À La Mode Cocktail Recipe

Name: À La Mode
Prep time: 12 min
Cook time: 3 min
Total time: 15 min
Yield: 1
Ingredients: 5 fl oz Apple Cider; 2 fl oz Bourbon; 2 fl oz Heavy Cream; 0.5 fl oz Licor 43; 0.25 fl oz Demerara Syrup (Click for Recipe); 1 pinches Grated Nutmeg

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Cocktail History

The À La Mode is a modern cocktail that was created by Karin Stanley at Dutch Kills in New York City, New York. It’s reminiscent of a dessert for which it’s named called pie à la mode, which translates literally to “fashionable pie” and consists of the pastry served with vanilla ice cream. The drink recreates this delicious combination with several ingredients, including bourbon, apple cider, sweetened whipped cream, and Licor 43, a unique Spanish liqueur that adds vanilla to the mix.

Cocktail Ingredients

To make this cocktail, you’ll need the following ingredients:

Bourbon: This is a type of whiskey made in the United States with at least 51% corn, grains, malted barley, and water. I used Cedar Ridge Distillery Single Barrel Bourbon.

Licor 43: This is a liqueur made in Spain with a secret blend of forty-three ingredients, including spices, herbs, roots, citrus, sugar, and alcohol.

Apple Cider: This is a beverage made with freshly pressed apple juice and baking spices. I used The Glass Orchard Apple Cider.

Heavy Cream: This is a thick, high-fat milk product. I used Prairie Farms Dairy Heavy Whipping Cream.

Demerara Syrup: This is a sweetener made with Demerara sugar and water. I made mine using this stovetop recipe.

Grated Nutmeg: This is a spice made from the seed of a nutmeg tree. I used Frontier Co-op Whole Nutmeg.

Bartending Tools

To make this cocktail, you’ll need the following bar tools:

Boston Shaker: This is used to shake ingredients. I used the Boston shaker from the A Bar Above 14-Piece Silver Bar Set.

Hawthorne Strainer: This is used to strain out ice and solid ingredients after the cocktail is shaken. I used the A Bar Above Hawthorne Strainer.

Jigger: This is used to measure and pour ingredients. I used the Japanese jigger from the A Bar Above 14-Piece Silver Bar Set.

Saucepan: This is used to warm the ingredients. I used the Cuisinart 3-Quart Stainless Steel Saucepan with Cover.

Bar Spoon: This is used to stir ingredients. I used the Barfly Stainless Steel Teardrop Bar Spoon.

Grater: This is used to grate spices or citrus peel. I used the OXO Good Grips Grater.

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Tasting Notes

This cocktail has the following flavor profile:

• Appearance: Brown gold color

• Aroma: Nutmeg, cream, and apple

• Taste: Creamy hot apple cider flavor laved with bourbon bite, vanilla, and baking spices

• Finish: More baking spices and fruit

Kendall’s Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Kendall’s Take: “I experienced a couple of firsts when making this recipe: my first hot apple cider cocktail and my first time making homemade whipped cream. Although somewhat of a labor of love to make compared to shaken or stirred cocktails, this is a boozy apple cider that should absolutely be on your list of drinks to try in the fall or winter when fresh apple cider is still available from local orchards. The bourbon, Liquor 43, and cider are a delicious mixture, and the whipped cream and nutmeg combo on top takes the À La Mode to a divine new level.”

Recipe

This cocktail recipe was adapted from Winter Drinks: 70 Essential Cold-Weather Cocktails by the editors of PUNCH.

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À La Mode

The À La Mode is a modern cocktail that was created by Karin Stanley at Dutch Kills in New York City, New York. It's reminiscent of a dessert for which it's named called pie à la mode, which translates literally to "fashionable pie" and consists of the pastry served with vanilla ice cream. The drink recreates this delicious combination with several ingredients, including bourbon, apple cider, sweetened whipped cream, and Licor 43, a unique Spanish liqueur that adds vanilla to the mix.

Origin: Winter Drinks Method: Stovetop Base Spirit: Whiskey

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Prep Time 12 mins Assembly Time 3 mins Total Time 15 mins Difficulty: Intermediate Servings: 1 Calories: 460 Best Season: Winter

Ingredients

Servings

5 fl oz Apple Cider

2 fl oz Bourbon

2 fl oz Heavy Cream

0.5 fl oz Licor 43

0.25 fl oz Demerara Syrup (Click for Recipe)

1 pinches Grated Nutmeg

Method

Add heavy cream, Demerara syrup, and the coil of a Hawthorne strainer to a shaker.
Shake for 10-15 seconds to make whipped cream.
Add bourbon, apple cider, and Liquor 43 to a saucepan.
Heat for 8-10 minutes until steaming.
Pour into a mug.
Garnish with whipped cream and grated nutmeg.

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Frequently Asked Questions

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How do I make this cocktail recipe non-alcoholic?

There is no non-alcoholic substitute for Licor 43, but use Spiritless Kentucky 74 Non-Alcoholic Bourbon Whiskey in place of the whiskey to try a low-proof version of this drink.