This Earl Grey apple and cinnamon sour is one of those drinks that sounds interesting and tastes even better. It’s got cloudy apple juice, strong Earl Grey tea, cinnamon syrup, lemon, and an egg white foam on top.
About this recipe
This is a non-alcoholic sour made with brewed Earl Grey tea, cloudy apple juice, cinnamon simple syrup, fresh lemon juice, a touch of vanilla extract, and egg white. It’s aromatic and slightly floral from the Earl Grey, sweet and fruity from the apple juice, and the cinnamon ties everything together with a warm spice. The lemon keeps it bright and stops it feeling heavy.
The Earl Grey needs to be brewed strong and then cooled before it goes in. A weak tea will get lost behind the apple juice, so brew it for at least 4 to 5 minutes and let it cool to room temperature first.
Like my raspberry gin sour and cherry gin sour, this uses the dry shake technique for the foam. You shake everything without ice first to emulsify the egg white, then add ice and shake again. That first shake is what gives you the thick, stable foam on top.
For more alcohol-free drinks, browse my mocktail recipes.
Key ingredients and why
- Cloudy apple juice: Cloudy rather than clear gives you a fuller, more rounded apple flavor.
- Strong Earl Grey tea: Brewed strong and cooled. The bergamot in Earl Grey is slightly floral and citrusy, which pairs beautifully with apple and cinnamon.
- Cinnamon simple syrup: Adds warmth and sweetness. My homemade cinnamon syrup is quick to make and keeps in the fridge for two weeks.
- Fresh lemon juice: The sour element.
- Vanilla extract: Just a small amount but it rounds out the flavor and adds depth.
- Egg white: Creates the foam on top. For a vegan version, swap for half an ounce of aquafaba.
Method
- Chill a short glass in the freezer while you make the drink.
- Add the apple juice, cooled Earl Grey tea, cinnamon syrup, lemon juice, vanilla extract, and egg white to a cocktail shaker without ice. Shake hard for about 15 seconds.
- Add a generous handful of ice and shake again for 15 seconds until well chilled. Strain into the chilled glass. Garnish with a dusting of ground cinnamon and an apple slice on the rim.
Tips
- Brew the tea strong. Use a full tea bag and brew for at least 4 to 5 minutes. A weak tea will get lost behind the apple juice.
- Cool the tea completely before using. Warm tea will melt the ice too quickly and over-dilute the drink.
- Use cloudy apple juice. Clear apple juice is thinner and less flavorful. Cloudy gives you that proper apple taste.
- The dry shake is what creates the foam. Shaking with ice straight away dilutes the egg white before it can emulsify properly.
- Strain fast. The foam settles quickly so get it into the glass straight after shaking.
- Make the cinnamon syrup ahead. The cinnamon syrup keeps in the fridge for two weeks.
Related recipes
- Cinnamon Simple Syrup – the syrup that makes this drink
- Earl Grey Simple Syrup – if you want an even stronger Earl Grey flavor
- Earl Grey Martini – a cocktail version with gin
- Espresso Martini Mocktail – another sophisticated alcohol-free drink with a silky foam top Cranberry Orange Rosemary Tonic – a complex, herby mocktail with a salt rim
- Passionfruit Spritz Mocktail – tropical and refreshing
Earl Grey Apple and Cinnamon Sour Mocktail
Ingredients
- 3.5 oz cloudy apple juice
- 2.5 oz strong Earl Grey tea brewed and cooled
- 0.75 oz fresh lemon juice
- 0.75 oz cinnamon simple syrup
- 0.25 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 egg white or 1/2 oz (15 ml) aquafaba
- ground cinnamon and a dried apple chip to garnish
Instructions
- Chill a short glass in the freezer while you make the drink.
- Add the apple juice, cooled Earl Grey tea, cinnamon syrup, lemon juice, vanilla extract, and egg white to a cocktail shaker without ice.
- Shake hard for 15 seconds. This is the dry shake and it emulsifies the egg white and creates the foam.
- Add a generous handful of ice and shake again for 15 seconds until well chilled.
- Strain into the chilled glass.
- Garnish with a dusting of ground cinnamon and a dried apple chip.
I hope you love this as much as I do! 🙂