Apple Martinis: Powerful Cocktail, Tame Mocktail

Being a good host or hostess is about so much more than just what you’re going to serve. It’s about making sure your guests have fun and making sure they get home safe when the night is over. That’s why it’s always a good idea to make an alcoholic (cocktail) and non-alcoholic (mocktail) version of every drink you serve. This way, the designated drivers and straight edgers don’t feel left out. Everyone can rave about how great your drinks are, and everyone can have a taste.

Today, we’ll look at a cosmopolitan classic. No, it’s not the cosmo (not today, anyway). It’s the appletini. Appletinis fall into the category of dangerous drinks because they taste super yummy, but they pack quite an alcoholic punch. So, say you have a friend who has imbibed in one too many appletinis. Now is a great time to pull the old switcheroo and pour her a mocktail instead. If she’s had more than three appletinis already, I guarantee you, she won’t know the difference. She’ll enjoy that sweet, hydrating beverage thinking it’s the same cocktail she’s been downing all night. The only difference is, she won’t end up puking in your flower pot. On the other hand, if she's one of those people who insist on driving home after they've had too many drinks, your little  switchroo could save her from having an unpleasant encounter with a police officer (or worse). 

By the way, apple martinis are the same as appletinis; it’s just a different name. The only problem with appletinis is that they can be stronger than you realize. If you look at the cocktail recipe below, you’ll notice that they are mostly alcohol. This makes them much stronger than other mixed drinks you might be used to, such as a gin and tonic or vodka and cranberry. That's exactly why it's always a good idea to have a good mocktail recipe on hand.

Appletini Cocktail Recipe:

2 oz vodka

1 oz sour apple schnapps

1 oz lemonade

Appletini Mocktail Recipe:

2 oz. apple juice

½ oz simple syrup

1 ½ oz lemonade

Instructions for both:

Combine all ingredients with ice in a cocktail shaker. Shake and pour into a chilled martini glass. Garnish with an apple slice or maraschino cherry. 

Note: To successfully pull of the switcheroo, you’ll need to add a tiny drop of green food coloring to the Mocktail, so be sure to have some on hand. The sour apple schnapps in the cocktail gives it a bit of a green hue that you'll need to replicate.