Maple Old-Fashioned Cocktail

This Maple Old Fashioned puts a delightful fall spin on the classic bourbon cocktail. Using real maple syrup and spiced bitters, this drink tastes like autumn in a glass.

About this Maple Old-Fashioned recipe

The best bourbon old-fashioned, to me, is the classic old-fashioned cocktail. But to my husband? It’s this maple old fashioned. He says it’s like “drinking fall.” If that doesn’t sell this cocktail, I don’t know what will. Kidding! I have lots more to tell you about this delicious fall cocktail.

Instead of using simple syrup, this recipe features pure maple syrup. This gives the cocktail its sweet, caramel-like flavor with nutty and burnt notes that pair so spectacularly with oaky bourbon.

Topped with twin dashes of clove and cinnamon bitters, this maple and bourbon cocktail is filled to the brim with comfort. I have to give Chris credit — this is the old-fashioned he makes on a Friday night after a long week this time of year, and he’s graciously letting me share his recipe.

Maple is one of those flavors that you can enjoy year-round. Most often on the weekends, when indulging in pancakes, waffles and French toast. Then comes the fall season, and maple gets to shine in novel ways. From maple pecan pie to maple bacon donuts, fall is maple’s chance to show off.

More old-fashioned cocktail recipes: Peanut Butter & Jelly Old-Fashioned • Pumpkin Spice Old-Fashioned • Chai Old-Fashioned

Tools & glassware

Don’t have a big collection of bar tools? Don’t stress — this maple old fashioned doesn’t require much to make.

You’ll need a jigger and a large rocks glass ^* (also called an old-fashioned glass). These are short glasses, ideally with a heavy bottom. You don’t have to have anything fancy!

You will also need a bar spoon or other utensil for stirring, such as a swizzle stick. 

I like using a vegetable peeler ^* to get my orange peel just right, but a paring knife will work in a pinch.

favorite rocks glasses

striped old-fashioned glasses

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hobnail rocks glasses

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minimalist rocks glasses

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Ingredients

You only need a few ingredients to make my husband’s favorite maple old-fashioned cocktail:

• Pure maple syrup: This is the most important part of this recipe! Make sure you’re using real maple syrup for that signature maple flavor.
• Bourbon whiskey: Bourbon is our preference for this particular drink, but you can substitute rye whiskey if that’s what you love best.
• Bitters: This recipe uses a combination of clove bitters ^* and cinnamon bitters ^*. My cranberry sauce old fashioned and banana old fashioned both use cinnamon bitters ^*, and my apple pie old fashioned uses clove bitters ^*, so you can get good use out of both ingredients. If you don’t want to use those, aromatic bitters, orange bitters ^*, ginger bitters ^*, and even cardamom bitters ^* would all work well. 
• Orange zest: A big piece of orange peel doesn’t just look pretty. The oils in the citrus zest hit your nose first when you take a sip of the cocktail and play off the flavors in the other ingredients.

You will also need ice. I like using one big ice cube for old-fashioned cocktails because they dilute slower, but you can use regular ice cubes if that’s all you have. 

favorite ice molds

small stackable ice cube tray

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large ice sphere molds

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large stackable ice cube tray

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Best maple syrup

Always get real maple syrup for cocktails (and pancakes too.) You want the good stuff — the kind that’s tapped from a maple tree! Check the label to make sure the ingredients list 100% pure maple syrup. You don’t want to see “high-fructose corn syrup” or “maple flavoring” anywhere. It should say “100% maple” and list nothing else.

There are a few grades of maple syrup: golden, amber, dark or very dark. The darker the color, the stronger the maple taste.

• Golden is the sweetest and lightest in color, with a delicate flavor of maple.
• Amber is a bit darker with a deeper flavor. Probably what you’re used to for waffles!
• Dark and very dark have a much more rich, pronounced maple flavor. To me, dark maple syrup is the best grade of maple syrup.

Sometimes maple syrup is barrel-aged or infused with other flavors — I love to make a spiced maple syrup. -This applewood-smoked maple syrup is on my list to try!

Best bourbon for old-fashioned cocktails

I get asked a lot what I think the best bourbon is for a great old-fashioned. My recommendation, if you have it, is to use your favorite. If you love to drink it, you’ll love it in this maple old-fashioned!

Port-barrel-soaked Angel’s Envy would be delicious in this recipe. Buffalo Trace would also be fantastic. Old Forester is the staple bourbon at our house — we think it’s the best whiskey for a budget.

For double maple flavor, you can try making this old fashioned with Crown Royal Maple Whisky (but it’s very sweet, so you might use less real maple syrup). In fact, any Canadian whiskey would be great with Canadian maple syrup!

Substitutions & variations

The old-fashioned is a classic whiskey cocktail. It’s traditionally made with bourbon and served over a single large ice cube. It’s flavored with a cocktail cherry ^*, orange peel, and a dash of Angostura bitters. Some versions use a sugar cube to sweeten the cocktail, while others use simple syrup.

Even though it’s a classic cocktail, the old fashioned is an incredibly versatile drink. It’s a delicious blank slate that isn’t blank at all, but you can mix it up in so many ways and it always goes swimmingly!

• You can sub bourbon for rye or even a flavored whiskey like honey whiskey or cinnamon whiskey.
• You can try different kinds of bitters (check out my list of the best bitters brands for some new flavors to add to your home bar).
• Or even try flavored ice as I do with my chai old-fashioned.

There are so many variations to try, you might just have to add a new one to your menu each week!

Instructions

Ready to make a maple old-fashioned?

To a mixing glass, add the maple syrup. Top with the bourbon and a piece of ice.

Then use a bar spoon ^* to combine the ingredients. Carefully lower in a large ice cube to you glass and pour the old-fashioned mixture over top.

It’s time for the dashes of bitters. Two dashes each of cinnamon and clove bitters go over the top of the drink. (Or use whatever bitters you have!) Add an orange peel garnish and enjoy!

FAQ

More maple recipes

Maple cocktails are simply the best this time of year. If you love maple as much as I do, you might as well buy a bottle of the best stuff and keep it with your home bar supplies!

If you love maple and bourbon, you might love this maple manhattan as a nightcap. Likewise, this maple leaf cocktail or a boozy maple bourbon milkshake are tasty dessert drinks to finish off a fall meal.

In the fall, these apple cider mocktails are simply delicious. For a crowd, this sparkling bourbon pumpkin apple punch would be perfect.

Maple drinks also pair well with pancakes for brunch or breakfast-for-dinner! Serve them with some delicious maple bars and maple pecan cookies for dessert.