Appletini (Apple Martini)

Remember the Appletini? This sour apple martini was a hit in the 1990s. With a soft green hue, this colorful cocktail is both fun and flavorful.

This post contains affiliate links. If you click on one and buy something, Feast + West receives a small commission at no additional cost to you. All opinions are our own. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Appletini recipe

The appletini is sometimes the joke of the cocktail world. After all, it’s not a true classic martini and it was the popular drink of a bygone era, the 1990s. 

But once you try this emerald-hued cocktail, you’ll realize it should get a little more love. 

Made with apple schnapps, vodka and a splash of orange liqueur, this delicious and easy cocktail is going to be one you will adore. 

It’s a light green color, yes, but you’ll find it’s not too bright or overly sweet. Grab your cocktail shaker and let’s get mixing!

More dessert martini recipes: Tiramisu Martini • Strawberry Martini • Birthday Cake Martini • Pumpkin Spice Martini

Why you’ll love this recipe

The bright green appletini is a fun cocktail that you will love for a few reasons:

• The appletini is easy to make! You just need three ingredients.
• The lightly neon green color is so much fun.
• It’s not as sweet as you’d think it would be.

With its unique color and apple flavor, it would be equally great for a Halloween drink, Thanksgiving cocktail or St. Patrick’s Day tipple.

But it works any time of year, too — it’s a good cocktail for happy hour, cocktail parties and guys’ or girls’ night.

What is an Appletini?

Short for apple martini, the appletini is a mixed drink featuring apple schnapps, vodka and orange liqueur.

This delicious apple cocktail recipe can also be made with calvados, apple brandy or applejack. But if you want that bright green color you’ve got to go for apple schnapps. Like a sour apple candy, its flavor is light and fruity, a little sour but not too sweet.

Popularized in the 1990s, the drink’s history goes back to the 1972 edition of Playboy Magazine, in which Smirnoff published a prominent ad for its cocktail the Adam’s Apple, a drink of plain vodka and apple juice. 

Later the drink was reinvented in 1997 by bartender Adam Karsten at Lola’s in West Hollywood. The bar owner wanted to clear out some bottles of apple schnapps and Ketel One vodka, which weren’t selling well until Karsten combined them and added his Adam’s Apple Martini to the menu. 

The appletini has gotten some love in pop culture, making cameos in movies, including Enchanted and The Social Network, as well as in TV shows such as Modern Family, Scrubs, Community and How I Met Your Mother. (Check out the Tootsie Roll drink, another HIMYM fave.)

In Scrubs, it’s the go-to beverage of character J.D., who ordered it “easy on the ‘tini.” Also, after seeing the film The Social Network, Mark Zuckerburg made it the official drink of Facebook.

Tools & glassware

You’ll need a basic bartending set to make an appletini that includes a jigger, cocktail shaker and strainer.

To serve this classic cocktail, grab a set of martini glasses or stemless martini glasses. You can also use a coupe glass if you like something rounder. 

If you want to make a floating green apple slice garnish, I suggest using a mandoline for slicing your apples evenly. You can also use a very sharp knife to slice them horizontally.

Ingredients

Pick up the following ingredients at the store to make this easy cocktail. 

Vodka: Keep your favorite vodka on hand for mixing. I always recommend using the best premium vodka you can afford. My go-tos are Absolut, Grey Goose, Tito’s and Reyka. Check out my Vodka 101 guide to help you choose a favorite. If you want a sweeter cocktail, you can use vanilla vodka.

Green apple schnapps: You can use any brand of sour apple liqueur, such as apple schnapps. A familiar brand is DeKuyper Sour Apple Pucker, but there are others too. Smirnoff Green Apple Vodka would work too, but it’s clear in color so go for the schnapps if you want a green drink! If you have leftover, try it in a Washington Apple cocktail.

Shopping tip: Sometimes, you can find green apple schnapps in mini bottles if you don’t want to invest in a regular-size one.

Orange liqueur: Use any clear orange liqueur in this cocktail. Triple sec is just fine but you can go more top shelf with Cointreau if you like.

Garnish: Finish off this green apple martini with granny smith apple slices. You can slice green apples horizontally through the middle to get the star shape through the seeds, or you can do regular slices and add them to a cocktail pick. 

Variations and substitutions

Mix up this apple martini recipe in one of these delicious ways:

Substitutions

If the drink isn’t sweet enough, you can add ¼ ounce of simple syrup. And if you’d rather the drink weren’t bright green, you can substitute applejack, apple brandy, apple juice or apple cider for the schnapps. 

Variations

Adam’s apple martini: Make the 1990s original with Ketel One Vodka and hold the orange liqueur.

Red appletini: Use applejack instead of green apple schnapps and a slice of red apple for garnish.

Caramel apple martini: Use caramel vodka to make this a caramel appletini. Add some caramel sauce around the rim for an extra gorgeous and fun fall twist. 

Rumpletini: This common adaptation is made with white rum instead of vodka.

How to make an Appletini

Here’s how to make this easy appletini recipe:

1. In a cocktail shaker filled with ice, add the apple schnapps, vodka and triple sec.
2. Shake vigorously, then strain into a chilled martini glass.
3. Garnish with a slice of green apple and serve.

Tips & tricks

Here are some tips and tricks for making this delicious cocktail recipe:

• If you want it sweeter, you can add more apple pucker.
• Apple slices brown quickly. Make a water bath of 1 cup water and 1 tablespoon lemon juice. Just after slicing, place the apples in the mixture for a few minutes to keep them from turning brown.
• Step up your garnish game with a horizontally-cut apple slice, or fan out a few apple slices and pierce with a cocktail pick like I did with this apple cider mimosa.
• Make the recipe in a big batch in a large pitcher. Then stash it in the refrigerator until you’re ready to serve it. 

What to serve with Appletinis

Serve appletinis with your favorite fall foods. Baked brie or a charcuterie board would be great appetizers with this apple cocktail.

You could also enjoy them with seasonal apple foods like caramel apple dip or apple turnovers. 

FAQ

More apple drinks

• Apple Pie Old-Fashioned
• Apple Cider Sangria
• Starbucks Copycat Apple Crisp Macchiato
• Apple Cider Margarita
• Caramel Apple Mimosa