Aperol Meets Apple Cider In Reese Witherspoon's Refreshing Fizzy Cocktail

Few cocktails have clung to summer quite like the Aperol spritz — it's become shorthand for sunshine and patio culture. However, Reese Witherspoon has a cocktail recipe to remind you that the Aperol spritz doesn't have to be retired once the leaves start turning colors. In a post on Instagram, she showed her followers exactly how to exchange one seasonal craving for another with her simple and fizzy apple cider Aperol spritz alternative. 

Made from one part apple cider (the nonalcoholic juice kind), one part champagne, and one part of the sweet-bitter aperitivo known as Aperol, all poured over ice and stirred, Witherspoon's fizzy apple cider cocktail brings the best parts of seasons together. Even so, her Instagram caption promised that it's "perfect for fall." The only mystery in the tableau is the unused cinnamon on the counter. 

A pinch of the unused, ground spice would only make the drink gritty. A cinnamon stick as garnish, on the other hand, would be right at home in this fall-twist of a summer classic. But those aren't the only fall flavors this cocktail can handle. 

The Aperol spritz has roots in northern Italy, where digestive liqueurs and sparkling wine have been blended for over a century in the country's aperitivo ritual. Aperol owes its bitter depth to an infusion of rhubarb, gentian, cinchona and other herbaceous aromatics. Those bitter compounds create the dominant flavor profile, but Reese Witherspoon's Americana-apple cider twist changes the Aperol spritz's original ratio slightly. 

Opting for a 1:1:1 ratio, the apple cider in Witherspoon's recipe brings a sweetness that softens the Aperol's bite while cutting the alcohol content down. The result is still sparkling and refreshing, but gentler — an ideal sipper for end-of-summer barbecues, tailgates, or the romantic afternoons of apple-picking season. A glass like this begs to be paired with salty snacks like prosciutto and cheese boards, spiced nuts, or smoky grilled sausages.

Witherspoon's concoction also opens the door to other fall-flavored spritz experiments: cranberry juice for a tart-sweet twist, blended up pomegranate arils for a jewel-toned garnish, or even a rosemary sprig for a piney holiday note. The Aperol doesn't have to stay stuck in the cupboard come September, because it can adapt to whatever the fall harvest brings.