in a mixing glass. Add remaining ingredients. Add ice and shake well. Strain into martini glass and garnish with remaining basil leaf.
Kick off your July 4th Celebrations with a Bang! This holiday-themed martini, created by TheMartiniDiva.com, features flavors reminiscent of those red, white and blue-colored popsicles!
Ingredients:
1 oz. Raspberry Flavored Rum
1 oz. Blue Curacao
1/2 oz Lemonade
1/2 oz. Maraschino Cherry Juice
Maraschino Cherry for garnish
Preparation:
Chill martini glass in freezer. Combine Raspberry Rum, Blue Curacao, Lemonade, and Maraschino Cherry Juice in shaker filled half-way with ice. Shake until well chilled. Pour into chilled martini glass and drop in the Maraschino cherry garnish. Enjoy responsibly!
TheMartiniDiva.com features hundreds of creative martini recipes, foods that pair perfectly with martinis, and recipe cards for purchase.
Everyone loves summer, and with the first official weekend of summer approaching, it is time to break out those blenders and shakers! Simple Solutions Diva has gathered some favorites together for your cocktail menu consideration!
Mojito
6 Mint leaves
.75 oz Simple syrup (one part water, one part sugar, boiled until thickened. Cool for use)
.75 oz Fresh lime juice
1.5 oz White rum
1.5 oz Club soda
Mint Sprig Garnish
In a shaker, lightly muddle the mint. Add the simple syrup, lime juice and rum, and fill with ice. Shake well and pour (unstrained) into a highball glass. Top with the club soda and garnish with a mint sprig.
Recipe Credit: Liquor.com
Margaritas By The Pitcher
10 oz Fresh lime juice
14 oz Cointreau (orange flavored liquor)
3.5 oz Agave syrup or simple syrup
22 oz Tequila
Lime Wedge Garnish
For this recipe you need a 52-ounce pitcher. First, add the fresh lime juice and then the Cointreau. Have a taste—it should still be a bit tart. You can add a little more Cointreau but not much.
Adjust the sweetness with a little agave syrup (two parts agave nectar, one part water) or simple syrup (one part sugar, one part water)but don’t use more Cointreau, which would change the balance of the drink.
Add the tequila and taste. The mixture should still be intense, because you haven’t added any ice yet.
When a guest wants a drink, pour 3 ounces of the mix into a shaker and fill with ice. Shake, and strain into a stemmed Margarita or cocktail glass with a half-salted rim or a rocks glass filled with fresh ice.
Garnish with a thin wheel of lime. If you have a large shaker or a gallon jar with a screw-top you can shake a whole bunch of drinks at the same time.
Recipe Credit: Liquor.com
Strawberry Sangria
Juice of 2 limes
2 teaspoons sugar
16 ripe strawberries, cut in half
1/2 teaspoon aged balsamic vinegar
4 ounces Grand Marnier
4 ounces premium vodka
8 ounces California Pinot Noir
Combine the lime juice and sugar in a small heavy-bottom saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, then immediately reduce the heat to very low and simmer about 1 minute. Remove from the heat and set aside.
Divide the strawberries among 4 old-fashioned glasses. Sprinkle equal amounts of balsamic vinegar over them (it’ll be just a few drops in each, about one-eighth teaspoon). Divide the Grand Marnier among them, and muddle the ingredients in each glass.
Fill each glass about two-thirds full with ice, then pour equal amounts vodka over the ice in each. Add one-half ounce of the simmered lime juice to each glass. Pour equal amounts of the wine into each glass, then stir gently and serve.
Recipe Credit: Recipe Adapted by LA Times from bar chef Albert Trummer at Fraîche.
Everyone loves a good cocktail recipe, and this one is a doozie! It is a favorite in our household for parties, and it is large batch version of Roy’s Hawaiian Martini Recipe! I got this recipe from CuisineCapers.com a few years ago, and I LOVE IT!
Here is the recipe!
WARNING: Remind guests that the pineapple is also marinated in the alcohol! You don’t want them giving it to the kids!
Roy’s Hawaiian Martini
Yield: approximately 12 (4-ounce) servings
1-1/2 (750 mL) bottles Skyy Vodka (or 4-1/2 cups)
1/2 (750 mL) bottle Malibu Rum (1-1/2 cups)
1/4 bottle Stolichnaya Vanil (3/4 cup)
1 pineapple cut into 1/2-inch thick wedges
1/4 cup sugar
Layer the pineapple wedges into the jar. Pour in the remaining ingredients and allow the pineapples to marinate for at least two days. To serve, ladle approximately 4 ounces of the liquor into a stainless steel shaker half filled with ice. Shake 30 times, and strain into a chilled martini glass. Garnish with a wedge of marinated pineapple and enjoy!
Refreshingly light and lovely for a brunch, this sparking white sangria recipe comes from the Columbia Restaurant in St. Augustine, Florida.
Ingredients
1 375ml bottle of Cava (or any sparkling wine)
¼ ounce Torres 5 Brandy (or any Spanish brandy)
¼ ounce Gran Torres Liqueur (or any orange liqueur)Splash of lemon-lime soda
1 Orange
1 Lime
Cherries for garnish
Simple Syrup*
Preparation
Cut orange and lime in half. Fill large pitcher with ice and combine the wine, brandy, liqueur, lemon-lime soda, the juice of half of an orange and the juice of half of a lime. Stir. Add simple syrup to obtain desired sweetness. Slice remaining orange and lime into thin slices. Garnish glasses with orange, lime and cherry.
* To make simple syrup, combine one part water to one part sugar in small saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve sugar. Chill before use.
Simple Solutions Diva has been busy collecting some great holiday cocktail recipes, and they can all be found on the Simple Cocktails Board on Pinterest. Click on the photo below to check them out! Happy Holidays and enjoy responsibly!