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    Home » Recent Posts » Cocktail Recipes

    Prickly Pear Cinnamon Gin Cocktail is Perfect for Fall

    Published: Nov 11, 2021 · Updated: Mar 21, 2022 by Katy McAvoy

    I love when you share my recipes!

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    Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase using one of these links, I make a small commission.


    Prickly pear liqueur is sweet with a slightly floral flavor and is often used in bright, citrus cocktails like margaritas. This Prickly Pear Cinnamon Gin cocktail brings that floral flavor into fall with the perfect balance of citrus and spice. 

    Note: This post is sponsored by Thatcher’s Organic Artisan Spirits, a West Michigan-based company crafting organic vodka and liqueurs. All thoughts and opinions are my own. 

    Did you know we have prickly pear cactus in Michigan? The Eastern Prickly Pear is a native plant that survives our winters and comes back each year. Mind blown!

    Prickly Pear Cactus growing in Michigan!

    This summer, a gardening savvy friend even gave me a cutting of theirs to attempt to grow in my garden. (Fingers crossed it survives its first winter in my care. My green thumb is random and accidental.) 

    Prickly pear liqueurs, though, aren’t always an easy find in Michigan so I was delighted when Thatcher’s Organic Artisan Spirits reached out and asked me to create a new cocktail recipe using their Michigan made prickly pear liqueur. And because when you work with local cocktail ingredients, you can find them, well… locally, I was able to easily find Thatcher’s Prickly Pear liqueur at my fave West Michigan liquor store.

    Prickly Pear Fall Cocktail

    Prickly pear is a great flavor pairing with lime and silver tequila, but we are not making prickly pear margaritas here. I did use Thatcher’s Prickly Pear liqueur in a margarita - and it is DELICIOUS - but something else kept sticking in my mind. Cinnamon. 

    Every time I sipped or sniffed the liqueur, I kept coming back to cinnamon. Not cinnamon and nutmeg. Or cinnamon and ginger. Just cinnamon, in all its spicy glory. 

    Pairing Prickly Pear Liqueur with my apple cinnamon infused gin creates the perfect fall sip without the cinnamon being too spicy or the prickly pear being too floral. Head's up - the gin does need to be started about 5 days ahead of crafting your cocktail. It's a quick infusion to set up and I promise it’s worth the wait! 

    What You Need

    Ingredients for a prickly pear fall cocktail
    • Apple cinnamon infused gin
    • Thatchers Prickly Pear Liqueur
    • Simple syrup
    • A lemon 

    How to Make a Prickly Pear Fall Apple Cocktail

    Infuse your favorite gin with apples and cinnamon. >Get the instructions for my DIY Apple Cinnamon Gin. I use Beefeater Gin or Aviation Gin in my infusion since both are fairly neutral tasting spirits.

    Apple Cinnamon Gin Infusion

    Shake Up Your Cocktail

    Combine the gin, prickly pear liqueur, simple syrup, and lemon juice in a cocktail shaker filled with ice. 

    Apple Cinnamon gin being poured into a cocktail shaker
    Apple Cinnamon Gin
    Thatcher's Prickly Pear Liqueur being poured into a cocktail shaker.
    Prickly Pear Liqueur

    Shake well and strain into a coupe glass. 

    Pouring a Prickly Pear Fall Cocktail

    Garnish with a slice of apple or a lemon peel, if desired. 

    Enjoy!

    Tips on Prickly Pear Fall Apple Cocktail

    Where do I find Prickly Pear Liqueur?

    Head to the Find Us page on the Thatcher's Artisan Organic Spirits website and use their search tool to find the store nearest you!

    Do I have to use the apples in the apple cinnamon gin? 

    Yes! In testing this recipe, I infused the gin 2 ways - cinnamon + gin + 2 day infusion AND cinnamon + apples + gin + 2 days cinnamon infusion and 5 day apple infusion. You can not short cut this one. Turns out the apples are needed to control the intensity of the cinnamon, especially since we’re using cinnamon sticks and the exact size of each one will naturally vary. Using the apples is the best way to keep the cinnamon from taking over. 

    Can I use bottled lemon juice?

    Squeeze a fresh lemon for this recipe. It’s one of 4 ingredients, so fresh juice makes for the best cocktail.  

    Where do I find simple syrup? 

    Make your own simple syrup by combining 1 cup of hot water with 1 cup of sugar. Stir until dissolved, then put the mixture in the refrigerator until it’s cold. Don’t use it until it’s well chilled or the warm syrup will melt your ice too much when you shake up your cocktail! Any leftover syrup can be kept in a covered jar in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks. 

    Happy Hour Snack Pairings

    BBQ Oyster crackers in a bowl
    BBQ Oyster Crackers
    Homemade Potato Chips
    Homemade Potato Chips

    Try These Other Fall Cocktails 

    Spiced Apple Cocktail
    Spiced Apple Cocktail
    Holiday Spice Martini
    Holiday Spice Martini

    More Delicious Recipes You’ll Love 

    • Pear Vodka Sour
    • Apple Cinnamon Gin - DIY Liquor Infusions
    • The Perfect Fall Spiced Apple Cocktail
    • Refreshing Grapefruit and Elderflower Gin Cocktail
    • Light and Refreshing Honey Orange Gin Cocktail

    Print the Recipe

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    Prickly Pear Cinnamon Gin Cocktail

    Prickly Pear Fall Cocktail
    Print Recipe
    Pin Recipe

    Prickly pear liqueur is sweet with a slightly floral flavor and is often used in bright, citrus cocktails like margaritas. This Prickly Pear Cinnamon Gin cocktail brings that floral flavor into fall with the perfect balance of citrus, spice, and floral ingredients.

    • Author: Katy McAvoy
    • Prep Time: 5 min
    • Cook Time: 0 min
    • Total Time: 5 min
    • Yield: 1 cocktail 1x
    • Category: Cocktails
    • Method: Cocktail Shaker
    • Cuisine: American

    Ingredients

    Units Scale
    • 2 oz apple cinnamon gin
    • 1 oz Thatcher’s Prickly Pear Liqueur
    • 1 oz simple syrup
    • 0.5 oz fresh lemon juice

    Instructions

    Combine the gin, prickly pear liqueur, simple syrup, and lemon juice in a cocktail shaker filled with ice. 

    Shake well and strain into a coupe glass. 

    Garnish with a slice of apple or lemon peel, if desired. 

    Enjoy! 

    Equipment

    Image of Cocktail Shaker

    Cocktail Shaker

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    Image of Coupe

    Coupe

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    Keywords: thatchers organic artisan spirits, prickly pear liqueur, cinnamon, fall drinks, fall cocktails, prickly pear cocktail

    Did you make this recipe?

    Share a photo and tag me @katymcavoy on Instagram! I can’t wait to see what you made!

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    I love when you share my recipes!

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    About Katy McAvoy

    Katy is the author, photographer, home cook, mixologist, and Michigander behind MittenGirl.com. Since 2017, she's been crafting easy-to-make cocktails and delicious meals, along with sharing her love of all things Michigan (a.k.a. The Mitten)!

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      Recipe rating ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆

    1. Emily

      November 11, 2021 at 1:10 pm

      Looks delicious, can’t wait to try it!

      Reply
    2. Toni

      November 11, 2021 at 7:40 pm

      This sounds delish!! Love that you’re supporting local!! Cheers!

      Reply

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    Katy McAvoy

    Hi! I’m Katy (she/her). I’m an author, photographer, home cook, mixologist, Michigander, and lover of all things food and drink. I never turn down a good happy hour and believe that a couple hours of meal prep pays off for days. Follow me on Instagram to check out what I’m working on next!

    More about me →

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