Take your margarita from summer to fall with this apple cider twist

Few food and drink pairings say summer quite like a pitcher of margaritas and bowl of guacamole. The tequila-based cocktail is without a doubt the unofficial alcoholic drink of summer. But just because the season has faded into autumn doesn’t mean you have to give up your marg-drinking ways.

In fact, far from it: Tieghan Gerard, the mastermind behind whole food cooking blog Half Baked Harvest—who released her first cookbook last month—has come up with a genius way to craft the drink using fall’s finest ingredients, while still keeping the margarita spirit—pun intended.

Her apple cider-based version tastes like the classic tequila cocktail you know and love, only you’ll have the urge to sip it next to a campfire at a log cabin in the woods. (Which makes sense because Gerard legit lives in a converted horse barn in Colorado. Is there anything more fall than that?)

“I was inspired by the flavors of fall to create a drink using apple cider and warming, smoky mezcal,” Gerard says. “The cider adds a nice sweetness as well as brings in the flavors of autumn apples, and the mezcal adds a touch of smokiness that warms the drink up a bit.” Hungry? She likes to nosh on roasted pumpkin seed hummus while she sips.

Here, she shares the recipe so you can make a big ol’ batch when your friends come over. After all, it’s getting chilly out: Why go battle the bar when you can stay home and sip on these delish cocktails instead?

Scroll down for Tieghan Gerard’s smoky apple cider margarita recipe and to watch a video of exactly how to whip up a batch.

Smoky apple cider margarita

Yields 4-6 servings

Ingredients
1 cup mezcal or silver tequila2 cups apple cider3/4 cups fresh lime juice2-4 Tbsp agave nectarIce4-6 apple slices (for garnish)

1. Fill a pitcher with ice. Add in the mezcal or tequila, apple cider, fresh lime juice, and agave.

2. Stir well. Garnish with an apple slice.

If you’re inviting friends over who want to skip the booze—the sober social scene is trending, after all—impress them with this non-alcoholic ginger beer.