The arrival of autumn calls for comfort food and cosy evenings in - and it’s no different when it comes to your cocktails! Here at Craft Gin Club, we want to celebrate all the amazing harvest fruits that this beautiful season brings, as well as the comforting traditional flavours of sugar and spice that remind us of childhood. And what fruit says ‘autumn’ more than the wonderful apple? What’s more, apple juice is the most fabulous accompaniment to gin, hurrah!

With that in mind, we’ve selected three of our favourite apple and gin cocktails for autumn - they are all easy to make, and deliciously fruity, sweet and spicy. So all you need to do now is mix up your drink, plump the cushions on the sofa, light a few candles and snuggle up in front of your favourite black and white film!

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3 of the best apple and gin cocktails for autumn

Spiced rum & apple cocktail

50ml gin
15ml spiced rum
60ml apple juice
15ml ginger syrup
1 x slice apple to garnish

If making your own ginger syrup, add equal parts caster sugar and water to a pan with a small cube of fresh ginger and simmer gently for five minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sugar dissolves and the mixture has reduced to form a syrup. Strain and, once cool, add the syrup along with all the other ingredients to a cocktail shaker and shake. Pour into your glass and garnish with a slice of apple or a single star anise. For an extra flourish, you could rim the edge of your glass with brown sugar.

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Autumn Pear, Apple & Cider Punch

2 ripe pears
1 apple of any type
60ml gin
60ml cider
1 tablespoon of honey
10ml lemon juice
Soda water, to top up
Star anise, cinnamon stick and a couple of cloves, to garnish

Roughly chop the apple and pears, removing seeds and core, and put them through a juicer. Add the apple and pear juice to a cocktail shaker filled with ice, then add the gin and lemon juice. Shake and strain over ice. For a longer drink, top up with soda water. Garnish with a single star anise,

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Sparkling Apple Gin Cocktail

35ml gin
100ml apple juice
10ml honey or simple syrup
Squeeze of lemon juice
Prosecco, to top up

Add the gin, apple juice, sugar syrup* and lemon to a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake vigorously and strain into a chilled glass. (Alternatively, add all your ingredients to a glass filled with ice and stir gently for a minute.) Top up with prosecco. You can leave out the prosecco and just use apple juice or sparkling apple mixer, if you prefer. Garnish with a slice of apple or lemon and a few sage or mint leaves.

*To make simple syrup, gently simmer equal parts water and sugar over a low heat for a few minutes, until the sugar dissolves and the liquid has reduced into a light syrup.

Like this? Try these!

• Blackberry and lime gin and tonic

• 20 gin mixers to try when you don’t have (or like) tonic water

• A spiced plum gin and tonic is just the tipple for autumn