Last Updated:November 22, 2020

A festive, boozy treat that’s spicy, cool and easy-to-make. Apple Pie on the Rocks! Plus, a recap of my vegan Thanksgiving.

Glass of apple pie on the rocks with sugar rim and cinnamon stick on a cutting board

For this cocktail I was inspired by a drink that I had a few weeks ago that consisted of apple juice, Fireball Whiskey, and “Moonshine”. And maybe simple syrup if I remember correctly. I really enjoyed it, but wanted to make my version at home and dress it up a little. That’s how the Apple Pie on the Rocks came to be! It would be awesome if you crumbled up graham crackers and added them to the brown sugar rim, but I didn’t have those on hand.

fireball whisky, vanilla vodka, apple juice, and cinnamon sticks on a countertop

Substitutions & Tips:

Apple juice – apple cider or spiced apple cider also works in this recipe. Feel free to leave out the additional cinnamon if using spiced cider.
Cinnamon whisky – as you can see from my photos I used Fireball, but I’ve also used Revel Stoke which is excellent! Basically, any cinnamon whisky will work here.
Vanilla vodka – if you don’t have flavored vodka on hand, regular vodka will work, just add a dash of vanilla extract for a bit of flavor. Another great option is whipped cream-flavored vodka!
Brown sugar – I used light brown sugar for the rim, but turbinado sugar or darker brown sugar will also work. And as mentioned before, if you have some graham cracker crumbs, those would be great for this drink.
Serving size: while this recipe is for one drink, it’s very easy to multiply by a few and make it ahead of time for a party or dinner! I suggest making it at most 2 or 3 days ahead, and storing in your refrigerator.

Since we’ve covered the details on this spicy, cool beverage I would like to talk a little bit about my Thanksgiving. This year was a little different from most, because the group was smaller and my Dad and I met my sister and her boyfriend out in Lake Havasu to have it. This meant that I needed to cook some things beforehand, bring some ingredients and not make as big of portions (oops, on that last one).

chopped sweet and purple potatoes in a pot and a flower arrangement

I was excited to make my first batch of homemade cranberry sauce, which I changed just slightly from the pancake topping recipe. The addition of some cinnamon, plus vanilla extract and brown sugar instead of white made it perfect! My sister’s S.O. really liked it. Then, as usual, I made the sweet potato casserole, mashed potatoes, and switched up the veggie side with some roasted Brussels sprouts. Of course, I brought my leftover Stuffed Seitan Roast with me, and it reheated wonderfully! Overall, it was a total success, even if there was a ton of food left afterward.

Although I kept myself occupied most of the day, I got to witness some pretty awesome stuff. I had quite a few friends and readers tell me about how they made dishes either from my blog or the eBook for their families, on Thanksgiving. Not only that, they told me about how successful they were! Like omnivore grandparents pilfering last slices of Pumpkin Coffee Cake, and empty plates of Smoky Pumpkin Mac.

I can’t even begin to express how much it means to me that people would make my recipes on what I consider an important food day! Though I hate to admit it, but it almost brought me to tears at one point. Running this blog, is something that I love, but having reminders about why I do it doesn’t hurt.

So, thank you, to all of the people out there that check out my blog. Even if you don’t ever make something, I don’t mind! I just like to show off cool dishes that taste great, and that most importantly are vegan. As much as I love food photography and recipe development, it would be harder for me to do this if there wasn’t an audience. I’m looking forward to making recipes, and cookbooks and taking photos for a long time!

One Year Ago: Pecan Persimmon Oatmeal // Two Years Ago: Orange Marmalade Thumbprint Cookies with Chocolate Drizzle

Apple Pie on the Rocks

Name: Apple Pie on the Rocks
Prep time: 5 min
Total time: 5 min
Yield: 1
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 ounce (30 ml) Vanilla Vodka; 1 ounce (30 ml) Fireball Whiskey; 4 oz (120 ml) Organic Apple Juice; Pinch of Ground Cinnamon; Brown Sugar for the rim, Grind a little finer for more successful sugaring; Optional: Cinnamon Stick for Garnish; Ice

Yield: 1 drink

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Total Time: 5 minutes

Apple pie on the rocks is a festive, boozy treat that's spicy, cool, and easy-to-make! This recipe has thousands of fans!

Ingredients

1 ounce (30 ml) Vanilla Vodka
1 ounce (30 ml) Fireball Whiskey
4 oz (120 ml) Organic Apple Juice
Pinch of Ground Cinnamon
Brown Sugar for the rim, Grind a little finer for more successful sugaring
Optional: Cinnamon Stick for Garnish
Ice

Instructions

Wet the rim of your rocks glass just a little, and gently sugar the rim with the brown sugar.
In a martini shaker, pour the vodka, Fireball, apple juice and ground cinnamon together with a handful of ice cubes. Shake 10 times and pour the contents into the glass without wiping off the sugar rim.
Serve chilled and with a cinnamon stick, for garnish.

Notes

Serving size: while this recipe is for one drink, it's very easy to multiply by a few and make it ahead of time for a party or dinner! I suggest making it at most 2 or 3 days ahead, and storing in your refrigerator.
Apple juice – apple cider or spiced apple cider also works in this recipe. Feel free to leave out the additional cinnamon if using spiced cider.
Cinnamon whisky – as you can see from my photos I used Fireball, but I’ve also used Revel Stoke which is excellent! Basically, any cinnamon whisky will work here.
Vanilla vodka – if you don’t have flavored vodka on hand, regular vodka will work, just add a dash of vanilla extract for a bit of flavor. Another great option is whipped cream-flavored vodka!
Brown sugar – I used light brown sugar for the rim, but turbinado sugar or darker brown sugar will also work. And as mentioned before, if you have some graham cracker crumbs, those would be great for this drink.