My neighbor handed me a bucket of prickly pears last fall, so I made a ton of prickly pear simple syrup, some of which I gave to her, while I froze the rest to use in my spring cocktails.
Since prickly pears are usually ready to harvest in autumn or winter, though, I figured I’d give an autumn prickly pear cocktail a try using this spiky fruit.
While apple juice and prickly pear are an odd combination, the apple adds sweetness, while the prickly pear adds an earthy, slightly floral flavor, and the bourbon gives it that smoothness needed to make this an autumn cocktail.
The lemon keeps it from going too sweet, and the soda water makes it light enough to drink even in spring.
What’s a Fizz?
A fizz is a sour drink that includes a spirit (liquor), citrus, and a sweetener, topped with soda water.
This version uses prickly pear syrup instead of regular simple syrup, which gives you the pink (or orange, depending on your fruit) color and a subtle earthiness you won’t get from plain sugar.
The apple juice adds a mild fruitiness that goes well with bourbon.
Prickly Pear and Apple
Prickly pear tastes a bit like watermelon and kiwi with some earthiness underneath. Apple juice is sweet and straightforward.
Together, neither one takes over. The bourbon and lemon keep everything in check.
If you want to make your own prickly pear syrup, simmer the fruit with equal parts sugar and water, then strain out the seeds. I store mine in 4oz or 8 oz glass jars in the freezer so I have it through spring and summer.
NOTE: Those thin needles on prickly pear fruit are nearly invisible, and they will end up in your fingers. Use thick gloves or a towel you don’t care about, as you may end up throwing it away.
Can’t find fresh fruit? This prickly pear syrup is a good alternative that isn’t too sweet and is easy to order online.
What Glass Do I Use?
Collins glasses are the standard for fizzes. The tall shape gives you room for ice and soda water and slows down the fizz from going flat.
I have these highball glasses and they work great, but any tall glass is fine if that’s what you have.
The Cinnamon Stick Garnish
A cinnamon stick actually contributes something here rather than just sitting in the glass.
You get light cinnamon as you drink, and it goes well with the apple and bourbon without taking over. Avoid the cheap cinnamon sticks, which tend to have no flavor. I use this one for both drinks and cooking.
Star anise is a good swap if you want something a little licorice leaning, or a thin apple slice works too.
More options in the cocktail garnish guide.
Making it a Mocktail
Skip the bourbon and use a strong brewed black tea instead.
The tea adds depth and a little bitterness that does similar work to the bourbon. Same amounts of prickly pear, apple juice, and lemon, then top with soda water.
Which Bourbon to use
I like to use something in the middle range that is not too sweet, not too high-proof.
Buffalo Trace, Maker’s Mark, and Wild Turkey are all good choices you can find in most shops. The apple and prickly pear carry a lot of the flavor, so there’s no need to use anything expensive that you’d like to save for drinking straight.
Do not waste your Blanton’s Single Barrel Bourbon here, people!
If you want other ideas for using bourbon, the Apple Cider Bourbon Smash and Autumn Harvest Whiskey Sour are both good.
My full whiskey and bourbon list has more.
Fresh Lemon Juice Makes a Difference
Always use fresh lemon, not bottled. Half an ounce is barely one lemon, but it’s the acidity that keeps the drink balanced. The citrus juicer I use for all my limes, lemons, and oranges is helpful if you’re making several at once.
Apple Juice Tips
Unfiltered apple juice (the cloudy kind) has more body and flavor than the clear filtered version.
Either works, but make sure it’s 100% juice with no added sugar. Fresh-pressed apple cider in fall is even better if you can find it.
Storage and Batching
Prickly pear syrup keeps in the fridge for about a week. Freeze it in silicone ice cube trays if you want it to last longer — one cube is about the right amount per drink.
For a group, mix the bourbon, prickly pear, lemon, and apple juice in a pitcher and keep it cold. Shake individual portions with ice and top each with soda water when you pour.
Variations Worth Trying
Try using Rye whiskey instead of bourbon to make it spicier. Apple brandy, like Calvados, pushes the apple flavor to the front, which can mask the prickly pear, but is worth a try.
If you like it really sweet, drizzle a small amount of caramel on the inside of the glass before you pour.
Tools You Need
A Boston shaker, a fine-mesh strainer, and a citrus juicer cover most of what you need. A bartender kit usually has everything together if you’re building out your bar. Long stir sticks are useful for the final stir after the soda goes in.
Everything I use is in my shop.
My podcast Twist Happy Hour is good company while you’re making drinks, if you want something to listen to that covers the latest trends hitting social media this week.
More Cocktails Using Prickly Pear Syrup
- Cactus Margarita – Tequila, prickly pear, lime, and orange liqueur.
- Cactus Cooler Collins – Vodka, prickly pear, pineapple, and lime with soda water.
- Prickly Pear Moscow Mule – Prickly pear in place of simple syrup, with ginger beer and lime.
- Desert Bloom Vodka Soda – Vodka, prickly pear, and soda water over ice.
- Prickly Pear Daiquiri – White rum, lime, and prickly pear shaken and served up.
- Prickly Pear Paloma – Tequila, grapefruit soda, lime, and prickly pear.
The full simple syrups collection has more recipes built around homemade syrups.
How to Make a Cactus Orchard Fizz
Ingredients
- 2 oz bourbon
- ¾ oz prickly pear syrup
- ½ oz fresh lemon juice
- 1 oz apple juice
- Soda water
- Cinnamon stick for garnish (optional)
Instructions
Add the bourbon, prickly pear syrup, lemon juice, and apple juice to your Boston shaker. Fill with ice and shake hard for about 15 seconds until the outside is cold.
Fill a Collins or highball glass with fresh ice and strain the mixture over it. Top with soda water — about 2 to 3 oz depending on your glass.
Stir gently with a long cocktail stir stick and add a cinnamon stick or star anise.
