Maple Old Fashioned

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This maple old fashioned is a sweet take on a classic cocktail that’s perfect for cozy fall and winter nights.

Out with the old and in with the new. This old fashioned with maple syrup puts a sweet spin on the classic cocktail and has quickly become one of my favorite drinks to sip any time of the year. But it is especially perfect for cold winter nights or when you’re looking for a dessert-like nightcap.

What This Recipe Entails

It doesn’t get much simpler than making an old fashioned. Just combine and stir.

• Prep time: 3 minutes

However, good ingredients are key. Choose a bourbon you like the flavor of. Purchase some high quality bitters. And please, get yourself some real maple syrup. If you make this with mass produced syrup that doesn’t even have real maple in it (Pearl Milling Co. or Log Cabin, we’re looking at you), you’re going to be disappointed.

Ingredients

• Bourbon – If you drink old fashioneds you likely already have a favorite bourbon, but if you are looking for somewhere to start, check out Buffalo Trace or Wild Turkey 101.
• Maple syrup – A good maple syrup makes all the difference. The mass produced syrups aren’t even from maple. So get yourself a real maple syrup. Then, depending on your sweet tooth, you can determine how much maple syrup you like in your old fashioned. We recommend starting with a quarter ounce. Increase it up to a half ounce if you like a sweeter old fashioned, or are just feeling extra decadent. I switch back and forth depending on my mood and the specific maple syrup we have on hand. 
• Angostura and orange bitters – I like to add a couple dashes of orange bitters instead of an orange peel for simplicity’s sake. It’s hard to beat Angostura bitters if you don’t know what brand to get.

How To Make This Maple Old Fashioned Recipe

Combine, stir, and serve. Making cocktails doesn’t get much easier than an old fashioned! And being able to make the drink right in a rocks glass with no special equipment only adds to that fact.

Here are the (very simple) steps to make a maple old fashioned:

1. Add bourbon, maple syrup, and bitters to a rocks glass over ice.
2. Garnish if desired.
3. Stir to combine and serve.

If you would like to add a garnish, a swath of orange peel would be the way to go. Just like a traditional old fashioned. This way, you can also forgo the orange bitters in the cocktail and instead add the orange flavor through the rind. 

An alternative garnish would be adding a maple candy or maple sugar cube. If doing so, go lighter on the maple syrup (think a quarter ounce) as the maple candy will dissolve slowly to add sweetness and maple flavor over time. 

Serving Suggestions

A maple old fashioned is best served as a stand alone cocktail either as a dessert or late night sipper. Thanks to its rich and decadent flavor, there’s no need to serve it with food or anything else.

So plan on pouring yourself, or your guests, a maple old fashioned and enjoying a peaceful evening. After all, the best thing a cocktail goes with is good company. 

Give this sweet cocktail a try on a cold fall or winter night. Let us know what you think of our maple old fashioned in the comments below. And as always, please rate and share if you enjoyed this recipe!