Pumpkin spice, meet your match. Apple pie is one of everyone’s favorite seasonal flavors so we’re combining alcohol with the essence of this spicy, fruity treat for your new favorite cocktail. 

Apple pie shots don’t contain any trace of apples. These shots taste like dessert, and you can top them with whipped cream and caramel sauce. Plus, the shots have a kick that pie can’t offer. These holiday drink recipes also double as cocktails if you aren’t in the mood for shooters.

If you run out of pie this Thanksgiving, make it up to your guests with shots made from caramel and apple liqueurs. The apple pie shooter recipe below is so easy to make that you likely already have all you need on hand to shake up a batch of these shots. That way, you’ll be an expert once your guests come around. 

Get out the apple juice. To extend your fall parties, give your desserts a grown-up twist with these festive apple cocktail recipes.

Preparation time: 3 minutes

Cooking time: None

Total time: 3 minutes

Servings: 1

Ingredients 

• 1 ½ ounces of vodka

• ½ ounce of apple juice 

• Whipped cream (for garnish)

• Cinnamon sugar (for garnish)

Glassware

• Shot glass

Preparation instructions 

1. Combine the vodka and apple juice in a cocktail shaker with plenty of ice cubes. 

2. Shake the liquid well, and then strain into a shot glass.  

3. Top the shooter with a dollop of whipped cream, and then sprinkle some cinnamon sugar on top. 

Bartender’s tip: For added sweetness, rim the shot glasses with a cinnamon-sugar mix. Dip the glasses in a bit of apple juice to make sure the mixture sticks. 

Recipe adapted from The Tipsy Bartender

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Other apple pie drink recipes

• Apple pie shot with Fireball: Fireball whiskey is a sweet, cinnamon-flavored liquor infused with flavor, unlike the vodka used in the standard recipe. This shot is even more intensely dessert-like. To make, combine 1 ½ ounces of apple cider and one-half ounce of Fireball whiskey in a cocktail shaker with ice. After shaking vigorously, strain the drink into a shot glass, and top off with whipped cream. Garnish with a cinnamon stick. 

• Caramel apple pie shot recipe: Prepare the shot in your cocktail shaker as described in the recipe above. Then, after straining the drink into your shot glass, top with whipped cream and drizzle with caramel sauce. If you really enjoy sweet, buttery flavors, you can even swap the regular vodka in the shot for a caramel-flavored variety. If your palate favors the tart taste of apple, you can swap traditional vodka for an apple-flavored version. We don’t see any reason why a mix of caramel and apple vodkas wouldn’t work either, so go ahead; start experimenting. 

• Warm apple pie shots: If apple pie shots lack anything, it’s that comforting warmth that the true dessert provides. What may surprise you about this shot is that it includes no apple-flavored ingredients. Instead, it contains rich Irish cream, golden liqueur, and overproof liquor. And, luckily, whenever you use overproof liquor in a shot, you can light it on fire. Not only is this a fun party trick (when performed safely), it’s a way of infusing the drink with warmth. To make, combine one-half ounce of Irish cream (like Bailey’s) into a shot glass, and then add one-half ounce of Goldschläger vodka on top of it. Finally, top the shot off with overproof rum (like Barcardi 151). This will float at the top. Using a torch-style lighter, carefully ignite the top. Always remember to clean off your bartop before setting drinks on fire since spilled alcohol can also catch. Blow out the flame and sprinkle this shot with ground cinnamon before shooting it back. 

• Apple pie shot with Crown apple whiskey: Remember how we said that apple pie shots don’t contain any actual pie? We didn’t say that they couldn’t. This decadent shot recipe calls for an apple pie rim. To make this version, run some corn syrup around a shot glass’s lip, and then dip it in pie crust crumbs. Then, pour 1 ounce of RumChata into the shot glass and layer in 2 ounces Crown Royal apple whisky. You need to pour this second layer in very slowly, preferably over the back of a bar spoon to control the speed of the pour. The result will be a tiered shot with creamy liqueur on the bottom, strong apple whisky on the top, and a delicious pie-crust rim. 

• ‍Make it a cocktail: If you like the taste of one of the above recipes and want to sip on it longer, make it into a fall cocktail by increasing the proportions of each ingredient. As a rule of thumb, 3 ounces of liquor makes a very strong cocktail, so you might need to add a mixer. Try topping off the liquors with a lemon-lime soda like 7Up or Sprite, something neutral like club soda, or a generous pour of your leftover apple juice. You could also try cranberry juice, apple cider, or something equally festive.

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If you’re ready to try your hand at fruity mixology for the holidays, set up bar while you let Gopuff do the shopping. You can order everything you need in seconds and have it at your door in a matter of minutes.