Toasted Pecan and Maple Old Fashioned

The flavors of fall aren’t just about apples and pumpkins. Pecans are in season throughout the holidays, which makes them perfect for that classic pecan pie on the Thanksgiving table. Maple, too, is a quintessentially fall and winter flavor that I just love! I can’t seem to get enough of both this time of year.

Pecans and maple also pair beautifully with a rich, dark liquor like whiskey, which is why I’m infusing my favorite bourbon with toasted pecans and pairing it with rye whiskey and maple syrup for a seasonal twist on the freezer door old fashioned.

Watch Me Mix It

Making Infused Bourbon

Before we mix our Old Fashioned, we’re first going to make our own Toasted Pecan and Cinnamon Bourbon, which you should start 3-5 days ahead of time. You’ll need:

• 2 cups Bourbon
• 1 cup Pecans
• 2 Cinnamon sticks

Instructions

1. Heat a dry cast iron skillet over medium heat.
2. Add pecans to the hot pan and toast for about 5 to 7 minutes. Stir occasionally and do not walk away from the skillet. Nuts can go from toasted to burned very quickly, especially in cast iron. You want them lightly golden and fragrant. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
3. Add the toasted pecans and cinnamon sticks to a clean jar or container.
4. Pour bourbon over the pecans and cinnamon.
5. Seal and store in a cool dark place for 3 to 5 days. Give the jar a gentle shake each day. I recommend tasting at day 3, then deciding if you want to keep going.
6. When you reach your desired flavor strength, strain out the solids using a fine mesh strainer or cheesecloth.
7. Transfer the infused bourbon to a clean bottle for storing and using later in your Toasted Pecan and Maple Old Fashioned.

Making a Freezer Door Cocktail

The best way to batch booze-forward drinks

Batching is one of my favorite ways to make classic booze-forward cocktails, like the Old Fashioned or Negronis and Manhattans, because all you have to do is make it in the bottle and throw it in the freezer to keep it chilled until the guests arrive.

How it Works

All you have to do to batch a boozy cocktail is combine your base spirit with any modifiers like vermouth, liqueurs, or bitters, and dilute it with water before popping it in the freezer. We dilute freezer door cocktails before freezing because you won’t be shaking or stirring them with ice before serving. You’ll just be pouring straight into a glass. Most freezer door cocktails use 20-25% water.