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The Apple Butter Old Fashioned folds a spoonful of apple butter into one of the most classic whiskey cocktails there is. Bourbon, apple butter, a touch of maple syrup and Angostura bitters are shaken, strained over a big ice cube and finished with an apple slice and a cinnamon stick. It tastes like an orchard in October: baked apple, warm spice and the caramel and vanilla of good bourbon.
This is a Drinks.wiki house recipe, and apple butter is what makes it work. It has already been cooked down for hours, usually with cinnamon and clove, so it brings sweetness, body and spiced apple flavor in a single ingredient. The maple rounds it out, and the bitters keep it tasting like a proper Old Fashioned rather than dessert. One important difference from the classic: this version is shaken, not stirred, because apple butter needs the agitation to dissolve.
Glass: Old fashioned glass | Strength: Strong | Serves: 1 | Prep Time: 5 minutes
Bartenders tip: Double strain through a fine mesh strainer to catch any little bits of apple for a cleaner drink. Apple butter brands vary a lot in sweetness, so taste yours first, and if it is very sweet, cut the maple back or leave it out. Rye makes a spicier, drier version. Slice the apple right before serving, or brush it with a little lemon juice, so it does not brown on the glass.
Ingredients
- 2 oz Bourbon
- 2 tsp Apple Butter
- 1/4 oz Maple Syrup
- 2 dashes Angostura Bitters
- Apple Slice and Cinnamon Stick, for garnish
Steps
- Add the bourbon, apple butter, maple syrup and bitters to a shaker with ice.
- Shake hard for about 10 seconds, until the apple butter is fully dissolved.
- Double strain into an old fashioned glass over a large ice cube.
- Garnish with an apple slice and a cinnamon stick and serve.
