Appletini (Easy Cocktail Recipe)

Bring the swanky cocktail bar to your humble abode with this classy appletini!

Sweet and tart, this apple martini has a big fruity flavor with a boozy punch. It’s made with just three ingredients: vodka, apple schnapps, and lemon juice.

If you love the pucker of sour apples, you’ll fall head-over-heels for this cocktail. It’s a balanced sweet-and-sour drink with a gorgeous green color. 

For St. Patrick’s Day, happy hour, or after-dinner sipper, it’s a fun cocktail for any occasion. So call up your pals and serve a round of appletinis!

Ingredients 

You don’t need much to make this appletini cocktail. It calls for just a handful of ingredients and some garnishes. 

Here’s what’s in this drink:

• Vodka – Choose a quality brand of vodka for the best flavor. I recommend a brand like Tito’s or Absolut. 

• Apple Schnapps – This sweetened apple liquor gives this cocktail its fruity flavor.

• Lemon Juice – For acidity and tartness.

• Apple Slice – The perfect garnish for this drink!

• Maraschino Cherry – Who doesn’t love a maraschino cherry? It’s a classy and tasty cocktail garnish.

How to Make an Appletini 

The Appletini is so sophisticated, but it’s easy to make. Just grab a cocktail shaker and follow these steps:

1. Pour and shake. Add the vodka, apple schnapps, and lemon juice to a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake it until chilled.

2. Strain. Strain the cocktail into a martini glass.

3. Garnish. Add an apple slice and a maraschino cherry. Serve and sip!

Tips and Substitutions 

The appletini is a great beginner cocktail. But for the best results, follow these tips and substitutions:

• Rim the glass with cinnamon sugar. It looks stunning and enhances the flavor of the cocktail. 

• Re-adjust your ratios. Want your cocktail to be sweeter or tarter? Adjust the lemon juice and apple schnapps to taste.

• Dip the apple garnish in lemon juice. This helps maintain its fresh color and prevents browning.

• Sweeten it up. Add a simple syrup or apple juice if the appletini is not sweet enough. Both will mellow the booze and sweeten the drink. 

• Choose your schnapps wisely. Some brands will be sweeter, and others will be more tart. For a more sour drink, try DeKuyper Sour Apple Pucker. For a crisp and sweeter drink, Berentzen Apple Liqueur is better.

• Swap out the schnapps. Apple cider, apple juice, or apple brandy are all good substitutes. 

Recipe Variations

Like a real martini, the appletini comes in many versions. So if you want to customize this drink, try these variations:

• Flavored Appletini. Use a flavored vodka like apple, vanilla, or whipped cream.

• Applejack Appletini. Instead of vodka, make this cocktail with applejack whiskey.

• Gin Appletini. Is gin your brand of choice? Use it instead of vodka. 
  
• Autumn Appletini. Use all the same ingredients in this recipe and add apple cider. It’s a refreshing fall cocktail!