Honeycrisp Crush.
Jump up and down if you love honeycrisp apple season!
Jump up and down if you love honeycrisp apple cocktail season.
I’m basically doing cartwheels.
It’s no secret that I wait the entire year for honeycrisp apples. What is it about them that is just so… crisp? So delicious? So… apple-ish?
Max eats an apple sprinkled with cinnamon every single day and I was so excited to introduce him to honeycrisps. He loves ‘em too and said they taste like the perfect apple. First, I was like, um, are you three or 23 years old?
Because they DO taste like the perfect apple.
After all the drinks I made this summer, all the ones with rosé and fresh fruit and what not, my favorite is… the orange crush. That freaking orange crush!
I don’t know what it is about the orange crush, aside from the fact that it’s just so super refreshing. The soda in the drink (you should definitely use a lemon lime one!) gives it even more of a boost with some light citrus flavor. And it’s SO bubbly.
It’s just so crazy because I never gravitate towards orange things. Like, it might be the last flavor I’d choose on a list of flavors (beside cranberry?) – that’s how little I’m into orange. So it blows my mind that it’s the drink I’ve loved the most in the last few months.
I knew instantly I would want to create a fall version. I considered apple cider, but that felt like a totally different drink. The orange crush uses freshly squeezed orange juice, so I knew that I needed some fresh apple juice! Or, at least my take on fresh apple juice.
We made some honeycrisp juice and this is how it comes together:
Honeycrisp syrup. I loooove this stuff and you guys love it too! I’ve used this in cocktails for the last few years and it’s awesome.
Honeycrisp juice. It may be slightly thicker like a puree, but it works! And tastes like heaven.
Vodka! Of course.
Ginger beer or ginger ale. I tried it with the lemon lime version and it overpowered the apple too much. Since it’s not necessarily hot in the fall, I didn’t think the drink had to be overly “refreshing” if you know what I mean. I kind of wanted it to have more of a comfort vibe. Use ginger beer if you want a little bite, or ginger ale if you like it more mild.
THIS MAKES ME SO HAPPY!
It still does come off as a refreshing drink because it’s so icy and cold. But it’s full of major apple flavor, without being apple cider-y. You know? And without being like that fake green apple flavor that you can find in neon green cocktails.
Seriously tastes like one giant honeycrisp apple. Well, one giant SPIKED honeycrisp apple.
Honeycrisp Crush
Ingredients
honeycrisp juice and syrup
- 2 large honeycrisp apples peeled and diced
- 1/4 cup water
- sugar
honeycrisp crush
- 3 ounces honeycrisp juice
- 1 to 2 ounces honey crisp syrup
- 2 ounces vodka
- 3 ounces ginger beer or ginger ale
- apple slices for garnish
- a sprinkle of cinnamon on top
Instructions
- Note: of course you can use regular old apple juice for this. Or apple cider! If you use either, you may need to adjust the amount of honeycrisp syrup. Go based on your own taste preference!
honeycrisp juice and syrup
- You can make all of this ahead of time!
- Place the apples and water in a saucepan and heat over medium heat. Cook until the mixture is simmering and the apple is tender and begins to break down. Transfer the mixture to a blender or food processor and puree until smooth and blended. Strain over a fine mesh sieve into a measuring cup. This gives you the honeycrisp "juice." Reserve a few ounces (about 3 ounces for 1 drink) and set it aside.
- The remaining amount of honeycrisp juice you have is how much sugar you need. If you have 1/2 cup of juice left, use 1/2 cup sugar. Equal parts. Place both the honeycrisp juice and the sugar in a saucepan over medium heat. Whisk constantly until the sugar dissolves and the mixture is simmering. Remove from the heat and let cool completely. Store this in a sealed container in the fridge and it will last great!
honeycrisp crush
- Fill a glass with crushed ice. Pour the honeycrisp juice, syrup and vodka in to the glass. Give it a gentle stir. Top it off with the ginger beer or ginger ale, an apple slice and a sprinkle of cinnamon. Serve!
Did you make this recipe?
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I appreciate you so much!
You can totally cinnamon-sugar the rim too and be my BFF forever.
40 Comments on “Honeycrisp Crush.”
I LOVE honeycrisp apples!! I discovered them a few years ago and thought the same thing, this is the perfect apple. I tried to explain it to my Mother in law the other day. It just checks all the boxes of what I want an apple to be. I can’t wait to try this. I bet it taste like fall. I always think of apples before I think of pumpkins when I think of fall, .
they are just SO good!!
Jumping up and down like crazy (on my rebounder trampoline, to protect my joints of course) – LOVE honeycrisp apples, for sure! They’re just on another level of deliciousness – definitely keep the honeycrisp-centric recipes coming this season.
thanks love!
making these on friday! sound so, so good & perfect for this time of year!
xoxox
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Definitely making these this weekend for tailgating!
ENJOY!
Gorgeous!! My mouth is watering! I cannot wait to try these!
thanks ashlyn!
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another great cocktail! thank you, love the cinnamon-sugar rim treatment
xoxo
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This sounds delicious! Definitely making it for a dinner party or other (or just a lazy Saturday afternoon). Probably a good call with the ginger ale/beer, I have a hunch the ginger brings an amazing extra dimension to the apple.
it sure does! thank you!
Reason 139403749379 why I love your blog – I’m obsessed with Honeycrisp apples and this drink speaks to my soul. Can’t wait to try this! (after my obligatory trip to Soergels for apples of course)
thanks so much courtney!
I love your blog. A thought–does anyone think this would also be dynamite with bourbon????
for sure!!
Totally trying this out, can’t wait!!
enjoy!
OMG, I wait all year for honeycrisp and I am obsessed with ginger beer lately (moscow mules – so easy and so good!)! I cannot wait to try this!! Thanks for a great cocktail idea!
thanks lori!!
I spy fall decorations! Love honeycrisps!
:)
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I was so excited about this recipe but I’m a little confused… just made the “juice” and it came out like applesauce… couldn’t get it thru the sieve. Did I do something wrong or is 1/4c of water too little? Help!!
hi megan!! i’d go ahead and add a little more water (start with another 1/4 cup) and keep blending! it mostly depends on how juicy your apple is!
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I love juice,it makes me feel like eating fresh fruits, also no sugar added juice brands which is more heathier! I jus had one amazing natural juice brands House of Chi which is jus amazing….you can also check this. https://www.houseofchi.com/
Hi Jessica,
Instead of making the juice by boiling the apples, can I use a juicer? Thanks!
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Absolutely delicious! I used whatever apples were in my backyard and made a sweet loaf of bread with the pulp from juicing
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