Bourbon is my spirit of choice when the weather turns cold- spicy and warm, with sweet notes of vanilla, burning ever so slightly as it goes down your throat, warming your entire body with just one sip. It’s a no brainer for cocktails on a blustery fall day, and for me, the hot toddy is the quintessential cold weather bourbon drink.

I decided to give the classic hot toddy a fall twist with the addition of apple shrub and a brown sugar spiced simple syrup. The shrub adds a tart apple flavor, very reminiscent of fresh pressed apple cider, and the brown sugar spiced simple syrup brings just the right amount of sweet and spice to the drink. A few slices of fresh ginger rounds out all the flavors and compliments the spiciness of the bourbon perfectly. I honestly didn’t think a hot toddy could get any better, but this is going to be my go to version to warm my bones until spring comes.

Apple Shrub Hot Toddy

Ingredients:

Apple Shrub

2 lbs apples, cut into 1” pieces

4 C sugar

2 C apple cider vinegar

1 C balsamic vinegar

Brown Sugar Simple Syrup

1 C brown sugar

1 C water

1 cinnamon stick

6 whole cloves

8 cardamom pods

Apple Shrub Hot Toddy

2/3 C bourbon

1/2 C apple shrub

1/4 C water

2 Tbsp simple syrup

2” piece of ginger, sliced

Make the apple shrub. In a large bowl, combine the cut apples and sugar, stirring until the apples are coated in the sugar. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit at room temperature for two days. Stir occasionally to make sure all the sugar has dissolved. At the end of the two days, the mixture will be soupy from the apples releasing all their juices. Strain the juice into a large air tight container and add the vinegar. Refrigerate for 3-6 days until desired tartness is reached. The longer the shrub sits in the refrigerator the more mellow the vinegar will be.

Make the brown sugar simple syrup. In a small saucepan, combine brown sugar, water, cinnamon stick, cloves, and cardamom pods. Stir to combine. Heat over medium heat until the sugar has dissolved. Let cool completely.

To make the apple shrub hot toddy, add the bourbon, 1/2 C apple shrub, 2 Tbsp of the brown sugar simple syrup, water, and sliced ginger to a small saucepan. Bring the bourbon mixture up to a gentle boil over medium heat. Remove from heat and pour into two mugs.

*Note: This recipe makes A LOT of apple shrub, but no fear, it lasts a long time- for several months at least. Most definitely enough to get you through those long, cold, fall and winter nights.