• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • All Recipes
  • Spring
  • Work With Me
  • About
  • Subscribe

Our Love Language is Food

menu icon
go to homepage
  • All Recipes
  • Spring
  • Work With Me
  • About
  • Subscribe
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • All Recipes
  • Spring
  • Work With Me
  • About
  • Subscribe
×
Our Love Language is Food > Recipes > Beverages

Published: Sep 20, 2021 · Modified: Feb 7, 2025 by Meredith · This post may contain affiliate links · 3 Comments

Bourbon Cider Mule

Sharing is caring!

Jump to Recipe

With the cooler weather moving in and the leaves starting to turn, this fall Moscow mule with bourbon and apple cider is the perfect fall cocktail! Our recipe uses three simple ingredients to bring you an awesome fall drink.

A copper mug filled with this fall Kentucky mule recipe and garnished with an apple slice and cinnamon stick.

My husband has always been a bourbon guy, but I never really got into sipping it “on the rocks” After we got married I learned that I actually really enjoy sipping on bourbon when it was mixed into a cocktail! So over the past decade I’ve been playing around with bourbon mixed drinks, and this simple apple cider Kentucky mule has become a fall-time staple in our house.

I’ve also got a non-alcoholic drink similar to this that the kiddos can sip on while you’re enjoying one of these! Check out our spiced apple cider mocktail recipe to mix one of these up too!

What is a Kentucky Mule?

A Kentucky mule is a play off of the classic Moscow mule that uses bourbon whiskey instead of vodka. This apple cider bourbon mule recipe is a fall-inspired play on the Kentucky mule.

Cask Strength Bourbon vs. Regular Bourbon

There are different types of bourbon available for purchase, so you may see a bottle labeled ‘cask strength’ or ‘barrel proof’. Cask strength bourbon is taken directly from the barrel to the bottling line, whereas a standard bourbon will have some water added in order to get it to the appropriate taste or ABV the distiller is looking for to sell it. To get to the point, cask strength or barrel proof whiskey is stronger. It’s often touted as having a deeper flavor profile.

Why You’ll Love this Apple Cider Mule Recipe!

Level of difficulty: Easy. Measure, stir, and enjoy!

Flavor: Sweet apple cider and spicy ginger beer are the predominant flavors in this fall cocktail

Time: It will take you less than 5 minutes to mix up this fall mule recipe

Bourbon Cider Mule Ingredients

Ingredients for this fall mule recipe: ginger beer, bourbon, and apple cider.

Bourbon Whiskey – I recommend using cask strength bourbon for this fall mule recipe

Ginger Beer – select a ginger beer you’d enjoy drinking on it’s own, I personally like this one

Apple Cider – use a fresh apple cider, like you may find at your local farmer’s market or at your favorite apple orchard during the fall months, if you can

How to Make an Apple Cider Mule with Whiskey

Fill a copper mug with ice.

Add bourbon, apple cider, and ginger beer to the mug and stir to combine.

Optionally garnish with a cinnamon stick and/or apple slice and enjoy!

An apple cider bourbon mule cocktail being made. Images shows a copper mug filled with ice and a jigger of bourbon being poured into it.

Variations on this Apple Cider Mule with Whiskey

  • Add a squirt of fresh lime or fresh lemon juice. Add a little extra citrus punch with a squeeze of fresh lime juice or fresh lemon juice! Use up to 1 tablespoon of juice per drink.
  • Replace the bourbon whiskey with vodka. If you love a standard mule, you may enjoy regular vodka in this recipe too!

Apple Cider Bourbon Mule FAQs

Can I use ginger ale instead of ginger beer in this fall mule recipe?

I would not recommend swapping ginger ale for the ginger beer in this apple cider Kentucky mule recipe for a few reasons. Ginger ale is much sweeter than ginger beer, which isn’t needed with the apple cider in this cocktail recipe. Additionally, ginger ale doesn’t have that ginger kick that ginger beer does, which will leave your cocktail without that big ginger punch you are expecting in a classic Moscow mule.

Why are Moscow mules and Kentucky mules served in copper mugs?

Besides tradition, it’s said that the copper mugs help to keep this cocktail nice and cold. Plus, when you’re drinking a cocktail out of a copper mug, everyone knows it’s a mule!

What’s the best bourbon to use in a fall Kentucky mule?

Whatever bourbon whiskey you enjoy is a good bourbon to use in this fall cocktail. If you are newer to bourbon, I’d recommend purchasing a high quality bourbon like J.Henry & Sons, Makers Mark Cask Strength, or Basil Hayden’s Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey. If you have a local distillery near you that makes bourbon, give them a try too!

Love This Recipe? You May Also Enjoy

  • Chai Bourbon Cocktail
  • Tequila Mule (aka Mexican Mule)
  • Fall Red Wine Sangria
  • Gold Rush Cocktail

Did you make this recipe? Leave a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating & comment below! You can also tag @ourlovelanguageisfood on Instagram & Facebook. Be sure to subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get free recipes sent directly to your inbox!

copper mug filled with this Apple Cider Bourbon Mule recipe and garnished with a cinnamon stick and apple slice. additional apples and cinnamon sticks surround the mug.

Apple Cider Bourbon Mule

Meredith
This apple cider bourbon mule recipe is a fall-inspired play on the Kentucky mule. Made with 3-ingredients, this easy cocktail recipe is perfect for fall,
5 from 7 votes
Prevent your screen from going dark
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 5 minutes mins
Total Time 5 minutes mins
Course Drinks
Cuisine American
Servings 1 Cocktail
Calories 222 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 2 oz bourbon
  • 4 oz apple cider
  • 4 oz ginger beer
  • ice
  • optional: apple slice s and cinnamon stick for garnish

Instructions
 

  • Fill copper mug with ice
  • Measure out all ingredients and pour into copper mug
  • Stir to combine
  • Garnish with an apple slice and cinnamon stick if desired, and enjoy!

Notes

*It is not recommended to substitute the ginger beer in this recipe with ginger ale. Ginger ale is much sweeter than ginger beer, which isn’t needed with the apple cider in this cocktail recipe. Additionally, ginger ale doesn’t have that ginger kick that ginger beer does, which will leave your cocktail without that big ginger punch you are expecting in a mule cocktail.

Nutrition

Calories: 222kcalCarbohydrates: 23gProtein: 1gFat: 1gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 13mgPotassium: 117mgFiber: 1gSugar: 21gVitamin A: 1IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 12mgIron: 1mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

More Beverages

  • Close up of a classic margarita on the rocks in a salt rimmed rocks glass with a lime slice.
    Classic Margarita Recipe
  • Close up of a skinny margarita in a glass rimmed with salt and garnished with a lime wedge and an orange wedge.
    Skinny Margarita Recipe
  • Close up of a coconut lime margarita in a rocks glass rimmed with toasted coconut.
    Coconut Margarita Recipe
  • Close up of a paloma cocktail in a rocks glass with a straw.
    Paloma Cocktail Recipe

Reader Interactions

Comments

    5 from 7 votes (5 ratings without comment)

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    How many stars would you give this recipe?




  1. Meredith says

    September 23, 2024 at 4:13 pm

    5 stars
    Love this fall cocktail!

    Reply
  2. M. says

    August 02, 2022 at 5:43 pm

    5 stars
    My favorite fall drink! What could be better than a Kentucky mule with apple cider???

    Reply
    • ourlovelanguageisfood says

      August 02, 2022 at 5:43 pm

      I’m so happy to hear this, and totally agree. Cheers!

      Reply

Primary Sidebar

Photo of Meredith, creator of Our Love Language is Food, with a cookie sheet filled with dough balls ready to bake next to a stand mixer with more cookie dough.

Hi, I'm Meredith!

I am a Midwest-based foodie and mom working full time by day and sharing my passion for all things food by night. Follow along for great recipes to share with your family and friends. I've got you covered for breakfast, dinner, snack-time, parties, desserts, drinks, and more!

About Meredith →

Cozy Recipes

  • A serving bowl filled with tuscan chicken meatballs and gnocchi topped with parmesan.
    Slow Cooker Tuscan Chicken Meatballs with Gnocchi

  • A serving plate with a hearty scoop of tuna casserole topped with parsley.
    Stovetop Tuna Casserole

  • a stoneware bowl filled with healthy turkey chili topped with cheese, frito chips, sour cream, and diced red bell peppers. Another bowl of chili sits in the background, along with a small bowl of cheese and bowl of fritos on a wooden board. a white linen and spoons sit in frame too.
    Easy Ground Turkey Chili

  • close up of a white bowl filled with tuscan vegetable soup. The bowl is sitting on a plate with a spoon, and slices of french bread and grated cheese is shown in the background.
    Hearty Tuscan White Bean and Lentil Soup with Kale

Reader Favorites

  • Highball glass filled with this mojito mocktail recipe. The glass has a sprig of mint for garnish and a straw, and is sitting on a cutting board covered in additional mint and lime wedges.
    Mocktail Mojito

  • A full wheat germ muffin and a muffin that's cut in half with butter on a white serving plate
    Wheat Germ Muffins (Nutritious & Delicious Muffins)

  • a bowl of white chicken chili with a hand taking a spoonful of chili to eat.
    White Chicken Chili with Bacon

  • Cocoa pebbles treats cut into squares sitting in a 9x13 pan.
    Chocolate Krispie Treats (with Cocoa Pebbles or Krispies)

Let's Be Social!

Footer

↑ back to top

Explore

  • Recipe Index
  • About Me
  • Work With Me

About

  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms & Conditions

At no cost to you, as an Amazon Associate I may earn from qualifying purchases from affiliate links on my website.

Copyright © 2021-2025 Our Love Language is Food LLC

Please Rate & Comment!

Your vote:




A rating is required
A name is required
An email is required

Recipe Ratings without Comment

Something went wrong. Please try again.