Food Recipes Boozy Apple Cider Slushie 3.3 (72) Add your rating & review Our frozen apple cider cocktail is a fun boozy slushie recipe for not-so-cool autumn nights—or if you simply love the flavors of fall. By Rebekah Peppler Rebekah Peppler Rebekah Peppler is a writer and food stylist with over a decade of experience in culinary journalism. Highlights: * Began her career as a researcher and culinary advisor to CBS News * Spent two years as food editor at the Tasting Table * Became a freelance food writer and stylist in 2010 * Her latest cookbook, À Table, was published in April 2021. * She is currently working on her next, le SUD, to be published in 2024. Real Simple's Editorial Guidelines Updated on August 22, 2022 Rate PRINT Share Hands On Time: 30 mins Total Time: 18 hrs Yield: 10 serves Some fall seasons can be especially warm, right? Or are we just making excuses to drink this spiked apple cider slushie? Either way, this frozen cocktail is a seasonal stunner. You make a boozy granita using a mixture of bourbon, apple cider, and a super easy spiced brown-sugar syrup. Then you freeze and scrape, freeze and scrape until you reach, er, "slushie" texture (you know what we mean). It's pretty garnished with a slice of apple but cinnamon sticks would add another fragrant dimension. Cheers to the season! Ingredients 3 cups (24 oz) apple cider or juice 1 ½ cups (12 oz) bourbon ¾ cup brown sugar-cinnamon simple syrup* (recipe below) ¼ cup (2 oz) fresh lemon juice 5 cups (40 oz) dry hard cider, to finish Apple slices, for garnish Directions Combine the apple cider, bourbon, simple syrup, and lemon juice in a 9-inch by 13-inch pan (preferably metal or glass). Freeze mixture, uncovered, for 4 hours. Use the tines of a fork to stir the mixture, scraping up and dispersing any icy bits. Return the pan to the freezer and continue to freeze, stirring every few hours, until the mixture is completely frozen and similar in texture to shaved ice. Cover pan in plastic wrap and keep frozen until ready to serve. To serve, break up any larger pieces of ice that have formed and spoon the mixture into lowball or punch glasses. Top with an equal amount of dry cider and garnish with apple slices. Part slushie, part serious cocktail, this cider- and bourbon-spiked treat is guaranteed to get even the most self-serious “grown-ups” grinning. Prep the shaved ice the night before and when it comes to party time, all you’ll have to do is scoop and pour. Get the recipe: Hard Cider Slush. J Muckle; Styling: Rebekah Peppler Chef's Notes To make the brown sugar-cinnamon simple syrup: Combine ¾ cup light brown sugar, ¾ cup water, and 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon in a medium saucepan. Bring to a simmer and stir to dissolve sugar. Remove pan from heat and cool completely. Refrigerate syrup in a covered container for up to 2 weeks. Makes ¾ cup. Rate It Print