Average
Fruity & Sour
3 minutes
Cocktail Glass
Ingredients
It captures the sweet-sour flavor combination of a classic Appletini – apple freshness, tart citrus and a gentle sweetness – minus the alcohol. The perfect choice for whenever you want all the sophistication of the original without the spirit.
How to Make a Virgin Appletini
Bar tools you’ll need
Jigger
Boston Shaker
Citrus Press
Knife
How to Mix
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Fill the smaller tin of a Boston shaker with ice cubes.
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Cut a lemon in half, then using a citrus press, juice your lemon halves.
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Use a jigger to measure and pour lemon juice into the small shaker tin.
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Use a jigger to measure and add simple syrup.
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Cut apples into medium-sized chunks for juicing. Save a slice for garnishing later. Use a juicer to juice the apple chunks. If you don’t have a juicer, use a blender and then strain the mixture with a sieve.
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Use a jigger again to measure and add apple juice into the shaker tin.
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Seal your shaker tins and shake vigorously until the shaker tins are frosty on the outside.
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Separate your shaker tins and then pour the cocktail directly into a pre-chilled martini glass.
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Garnish your drink by perching an apple slice on the side of your glass.
All about the Virgin Appletini
A Virgin Appletini is a non-alcoholic cocktail and a mocktail variation of an Appletini cocktail (aka Apple Martini). It mixes crisp apple juice, lemon juice, and simple syrup, shaken with ice cubes for that signature chilled martini vibe.
A Virgin Appletini balances sour and sweet, with the flavors of Granny Smith apples meeting the bright, zesty kick of lemon juice, balanced by the sweetness of simple syrup. The result is a vibrant sip that feels clean and fresh, leaving your palate buzzing with orchard-fresh elegance.
The Appletini cocktail was created in 1996 at a bar in Los Angeles, California, becoming a symbol of 1990s cocktail culture. While the origins of the Virgin Appletini remain unclear, it’s likely that this non-alcoholic cocktail emerged in the early 2000s.
- Granny Smith apples
Granny Smith apples are the preferred choice due to their crisp texture and tart, sour flavor, which mimic the sourness of the original Appletini. - Make your own apple juice
Although it’s much quicker and easier to use store bought apple juice, it doesn’t compare to homemade apple juicer. If you have a juicer, your apple juice will be noticeably fresher and tastier.If you’re going to use bottle apple juice, use an unsweetened green apple juice. Alternatively, you could try using a cloudy apple juice.
- Squeeze fresh lemons
Continuing on from the point above, we highly recommend squeezing lemons to make your own lemon juice. You want the really bright, zesty quality that only fresh lemons can give your drink. If you want your drink to be extra zesty, muddle lemon zest in your shaker to boost the citrus flavor and aroma. - Pre-chill your glassware
A great tasting drink is all about the details. Place your glassware in the freezer for 30 minutes then pour your cocktail into a chilled martini glass. A chilled martini glass adds a sheen to the whole drinking experience. - Dip your apple slice garnish in lemon juice
To keep your apple slices looking fresh, dip them in lemon juice before using them as a garnish. This prevents them from turning yellow or brown when exposed to air.
- Appletini
If you would like to add alcohol to your drink, we recommend using vodka and apple liqueur to create a classic Appletini. Check out the recipe for an Appletini. - Use brown sugar to create your simple syrup
There’s something undeniable about the taste of brown sugar and apple. Therefore, you could make your simple syrup using brown sugar instead of white sugar. Brown sugar will give your drink a deeper, caramel-like taste. - Apple cinnamon syrup
If you want to add some coziness to your already cozy Virgin Appletini, substitute regular simple syrup for apple cinnamon syrup, which will add a wonderfully warming apple-pie flavor.See the FAQ section to see how to make apple cinnamon syrup.
- Being that the Virgin Appletini is a non-alcoholic martini, we recommend serving it in a pre-chilled martini glass.
- After you’ve pre-chilled your martini glass, you could also rim your glass with granulated sugar for that signature martini touch.Alternatively, you could rim your glass with cinnamon sugar. To make cinnamon sugar, use 1/2 cup granulated sugar to 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon. Cinnamon sugar will give your Virgin Appletini a flavor and aroma reminiscent of warm apple pie.
- To garnish, we recommend a single slice of Granny Smith apple perched on the side of the glass. However, you could also skewer a few apple slices on a cocktail stick and rest it on top of your glass for a more elegant garnish.As mentioned in the Tips for Making the Perfect Virgin Appletini section above, to keep your apple garnish looking fresh, dip the slice(s) in lemon juice, which will prevents them from turning yellow or brown.
- You can also garnish your Virgin Appletini with a single cinnamon stick with or without the apple slice garnish.
Virgin Appletini FAQ
That’s the drink recipe you’re looking at right now! An Appletini mocktail, also known as a Virgin Appletini, is made with apple juice, lemon juice and simple syrup, shaken with ice and served in a pre-chilled martini glass.
Here’s how to make apple cinnamon syrup:
Ingredients:
1 cup water
1 cup sugar
1-2 apples (diced or sliced)
1-2 cinnamon sticks
Instructions:
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- In a saucepan, combine water, sugar, apples, and cinnamon sticks.
- Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat and let it simmer for 15 minutes.
- Strain the syrup through a fine-mesh strainer into a clean jar, discarding the apple and spice solids.
- Allow the syrup to cool completely before sealing and refrigerating.
To make a Virgin Appletini, you’ll need apple juice, lemon juice, simple syrup, and ice cube.
Yes, you can make the simple syrup and juice both the apples and lemons in advance. However, we recommend shaking each serving individuallyfor the best result.
No, you don’t have to make your own apple juice to make a Virgin Appletini…but we highly recommend it! Freshly made apple juice will always be fresher, cleaner and more flavorful than the bottled stuff.
If you’re juicing Granny Smith apples, which we recommend, it’ll give your drink that perfect tartness that you want in a Virgin Appletini.
