I tried Reese Witherspoon's favorite fall cocktail, and her autumnal take on the Aperol spritz is the perfect drink for Thanksgiving

Anneta KonstantinidesNov 25, 2020, 22:53 IST

I tried Reese Witherspoon's favorite fall cocktail and found the perfect drink for Thanksgiving.Anneta Konstantinides/Insider/Reese Witherspoon/Instagram

Reese Witherspoon delighted fans when she demonstrated how to make her Fizzy Apple Cider, an autumnal twist on an Aperol spritz, last month.
I decided to test out Witherspoon's drink for myself, using some extra tips from NYC's top mixologists to make it even better.
Witherspoon's simple recipe combines Aperol, prosecco, apple cider juice, and club soda.
I loved all three versions of the cocktail that I made, and I'll definitely be sipping on it for Thanksgiving.

So you've prepped your turkey, planned your sides, and decided which Thanksgiving desserts will share the spotlight with that classic pumpkin pie.

But no Thanksgiving dinner would be complete without a cocktail, and this year I decided to get some inspiration from Reese Witherspoon.

The "Little Fires Everywhere" star recently demonstrated how to make her favorite Fizzy Apple Cider, which gives an autumnal twist to the summery Aperol spritz.

I tried Witherspoon's drink for myself this week and discovered that it's the perfect cocktail to go with my Thanksgiving feast.

Reese Witherspoon delighted fans when she demonstrated how to make her favorite fall cocktail last month.

Reese Witherspoon posted a tutorial for her Fizzy Apple Cider drink on Instagram. Reese Witherspoon/Instagram

And top NYC mixologists told me that Witherspoon's recipe was a slam dunk.

Witherspoon didn't include any measurements with her cocktail recipe. Reese Witherspoon/Instagram

You only need four main ingredients to make Witherspoon's fall cocktail.

Witherspoon's recipe is super simple. Anneta Konstantinides/Insider

I decided to first test Witherspoon's basic recipe, which doesn't actually come with any specific measurements.

First I poured half a glass of apple cider juice. Anneta Konstantinides/Insider

Next up was the Aperol.

Then I added a shot of Aperol to my drink. Anneta Konstantinides/Insider

Then I added just a splash of club soda and topped everything off with some prosecco before stirring my drink.

Then I added a little club soda and finished off with a (generous) splash of prosecco. Anneta Konstantinides/Insider

I added an apple to the rim of my glass, just like Witherspoon did, and took my first sip.

I was pleasantly surprised by the taste of Witherspoon's Fizzy Apple Cider. Anneta Konstantinides/Insider

But the drinking had just begun. I also wanted to test out the mixologists' tips to see if I could make Witherspoon's cocktail even better.

I decided to test out the mixologists' tip to add a splash of lemon juice to the drink. Anneta Konstantinides/Insider

I stuck to the same measurements I used for my first drink, but skipped the club soda and added more prosecco and a splash of lemon juice as recommended.

I loved the second version of Witherspoon's drink, which tasted a lot more balanced. Anneta Konstantinides/Insider

For my third version, I decided to follow Reznikov's recipe, which had actual measurements.

Then I made a third version of the drink, which included a lot more Aperol. Anneta Konstantinides/Insider

I topped everything off with three ounces of prosecco and a heavy splash of seltzer before taking my first sip.

I also added a lot of prosecco to the third version. Anneta Konstantinides/Insider

Overall, I thought all three versions of Witherspoon's cocktail tasted great — it just all comes down to preference.

My favorite was the second version of Witherspoon's drink, but I'd be happy drinking any of them. Anneta Konstantinides/Insider

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