Spice up your fall cocktail rotation with this apple pie martini recipe

The Abridged version:

• After ordering her first appletini at Midtown Sacramento’s Karma Brew, Zoe Barrie set out to create an apple pie martini at home.
• This Cooking in Season recipe uses a Honeycrisp apple, vanilla vodka, brown sugar and cinnamon to create a sweet, tart cocktail.
• You can make a nonalcoholic version by swapping in NA vodka, or adding club soda and ice to make a spritz.

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This is Cooking in Season, a biweekly recipe series using seasonal produce available at Sacramento-area farmers markets. 

Last month, I visited Karma Brew in Midtown Sacramento with some friends, and in a frantic, I-have-no-clue-what-to-order fashion, randomly ordered my very first apple martini. To my surprise, it was extremely refreshing and reminiscent of a tart green apple Jolly Rancher, earning its spot in my occasional cocktail rotation rather than being relegated to a one-time panic order.

Apple martinis (or appletinis) — typically made with vodka, Sour Apple Pucker, lemon juice and simple syrup — date back to 1997, when bartender Adam Karsten created the first iteration at Lola’s restaurant in West Hollywood. They peaked during the late-1990s and early-2000s cocktail boom, but have seen a partial second coming in the 2020s.

The weather has cooled, fall is fully underway and Halloween weekend is officially here. Plus, apple season is in full swing. So, leaning into the season, this apple pie martini is my autumnal take on the beloved apple martini, featuring homemade Honeycrisp apple juice with warm notes of cinnamon and vanilla.

Apple pie martini

Total Time: 15 minutes

This recipe uses one Honeycrisp apple to make a sweet, tart and spiced apple juice — or apple pie concentrate. The concentrate yields enough for three to four martinis but can easily be doubled for entertaining.

The apple skin is intentionally left on to give the concentrate a beautiful hue, while a pass through cheesecloth removes the pulp for a clean finish. To skip the cheesecloth step, substitute 1¼ cups freshly pressed apple juice for the apple and water, then blend with the remaining concentrate ingredients until the sugar is dissolved.

For a nonalcoholic version, swap the vanilla vodka for a nonalcoholic alternative, such as USKO Vanilla. Or transform it into an apple pie spritz by combining the concentrate with ice and club soda. 

Ingredients

Cinnamon-sugar rim

• 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 2 tablespoons water

Apple pie concentrate (makes 10 to 12 ounces)

• 1 (10- to 12-ounce) Honeycrisp apple, cored and cut into several pieces
• ½ cup water
• 3 tablespoons brown sugar
• Juice of 1 lemon
• ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
• Kosher salt

Apple pie martini (1 serving)

• 3 ounces apple pie concentrate
• 3 ounces vanilla vodka (such as New Amsterdam or Absolut)
• Ice
• Fresh apple slices, for serving

Instructions

Step 1

Prepare the cinnamon-sugar rim: On a flat plate, combine the sugar and ground cinnamon. On a separate plate, add the water. Dip a clean martini glass in the water, then twist or roll the rim in the cinnamon-sugar blend until evenly coated. Place in the refrigerator or freezer to chill while you prepare the apple pie concentrate.

Step 2

Prepare the apple pie concentrate: In a high-speed blender, combine the apple, water, brown sugar, lemon juice, cinnamon, vanilla extract and a small pinch of salt. Blend until smooth.

Step 3

Place a fine-mesh strainer over a liquid measuring cup or deep bowl and line it with cheesecloth. Pour the mixture over the cheesecloth-lined strainer and allow the liquid to strain into the measuring cup or bowl. Using both hands, gently squeeze the cheesecloth to extract any remaining liquid.

Step 4

Prepare the apple pie martini: In a cocktail shaker, add the apple pie concentrate and vanilla vodka. Fill the shaker generously with ice. Seal and shake for 20 seconds, until the shaker is frosty and chilled.

Step 5

Strain the cocktail into the prepared martini glass. Garnish with one or two fresh apple slices before serving.