Toffee Apple Sour Cocktail
This cozy apple sour shakes bourbon, cloudy apple cider, lemon, and toffee syrup into a bright cocktail with a soft, silky foam. It tastes like a fairground toffee apple, but the lemon keeps it fresh rather than sticky-s
- Total time
- 5 min
- Yield
- 1 cocktail
- Difficulty
- Easy
Prep 5mCook 0mAmericanDrinks
A toffee apple sour is a fall-leaning cocktail with a sweet-tart balance. It borrows the shape of a classic sour: spirit, citrus, sweetness, and a foamy top.
Bourbon gives the drink vanilla and oak notes, while apple cider brings the fruit. Toffee syrup adds the caramelized sugar flavor you expect from a toffee apple.
The egg white is shaken into the drink to make a smooth foam. Use pasteurized liquid egg white for food safety, or see the tips for an easy egg-free swap.
01What you'll need
Ingredients
9 items · 1 cocktail
- 1 1/2 ounces bourbon
- 2 ounces cloudy apple cider or unfiltered apple juice, chilled
- 3/4 ounce fresh lemon juice
- 1/2 ounce toffee syrup, such as coffee syrup
- 1/2 ounce pasteurized liquid egg white
- 2 dashes Angostura bitters
- Ice, for shaking
- 1 thin apple slice, for garnish
- Pinch of ground cinnamon, for garnish
02How to make it
Step-by-step
1. Chill the glass
Place a coupe or small rocks glass in the freezer while you build the cocktail. A cold glass helps the foam stay firm and keeps the drink crisp.
2. Measure the liquids
Add the bourbon, apple cider, lemon juice, toffee syrup, pasteurized egg white, and bitters to a cocktail shaker. Measure carefully, especially the lemon and syrup, so the drink stays balanced.
3. Dry shake first
Seal the shaker and shake hard for 10 to 15 seconds without ice. This is called a dry shake. It helps the egg white foam up before the drink gets cold.
4. Add ice and shake again
Open the shaker, add a generous handful of ice, then seal it again. Shake hard for another 12 to 15 seconds, until the outside of the shaker feels very cold.
5. Strain into the glass
Strain the cocktail into the chilled glass. If you want an extra-smooth texture, pour it through a fine-mesh strainer to catch small ice chips.
6. Garnish and serve
Lay a thin apple slice on top of the foam or rest it on the rim. Dust lightly with cinnamon and serve right away, while the foam is fresh.
03From our kitchen
Cook's tips
- Use pasteurized liquid egg white, not raw shell egg white, for the safest cocktail. You can find it in cartons near the eggs in many grocery stores.
- For an egg-free version, use 1/2 ounce aquafaba, the liquid from a can of chickpeas. It foams well and has a mild flavor once shaken with citrus and syrup.
- No toffee syrup? Use caramel syrup and add a tiny pinch of salt. Maple syrup also works, though the drink will taste more like apple-maple than toffee apple.
- Make-ahead tip: Measure the bourbon, apple cider, lemon juice, toffee syrup, and bitters into a sealed jar and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. Add the egg white and shake with ice just before serving.
- Do not store a fully shaken sour. The foam collapses and the citrus flavor dulls. This cocktail is best made to order.
- If the drink tastes too sweet, add another 1/4 ounce lemon juice. If it tastes too sharp, add 1/4 ounce more apple cider or a small bar spoon of syrup.
Cook's note
Cloudy apple cider gives the cocktail more body and a stronger apple flavor than clear apple juice. If you use clear juice, the drink will still work, but it may taste lighter and sweeter.
04Frequently asked
Questions & answers
Can I make this toffee apple sour without alcohol?
Yes. Replace the bourbon with 1 1/2 ounces strong chilled black tea or a nonalcoholic whiskey alternative. Keep the apple cider, lemon, toffee syrup, and foaming ingredient the same, then shake as directed.
Do I have to use egg white?
No. Egg white gives the cocktail a silky texture and foamy top, but it is not required. Use aquafaba for a similar foam, or leave it out and shake the drink with ice only. The flavor will still be good, just less creamy.
What kind of bourbon works best?
Choose a bourbon you enjoy drinking in a simple mixed drink. A standard 80 to 90 proof bourbon with vanilla, caramel, or oak notes fits well with apple and toffee. Very smoky or very high-proof bottles can overpower the drink.
Can I batch this for a party?
You can batch the bourbon, apple cider, lemon juice, toffee syrup, and bitters. Multiply the amounts by the number of servings, chill the mixture, and shake each serving with egg white and ice when guests are ready.
Why is my cocktail not foamy?
The most common reasons are not shaking hard enough, skipping the dry shake, or using old egg white or aquafaba. Shake without ice first, then shake again with ice until the shaker is very cold.
05Per serving
Nutrition facts
Nutrition Facts
1 cocktail
Amount per serving
% Daily Value*
- Total Fat0 g
- 0%
- Saturated Fat0 g
- 0%
- Cholesterol0 mg
- 0%
- Sodium32 mg
- 1%
- Total Carbohydrate20 g
- 7%
- Dietary Fiber0 g
- 0%
- Total Sugars17 g
- Protein2 g
- 4%
- Vitamin D0 mcg
- 0%
- Calcium8 mg
- 1%
- Iron0.1 mg
- 1%
- Potassium120 mg
- 3%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000-calorie diet.
05Keep cooking
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