Ingredients
- 1 oz Vodka
- 1 oz Apple Cider
- 1 dash Cinnamon
- Top with Whipped Cream
Instructions
Combine Vodka and Cider:
- In a 2 oz shot glass, add 1 oz of vodka and 1 oz of apple cider.
Top with Cream:
- Top the mixture with whipped cream.
Add Cinnamon:
- Sprinkle a dash of cinnamon on top of the whipped cream.
Serve:
- Take the shot and swish it around your mouth before swallowing to fully savor the flavors.
Notes
Estimated Nutrition:
Where it came from
The Apple Pie Shot is a 2010s American autumn-themed novelty shot, part of the wave of dessert shots that took over Pinterest and casual bar menus in the early 2010s. The build is vodka, apple cider, cinnamon and whipped cream: four ingredients that recreate the apple pie flavour profile in a single drinkable pour.
It sits in the dessert-shot family with the Pumpkin Pie Shot, the Snickerdoodle Shot and the Cinnamon Toast Shot. All four lean on a spirit base and a flavoured cream topping to recreate a baked-good flavour. The Apple Pie picks fresh apple cider as the headline, which is what gives the shot its autumn character.
Best ordered in autumn, around Thanksgiving, on a cool evening when apple is in season. Not a summer drink and not a year-round bar order. The cocktail is an occasion drink that gets re-pulled for the calendar moment.
What it tastes like
Cool apple on the first sip, soft vodka warmth in the middle, sweet whipped cream on the finish, with cinnamon spice carrying through the whole shot. Reads like a slice of warm apple pie eaten cold from the fridge: the same flavour, in liquid form, in a one-ounce glass.
Around 12 percent ABV in the shot once the cider dilutes the vodka. A small two-ounce serving with the cream topping; one drink per shot. The whipped cream hides the alcohol read.
The technique
In a small two-ounce shot glass, add an ounce of vodka and an ounce of apple cider. Stir gently with a small spoon to combine. Top the mixture with whipped cream from a can; aim for a small dome that fills the rest of the glass.
Sprinkle a small dash of ground cinnamon over the whipped cream. Take the shot in one go: the cream and the cinnamon carry the headline note, and the vodka-cider mixture finishes the swallow.
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Ingredient Spotlight
The bottles that make or break this drink.
The apple cider
- Use
- Fresh-pressed apple cider, ideally from a farmstand or a single-orchard brand.
- Skip
- Apple juice from concentrate. Wrong sugar curve and flat.
- Why
- Fresh apple cider is the load-bearing flavour. The unfiltered apple character with its slight cloudiness is what gives the shot its autumn pie identity. Apple juice is too clean; the cider has the depth the shot needs.
The vodka
- Use
- A clean unflavoured vodka like Smirnoff, Absolut or Tito's.
- Skip
- Apple-flavoured vodka. Doubles up on the apple and pulls the shot off-balance.
- Why
- The vodka is the base. It needs to disappear into the cider and the cream and let the apple-and-cinnamon flavour carry the shot. Flavoured vodka pushes the cocktail too far in one direction.
The whipped cream
- Use
- Whipped cream from a can: Reddi-wip or any aerosol-can whipped cream.
- Skip
- Heavy cream poured directly. Wrong texture and no dome.
- Why
- Aerosol whipped cream is what gives the shot its dome and its dessert presentation. The aerated texture sits on top of the liquid and creates the visual finish that makes the cocktail look like its pie namesake.
Three Variations
Three real ways bartenders riff on this drink. Same idea, three different jackets.
The standard build
- Apple Pie Shot, with whipped cream
- An ounce of vodka, an ounce of apple cider, whipped cream topping, dash of cinnamon.
The whiskey build
- Apple Pie Shot, with bourbon
- Replace the vodka with bourbon. Adds whiskey warmth and pulls the shot toward Hot Toddy cousin territory. Closer to a winter dessert shot.
The hot build
- Apple Pie Shot, warmed
- Warm the cider and the vodka in a small saucepan over low heat (do not boil). Pour into the shot glass, top with whipped cream and cinnamon. A winter version of the autumn original.
What if I don't have…
Quick substitutions for when the bottle shop is closed.
Apple juice with a half-teaspoon of brown sugar and a pinch of cinnamon. The shot loses the cider depth; the brown sugar and the cinnamon pick up some of the pie character.
Apple brandy or Calvados. Adds a stronger apple weight; pulls the shot toward a more spirit-forward profile.
Heavy cream poured slowly to float on top. The shot loses the dome and the dessert presentation; the flavour holds.
A pinch of pumpkin pie spice. Different flavour but in the same warm-spice family. Skip if neither is available; the shot still works.
Frequently Asked Questions
Direct answers to what people search for after Googling this drink.
What is in an Apple Pie Shot?
An ounce of vodka, an ounce of apple cider, a topping of whipped cream, and a dash of cinnamon. Four ingredients, one shot glass.
How strong is an Apple Pie Shot?
Around 12 percent ABV in the shot once the cider dilutes the vodka. A small two-ounce serving with the cream topping; one drink per shot.
What does it taste like?
Cool apple on the first sip, soft vodka warmth in the middle, sweet whipped cream on the finish, with cinnamon spice carrying through the whole shot. Reads like a slice of warm apple pie in liquid form.
Why is it called the Apple Pie Shot?
The four ingredients combine to recreate the flavour of an apple pie: apple cider for the apple filling, vodka for the alcohol kick, whipped cream for the topping, cinnamon for the spice. The shot is named for what it tastes like.
Should I use fresh cider or apple juice?
Fresh cider is non-negotiable for the autumn flavour. Apple juice is too clean and too flat; the cider has the depth and the unfiltered apple character that the shot needs.
Can I use apple-flavoured vodka?
It pushes the apple too far. The shot is built on a clean vodka base and the apple cider as the headline flavour. Apple-flavoured vodka doubles up on the fruit and unbalances the cocktail.
Should the shot be cold or warm?
Cold is standard. The warmed version is the cooler-weather variation but most bars serve it cold. Both work; the cold pour is the original.
What kind of cinnamon should I use?
Standard ground cinnamon from the spice rack. Cassia or Saigon cinnamon both work; the slight difference in heat is welcome but not load-bearing.
Can I make a non-alcoholic version?
Replace the vodka with extra apple cider or with sparkling apple juice. Top with whipped cream and cinnamon. Same flavour shape, none of the alcohol.
What other shots are similar?
A Pumpkin Pie Shot, a Snickerdoodle Shot, a Cinnamon Toast Shot and a Pecan Pie Shot. All four sit in the dessert-shot family and recreate a baked-good flavour.
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