20 delicious cocktails to make at home this fall

If you’re someone who totally embraces pumpkin being in everything, you’ll love a pumpkin pie martini. It’s creamy, boozy, and rich. It’s like Thanksgiving dessert in a coupe. 

For some, espresso martinis have their moment every evening, but for others, they’re an autumnal drink through and through. To make your recipe a little more thematic for the season, you can add some pumpkin spice or star anise. 

An old fashioned is another classic cocktail, but it can really come into its own in the fall. And if you want to make it even more seasonal, swap the cherry and orange peel for a green apple and a cinnamon stick. 

‘Tis the season for appletinis. It’s an elevated way to have apple juice, and so delicious. To elevate it even further, add a caramel drizzle around the rim of your glass. And if you make the drink green enough, it’s the perfect cocktail for Halloween. 

If you prefer tequila to vodka, opt for an apple cider margarita. They’re a little more involved than an appletini, but they’re certainly not difficult to make, and they scream fall. 

If you master a good cranberry whiskey sour, you can enjoy this cocktail in the fall and the entire holiday season. It’s a simple twist on the recipe, allowing for some fun elevation in garnishes. 

Fall is just an excuse to drink apple cider cocktails … or so some might say. If you’re one such individual, you’ll love an apple cider mimosa. It’s exactly what it sounds like, so there’s no need to prep a bunch of ingredients or bust out a jigger and shaker. 

With all the craze over pumpkin, maple can get lost in the shuffle of fall flavors. Try your best not to let that happen by indulging in a maple old fashioned. It’s so rich and satisfying, and it’ll warm you up on a crisp evening. 

A Manhattan is already great in the fall, but when you add salted caramel to it, it reaches another level. You can opt for your own caramel sauce or just use store-bought. Either way, it’s going to make for the perfect seasonal cocktail. 

Don’t sleep on a classic hot toddy. There’s a reason people go bonkers over them in the fall. Whip up a batch to sip on while passing out candy on Halloween or serve them to the athletes in your family after they’ve played some football on Thanksgiving. 

A fall sangria is refreshing yet festive. The main difference between it and a regular sangria is the fruit — focus on autumnal offerings like berries and pears. 

A pear brandy cocktail can be as easy or as difficult to make as you want. You can opt for a pear-infused brandy and some ice, or you can add some more elements to make it a true cocktail. It's your drink - do what you want. 

Mulled apple cider is about as autumnal as it gets when it comes to cocktails. It's the coziest of all boozy drinks, and it's so delicious you don't even know you're drinking alcohol. Just make sure no children get ahold of it. 

If you love a mule, you're a lucky drinker. Mules are so easy to make seasonal. A cranberry mule is a great twist on the classic drink in the fall. Everyone who opts for it is glad they did. 

Honey needs to be used in more cocktails. It's a great natural sweetener and works well in all seasons. It's especially tasty in the fall, particularly in a bourbon cocktail. 

If you truly love the taste of alcohol, a Nordic Gibson is the drink for you. It won't suit everyone's palate, but those who enjoy it really enjoy it. 

An amaretto sour is another classic drink that just tastes good in the fall. It's sweet and bright but not overly so, and the bourbon and citrus make it well-balanced, making it a great autumnal option. 

Spritzes are typically a summer drink, but they become autumnal with the right ingredients, like pomegranates. Pomegranates are in season in the fall, so it's the perfect time to use them in cocktails. 

The only reason a s'more martini is tastier in the fall than in the summer is that it can be heavy. But that's not a bad thing, especially if you like to extend summer as long as possible. 

Pomegranate everything in the fall. If you don't like any of the aforementioned pomegranate drinks, perhaps you'll be a fan of a pomegranate daiquiri. If pomegranate just isn't your thing, substitute fig.