Apple butter is a brilliant shortcut to a robustly flavored drink. Deeply appley, spiced with cinnamon and sometimes ginger, nutmeg, or clove, it brings in every essential autumn note in a teaspoon or two. In this drink from Zach Lynch, bar manager of the Ice Plant in St. Augustine, Florida, the apple butter meets its match in bourbon (plus lemon juice and dark brown sugar to bring out both high and low notes). All that’s missing is a pumpkin patch and a freshly fried cider doughnut.

Ingredients

　　1 teaspoon dark brown sugar

　　1 teaspoon hot water

　　1 ½ oz. bourbon

　　½ oz. fresh lemon juice 

　　2 teaspoons apple butter (storebought or homemade)

　　Garnish: orange twist and freshly grated or ground cinnamon

　　Stir together brown sugar and hot water in a cocktail shaker to dissolve. Let cool, then add bourbon, lemon juice, and apple butter and fill with ice. Shake until well chilled, about 15 seconds. Strain into an ice-filled rocks glass. Garnish with orange twist and cinnamon.

　　From The One-Bottle Cocktail © 2018 by Maggie Hoffman. Published by Ten Speed Press.Buy the full book from Amazon.