Celebrate the season with this maple bourbon sour! It's a refreshing twist on the classic with sweet maple, tart lemon, and the warmth of bourbon. It's easy to make, and it's ready in just 5 minutes!

For more tasty maple cocktails, also try our maple old fashioned!

Two Maple Bourbon Sours surrounded by maple leaves

This maple bourbon sour is a refreshing take on a classic cocktail that boasts lots of seasonal flavor. We swap the simple syrup for maple syrup which keeps it natural and makes it taste like fall!

It's a really simple cocktail to make that only requires a few ingredients. We use a cocktail foamer because we find it's easier (and less messy) than using egg whites, but still gives us the frothy mouthfeel we're after.

Just add all the ingredients to your cocktail shaker, shake it with ice, strain it into a rocks glass, and serve it with a lemon slice. You can easily double the batch by scaling up the ingredients, just be sure your cocktail mixer is large enough.

It's a cocktail that will brighten up those dark evenings through the fall and winter, and will add a festive touch to dinner and holiday parties!

Two glasses of bourbon sour made with maple syrup.

Maple bourbon sour ingredients

With just a few simple ingredients, you can make this festive cocktail at home, too. Here's everything you need:

  • Bourbon – a nice quality bourbon is the foundation of a great-tasting bourbon cocktail. It doesn't need to be expensive, but choose something you enjoy the taste of, that mixes well into a cocktail.
  • Lemon juice – fresh lemon juice puts the tartness in this sour cocktail.
  • Maple syrup – the sweet taste of maple syrup is so much more interesting than simple syrup, and gives this drink fall flavor. Make sure it's pure maple syrup without any additives.
  • Angostura bitters – adds bitterness and spice, with notes of cinnamon and cloves.
  • Cocktail foamercocktail foamer is an easy-to-use ingredient that gives cocktails creaminess without the mess! You can also use an egg white to make it foamy. Or you can skip it; a bourbon sour is great even without the foam.
  • Lemon slice – for garnish.

How to make a maple bourbon sour

A bourbon maple sour is easy to make and perfect for fall dinner parties, Christmas gatherings, or anytime you're after a refreshing cocktail. Here's how to make it in just three simple steps!

  1. Add the bourbon, lemon juice, maple syrup, bitters, and the cocktail foamer (if using) to a cocktail shaker.
  2. Shake well, add some ice, and shake a bit more until it's nice and foamy.
  3. Strain it into a glass and garnish with a thin slice of lemon and a few drops of bitters. Cheers!

Full recipe instructions are in the recipe card below.

A hand holding a maple bourbon sour

FAQs

Is a bourbon sour served neat or on the rocks?

That depends on how you make it. If you use a foamer or an egg white, it's best to serve it neat so that the foam doesn't stick to the ice and look unappetizing. If you're not foaming your sour, go ahead and add a big ice cube to your drink to help keep it cold. Just don't serve it with lots of small ice cubes or they'll melt and dilute your drink.

What is cocktail foamer?

Cocktail foamer is an easy-to-use ingredient that gives cocktails a foamy head, without the mess! Adding a few dashes of this egg-free solution gives drinks the frothy mouth feel we're after. We found it to be a little less foamy than using traditional egg whites, but for the convenience, we think it's worth it.

Can I use egg white instead of cocktail foamer?

Definitely! We like the ease of the cocktail foamer, but raw egg whites are a classic ingredient in many drinks. Pasteurized cartons of egg whites also work great!

Can I make it ahead of time?

Yes, this is a great drink to prepare in advance. Mix all the ingredients together (except the ice) up to a few hours in advance, and store it in the fridge. When you're ready to serve, shake the mixture over ice, strain, and pour into glasses.

What to serve with a maple bourbon sour

A bourbon maple sour is a refreshing welcome drink for fall gatherings or holiday parties. We like to serve it with some simple snacks like spicy rum and rosemary nuts, crispy baked apple chips, and some delicious apple guacamole.

For the holidays, try it with our ooey gooey pomegranate baked brie!

A Maple Bourbon Sour garnished with a lemon slice

More bourbon cocktail recipes

Two Maple Bourbon Sours surrounded by maple leaves

Maple Bourbon Sour Recipe

Celebrate the season with this maple bourbon sour! It's a refreshing twist on the classic with sweet maple, tart lemon, and the warmth of bourbon. It's easy to make, and it's ready in just 5 minutes!

If you love this recipe as much as we do, let us know with a 5-star rating!

5 stars (15 ratings)
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Ingredients

  • 2 ounces bourbon
  • ¾ ounce lemon juice
  • ¾ ounce maple syrup
  • 3 drops Angostura bitters
  • 1 squirt cocktail foamer, optional
  • Lemon slice, to serve

Instructions 

  • Add the bourbon, lemon juice, maple syrup, bitters, and if using the cocktail foamer to a cocktail shaker.
    2 ounces bourbon, ¾ ounce lemon juice, ¾ ounce maple syrup, 3 drops Angostura bitters, 1 squirt cocktail foamer
    image for recipe instruction
  • Shake well for 20 seconds then add a few pieces of ice and shake for another 20 seconds, until there is lots of foam.
    image for recipe instruction
  • Strain the maple bourbon sour into a glass and garnish with a thin slice of lemon and a few drops of Angostura bitters.
    image for recipe instruction

Notes

If you are using foamer or egg white, it is best to serve this ‘neat' meaning without ice. If you're opting for no foam, you can add a large ice cube to your glass.Ā 
If you're not using foamer or egg white, you can skip the step where we shake it without ice.Ā 
Serving: 1 cocktail, Calories: 207kcal, Carbohydrates: 17g, Protein: 0.1g, Fat: 0.1g, Saturated Fat: 0.01g, Sodium: 3mg, Potassium: 71mg, Fiber: 0.1g, Sugar: 14g, Vitamin A: 1IU, Vitamin C: 8mg, Calcium: 24mg, Iron: 0.1mg
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