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Celebrate the festive season with this Vanilla Cinnamon Maple Whiskey Sour – the perfect simple and cozy winter cocktail. Warming bourbon, shaken together with fresh squeezed lemon, real maple syrup, vanilla bean, and just the right amount of sweet cinnamon. A festive and delicious holiday cocktail. Perfect for Thanksgiving and Christmas parties with family and friends. Enjoy this with bourbon or create my mocktail variation. You can also make a big batch to serve up to a crowd! I have directions for it all!
I don’t know what’s going on, but I’m LOVING and having so much fun with this year’s holiday cocktails. The drinks I’ve shared so far have been some of my favorite recipes to create.
I love them all so much. And I have to say, I’ve enjoyed testing the mocktail variations too. If you follow often, you know that I’m a one-sip-and-done kind of drinker. The mocktails have been great to enjoy with Asher too!
I’m so excited for today’s drink. It might just be my simplest cocktail yet, and one of my favorites for sure. My family loves it too, they love a bourbon cocktail.
The idea
Came from my brother’s girlfriend Cait. I sent her three drink options. She picked this in a matter of seconds and said it sounded so delicious.
To be honest, this was the drink I was the least excited about. I was not going to make it at all. But I’m so happy I asked Cait, it turned out so great!
The details
This one really could not be easier. There’s not one fancy ingredient and you don’t have to cook a single thing. Simply mix, shake, pour, and enjoy!
Mix the bourbon with lemon, then add maple, a dash of real vanilla extract, and a small pinch of cinnamon. Shake it up and pour over ice.
To make the drink extra pretty.
Use a smoking cinnamon stick and candied rosemary. It’s delicious and so pretty. I love the way it sparkles.
The candied rosemary is so simple to make. Just grab some fresh rosemary sprigs, dampen them with water, and cover them in vanilla sugar. Let the rosemary dry for an hour at room temperature. Now you have pretty, glistening rosemary that’s the perfect final touch to this whiskey sour.
I know this will be on repeat at my house once family arrives for the holidays. It’s simple and has everything they like in a holiday cocktail.
Looking for other easy holiday drinks? Here are my favorites:
The Spicy Sweet Grinch Cocktail
Lastly, if you make this Vanilla Cinnamon Maple Whiskey Sour, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Vanilla Cinnamon Maple Whiskey Sour
Servings: 1 drink
Calories Per Serving: 192 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
- 2 ounces (1/4 cup) bourbon
- 1 ounce (2 tablespoons) lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 1 dash vanilla extract (I do 1/4 teaspoon-ish)
- 1 pinch cinnamon (I do 1/8 teaspoon-ish)
- cinnamon stick and rosemary, for serving
Instructions
- 1. In a cocktail shaker, combine the bourbon, lemon juice, maple, vanilla, and cinnamon. Add ice and shake. Strain into a glass. 2. Garnish with vanilla rosemary (recipe in notes) and cinnamon. If desired light the cinnamon on fire for a smoky effect.
Vanilla Sugared Rosemary
- 1. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Combine 1 cup granulated sugar with 1/2 teaspoon vanilla bean seeds. 2. Gently run rosemary sprigs under a little water to dampen and place on the prepared baking sheet. Sprinkle the rosemary with vanilla sugar on all sides, making sure the rosemary is thoroughly coated in sugar. Allow to dry on the baking sheet for 1 hour. The rosemary can be made 1 day in advance and stored at room temperature.
Notes
To Make a Mocktail:Â omit the bourbon and use 2 ounces apple cider.Â
Vanilla Cinnamon Maple Whiskey Sour Punch
Servings: 8
Calories Per Serving: 192 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
- 2 cups bourbon
- 1 cup lemon juice
- 1/3 – 1/2 cup maple syrup, more or less to taste
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3/4 teaspoon cinnamon, more or less to taste
- cinnamon sticks and vanilla rosemary, for serving
Instructions
- 1. In a punch bowl, combine the bourbon, lemon juice, maple, vanilla, and cinnamon. 2. Stir to combine, chill until ready to serve. Before serving, add ice. Serve with cinnamon and sugared rosemary (recipe above).
Notes
To Make a Mocktail:Â omit the bourbon and use 2 cups apple cider.Â
Made this for a neighborhood cocktail competition because it was easy and I love whiskey sours. It tied for 1st place!
Thank you so much Carol! xT
Just made this cocktail while decorating the Christmas tree! I found it to be much too sour. A second round with less lemon and adding an egg white balanced it better.
Oh no I’m so sorry about that! Thank you for the feedback! Have a great holiday season! xT
We made this for Thanksgiving to serve with appetizers before dinner. Delicious! Everyone loved it!
Hey Julie,
Happy Saturday!! Thanks a bunch for making this recipe and your comment! So glad to hear it was enjoyed:)
Tried this recipe for our Thanksgiving happy hour cocktail. Delicious, but how would you recommend making it a bit sweeter?
Hey Ada,
Wonderful!! I love to hear that you enjoyed this recipe! Thanks so much for your feedback and trying the recipe! Just add some more maple syrup to make it sweeter:) Happy Thanksgiving! xT
This was not well-balanced. The lemon totally overwhelmed everything. I took a few sips before realizing it was not worth the cals and I dumped it.
But if you LOVE lemon with a hint of maybe something else, this might be for you.
Hi Allison,
So sorry to hear you did not enjoy this recipe! Thanks for giving it a try and your feedback:) xx
Where has this drink been all my life? So simple and delicious! I may need a second one. 🙂
Thanks so much April! xT