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This fall margarita is made with 100% agave tequila, fresh apple cider, a squeeze of lime, and a homemade cinnamon honey simple syrup. I love that it comes together in under 10 minutes and turns out SO cute garnished with apple slices, cranberries & a cinnamon stick. It’s a festive, cozy Thanksgiving cocktail I serve for pumpkin patch season straight through the holidays. Naturally gluten free, no refined sugar, and easy to make into a pitcher when you’ve got a crowd!
Quick Look: Fall Margarita
- ⏱️ Prep Time: 5 minutes
- 🍳 Cook Time: 3 minutes
- 🕒 Total Time: 8 minutes
- 👥 Servings: 1 cocktail (pitcher version for 8 in the FAQs!)
- 📊 Calories: 208
- 🔥 Cook Method: Stovetop (for the syrup) + cocktail shaker
- 👩🍳 Flavor Profile: Sweet apple cider & warm cinnamon honey with a tart lime finish
- ⭐ Difficulty: Easy, perfect for Thanksgiving & Friendsgiving hosting
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Why You’ll Love This Fall Margarita
Usually margaritas make us think of summer, or sitting on a tropical island somewhere soaking up the sun. I want to change the narrative! This apple cider margarita combines 2 of my favorite things - margaritas + my favorite season: FALL. When you mix tequila with fresh apple cider, honey, and cinnamon, it’s pure magic. All the flavors of a classic marg with a spiced apple twist… SO GOOD. And simmering the cinnamon honey syrup will make your house smell AMAZING, which is half the point of a harvest cocktail, amiright?!
Pre-made margarita mixes can be loaded with sugar, additives, and even hidden gluten - and they leave you with a nasty headache the next morning. This one has none of that. Only fresh ingredients, no refined sugar, and it’s naturally gluten free & dairy free. Best of all, it takes minutes to make and scales up to a pitcher when you’re hosting (recipe below - promise!). Serve it with my cranberry BBQ meatballs for Friendsgiving apps, or alongside my 25 gluten free & dairy free Thanksgiving recipes and you’ve got the whole holiday covered.
Ingredients Notes
Here’s an overview of the key ingredients. You’ll find the full ingredient list with amounts in the recipe card below!
- Tequila: Look for “100% agave” on the bottle - that means no additives, fillers, sugar, or other junk, and it’s naturally gluten free. My favorites are 1800 and Patrón. I prefer Blanco over the darker tequilas because it has a lighter taste and goes well with margaritas… darker tequilas are better for sipping on the rocks!
- Apple cider: Look for fresh apple cider where the only ingredient is apples! (Not apple cider vinegar, and not hard cider.) Got a big jug? Use the rest in my Instant Pot cider pulled pork - working smarter not harder.
- Honey: I use pure, raw organic honey with no additives for the simple syrup. Prefer brown sugar? See the variations below.
- Cinnamon sticks: They flavor the syrup AND double as the prettiest garnish. Two jobs, one ingredient.
- Garnishes: Apple slices, fresh cranberries, and a cinnamon stick. Totally optional, but they make this drink look as festive as it tastes.
Recipe Variations
- Fall mocktail: Omit the tequila and add a splash of flavored sparkling water - Spindrift Cran Apple is amazing here! Serve it in a fancy glass with a cinnamon sugar rim for added delight. Building a whole Thanksgiving mocktail menu? My crisp lemon blueberry mocktail is another good one to add to the list.
- Brown sugar simple syrup: Use ⅓ cup brown sugar instead of the honey and dissolve it into the water the same way. (This also makes the drink vegan-friendly if you skip honey.)
- Sweet rim instead of salt: I like to do coconut sugar + cinnamon for a sweeter option. Whatever you desire!
- Spicy fall margarita: Want some heat? Toss a jalapeño slice or two into the shaker: sweet cider + a little spice should be a great combo. And if spicy margs are your thing, my skinny spicy margarita recipe is only 4 ingredients.
- Less sweet: Just use less syrup. You’re the bartender!
- Make it a pitcher: Scaled recipe for 8 is in the FAQs below.
How to Make a Fall Margarita
Step 1: Make the cinnamon honey simple syrup. Combine ⅓ cup water, ¼ cup honey, and 2 cinnamon sticks in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir for 2-3 minutes until the honey dissolves completely, then take it off the heat and let it cool. DO NOT skip the cooling - hot syrup will melt your ice into a watery marg. Store any leftovers in the fridge for up to 2 weeks to use in other cocktails!
Step 2: Pour the salt onto a small plate. Run a lime wedge around the rim of your glass, then dip the rim into the salt to coat. Fill the glass with ice.
Step 3: Add the tequila, apple cider, orange juice, squeeze of lime, cinnamon honey syrup, and a handful of ice to a cocktail shaker. Shake well - about 15 seconds, until the outside of the shaker feels frosty.
Step 4: Pour over the ice in your prepared glass. Garnish with an apple slice, a few cranberries, and a cinnamon stick. Enjoy!
Recipe Tips
- Make the syrup first thing. It needs a few minutes to cool before it hits the shaker, and one batch makes enough for about 8 drinks.
- No shaker? No worries! A mason jar with a tight lid will do the trick.
- Taste before you pour! Cider sweetness varies jug to jug, so add a little more syrup if you like it sweeter or an extra squeeze of lime if you want it more tart.
- Hosting? Try serving a big batch in a festive dispenser. SO cute for Halloween and Thanksgiving. Set out my healthy pumpkin cream cheese dip next to it, and you’re done.
- Don’t skimp on the garnish. The apple slice, cranberries & cinnamon stick are what make this look fancy with basically zero effort. Can’t beat that.
Storage & Make-Ahead Tips
- Simple syrup: Make it up to a week ahead. Extras keep in a sealed jar in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. It’s delicious in the mocktail version, too.
- Pitcher: You can mix the tequila, cider, juices, and syrup earlier in the day and keep the pitcher in the fridge. Add ice (or pour over ice) right before serving so it doesn’t get watery.
- Once it’s shaken, drink it! Margaritas don’t hold once they’ve been shaken over ice - they water down fast. So this is a make-and-serve drink, not a make-ahead one.
Recipe FAQ’s
Yes! Here it is scaled for 8. Stir everything together in a pitcher and pour over ice, with the garnishes on the side so everyone can dress their own:
16 oz (2 cups) 100% agave tequila
16 oz (2 cups) fresh apple cider
8 oz (1 cup) fresh-squeezed orange juice
2-4 oz Lime juice
4 oz (½ cup) cinnamon honey simple syrup, more if you like it sweeter - one batch of the syrup is plenty
Apple slices, cranberries & cinnamon sticks for garnish
Or, hit the “print recipe” button in the card below and change the servings to whatever number you need - the ingredient amounts will scale for you!
A Blanco that says 100% agave on the label - 1800 and Patrón are my go-tos. Reposado would work too if that’s what you have on hand; it’ll just taste a little warmer and oakier.
Yes! 100% agave tequila is naturally gluten free, and everything else in here is fresh juice, honey, and cider. The thing to watch out for is pre-made margarita mixes and flavored liqueurs, which can hide gluten (and a TON of sugar) - this recipe skips them entirely.
You can if cider is hard to find - just look for no sugar added. Fresh-pressed cider is what gives this its real fall flavor, though, so grab it if you can.
More Festive Cocktails
Fall Margarita with Apple Cider & Cinnamon Honey Syrup
Ingredients
- 2 oz 100% agave tequila
- 2 oz apple cider
- 1 oz fresh squeezed orange juice
- 1 squeeze lime juice
- 2 tbsp coarse sea salt, for rim
- apple slices, cranberries, and cinnamon sticks, for garnish – optional
- ½ oz cinnamon honey simple syrup, more if you like it sweeter!
Cinnamon Honey Simple Syrup
- ¼ cup honey
- ⅓ cup water
- 2 cinnamon sticks
Instructions
- Make the simple syrup: Combine the honey, water, and cinnamon sticks in a small sauce pan and heat over medium high heat. Stir for 2-3 minutes until the honey is completely dissolved. Remove from heat.
- Pour the salt on a plate. Use a lime wedge to wet the rim of your glass. Dip the rim into the salt to coat. Fill the glass with ice.
- Add the tequila, apple cider, orange juice, lime juice, honey simple syrup, and ice to a shaker. Shake well, then pour into the glass. Garnish with an apple slice, cranberries, and a cinnamon stick. Enjoy!
Notes
- Fall mocktail: Simply omit the tequila and add a splash of flavored sparkling water (Spindrift Cran Apple is amazing) for a delicious fall mocktail!
- Rim: I like to do coconut sugar and cinnamon for a sweet option instead of salt!
- Pitcher (serves 8): 16 oz tequila, 16 oz apple cider, 8 oz orange juice, 2- 4 oz lime juice, 4 oz cinnamon honey simple syrup (one batch is enough). Stir in a pitcher and pour over ice. Or use the “print recipe” button and change the servings to the number you need.
- Honey simple syrup: Make it up to a week ahead; extras keep in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
- Less sweet: Use less syrup - taste and adjust.
Nutrition
All nutrition facts are an estimate and automatically calculated. While I fact check them using My Fitness Pal, please note that they may not always be 100% accurate and depend on ingredients used. Weigh your total and divide by the number of servings for the most accurate grams per serving size.
Made these for my husband and I last night to go alongside Mary’s pumpkin cheesecake cookies. It was all so delicious! Will definitely be making them both again!
Thanks Courtney!!
Been making this one since Mary originally posted it. Living in so cal our summer begins in fall, so it’s the perfect drink to feel festive! So good!
Love it! Thanks Christy!
I made this margarita for my family for Thanksgiving this year (we celebrate early) and it was the most talked about recipe we had there! It was a huge hit and I’m pretty sure this will be my yearly contribution to our Thanksgiving celebration! So delicious and festive. Yum!
Thanks Rebecca! So glad to hear this!
Wow, such a great twist on a classic. This drink is Fall in a glass. The honey cinnamon syrup is delicious!
Thanks Casey!!
This is perfect, simple, delicious fall drink! So easy to put together and a crowd pleaser at all the parties I’ve brought it to this year! Honestly, all of Mary’s recipes are great!! Highly recommend!
Thank you so much Kate! Appreciate you!
This is so delicious. I love the citrus with the apple and cinnamon. Such great fall flavors.
Hi. I want to make this recipe for tomorrow but I don’t have the cinnamon sticks. Should I just leave that out or should I add a tad of ground cinnamon to the honey syrup? What do you think? Thanks so much!
Katie
You can leave it out completely or add a little powdered cinnnamon! Either way will be delish:)
I was skeptical at the idea of a warm spices Marg but GUYS MAKE THIS even if it’s not thanksgiving, it’s worth it. Living in Florida where it’s always hot, I especially appreciated the fact that though it’s a cold drink, it still feels nice and cozy.
So so good!
Thank you so much Hannah!
Looks amazing! Any chance you’ve made these in a batch or pitcher and can share recipe? Would like to make this weekend for a Friendsgiving brunch!!!
Hi Claudia! Just change the # on the recipe card to 8! instead of 1 serving 🙂
I am trying to do the same, but don’t see a way to change the quantity on the recipe card. Am I missing something?! (Totally possible since I’m not tech savvy, but I have done this with other recipes before.)
Nevermind! I found it once I clicked on “print recipe”! Can’t wait to try these!
Can you make these frozen?
Yes, just add ingredients with ice to a blender 🙂