Bourbon, maple butter, Angostura bitters, orange bitters, and a touch of hot water give the Maple Butter Old Fashioned a rich, smooth flavor with maple, citrus, and warm spice. The orange peel, Luxardo cherry, and lightly charred cinnamon stick make the finished drink feel especially suited to fall and holiday gatherings. I like this cocktail because the maple flavor comes from something thicker and more concentrated than standard syrup. The hot water loosens the maple butter just enough to mix cleanly with the bourbon, while the bitters keep the drink from becoming too sweet.

The Maple Butter Old Fashioned works well for cool evenings, Thanksgiving, Christmas gatherings, whiskey nights, or after-dinner drinks. It stays close to the spirit-forward structure of a classic Old Fashioned, but the maple butter gives it a softer seasonal edge.

Why You’ll Love This Maple Butter Old Fashioned

This cocktail is rich, bourbon-forward, lightly sweet, and full of fall flavor. The maple butter adds body, while orange and cinnamon keep the drink aromatic.

A few reasons this cocktail works well:

It keeps bourbon at the center. Two ounces give the drink a strong whiskey base.
Maple butter adds deeper sweetness. It brings more body than regular maple syrup.
The bitters balance the sweetness. Angostura and orange bitters add spice and citrus.
The garnish adds aroma. Orange peel and cinnamon both contribute before the first sip.
It is easy to stir. Once the maple butter is loosened, the rest is straightforward.
It fits fall and holiday menus. Maple, orange, bourbon, and cinnamon all work naturally together.

This is a good choice when you want an Old Fashioned with more seasonal flavor but without turning it into a dessert drink.

Ingredients

The Maple Butter Old Fashioned uses a small amount of hot water to loosen the maple butter before the bourbon and bitters are added.

You will need:

2 oz bourbon
⅜ oz Trader Joe’s Maple Butter
2 dashes Angostura bitters
1 dash orange bitters
¼ oz hot water
1 orange peel
1 Luxardo cherry
1 cinnamon stick
Maple leaf cocktail pick

The maple butter is thicker than syrup, so the hot water is important. It helps create a smooth mixture before ice is added.

Angostura bitters bring spice and structure, while orange bitters reinforce the citrus from the garnish.

The Luxardo cherry adds a sweet finish without needing to go into the drink itself.

Suggested Liquor Brands and Substitutions

A bourbon with vanilla, caramel, and oak notes works especially well with maple butter.

Here are a few options:

Woodford Reserve: Full enough to stand up to maple and bitters.
Buffalo Trace: Balanced with caramel and spice.
Maker’s Mark: Softer and slightly sweeter.
Four Roses Small Batch: Adds fruit and spice without becoming too heavy.
Pure maple syrup: Use it instead of maple butter if needed, but reduce or skip the hot water.
Rye whiskey: Use it instead of bourbon for a drier and spicier drink.

If your bourbon already tastes sweet, keep the maple butter at the listed amount.

If you use maple syrup instead, start with a little less and adjust from there.

Equipment and Glassware

You only need standard stirring equipment plus a safe setup for the cinnamon garnish.

You will need:

A heavy rocks glass works best because the drink is served over one large cube.

Use a heat-safe plate when charring the cinnamon stick, and keep the flame away from open alcohol bottles.

How to Make a Maple Butter Old Fashioned

Start by loosening the maple butter, then build and stir the cocktail before finishing the garnish.

Add the maple butter and hot water to a mixing glass.
Stir until the maple butter is completely loosened and smooth.

Add the bourbon, Angostura bitters, and orange bitters.
Fill the mixing glass with ice and stir for 15–20 seconds, until well chilled.
Strain over one large ice cube in a rocks glass.

Express the orange peel over the cocktail, rubbing the peel around the rim before placing it in the glass.

Lightly torch one end of the cinnamon stick until it becomes fragrant and slightly charred. Let it cool for a few seconds.

Place the Luxardo cherry on the maple leaf cocktail pick and position it across the glass with the orange peel.

Finish with the lightly charred cinnamon stick resting alongside the pick.

The finished drink should taste bourbon-forward, maple-rich, lightly bitter, citrusy, and warmly spiced.

Pro Tips

A few small details can help the drink stay smooth and balanced.

Loosen the maple butter first. Adding bourbon before it is smooth can leave clumps.
Use hot, not boiling, water. You only need enough heat to soften the maple butter.
Stir until the glass feels cold. This gives the drink proper dilution.
Use one large cube. It keeps the cocktail cold with slower dilution.
Express the orange peel over the surface. The oils add aroma immediately.
Char the cinnamon lightly. Too much heat can make it smell burnt instead of warm and spicy.
Extinguish the cinnamon completely. Never place an active flame or glowing garnish next to alcohol.
Serve right away. The orange and cinnamon aromas are strongest when fresh.

Variations

The Maple Butter Old Fashioned is easy to adjust while keeping the same whiskey-and-maple structure.

Rye Version: Replace bourbon with rye whiskey for more spice.
Smoked Version: Smoke the empty glass briefly before straining the cocktail.
Orange-Forward Version: Add an extra dash of orange bitters.
Less Sweet Version: Reduce the maple butter slightly.
Classic Maple Version: Use pure maple syrup instead of maple butter.

You can also skip the charred cinnamon garnish if you want a simpler presentation.

When to Serve and Pairings

The Maple Butter Old Fashioned works well for fall dinners, Thanksgiving, Christmas, whiskey tastings, and after-dinner drinks.

Its bourbon, maple, orange, and spice flavors pair naturally with rich savory foods and desserts.

Try it with:

Roast pork
Smoked brisket
Sharp cheddar
Charcuterie
Roasted pecans
Apple pie
Bread pudding
Dark chocolate

It also fits well beside drinks such as the Oak Smoked Old Fashioned, Maple-Bourbon Smash, Vanilla Chai Old Fashioned, or Pecan Pie Bourbon Milkshake.

If your menu already includes several fruity cocktails, this gives you a stronger spirit-forward option.

Storage and Serving Notes

The Maple Butter Old Fashioned is best stirred and served fresh.

You can pre-measure the bourbon and bitters ahead of time.

The maple butter mixture is best prepared close to serving so it stays smooth and easy to incorporate.

For a larger group, combine the bourbon, bitters, and pre-loosened maple butter in a small batch and keep it chilled.

Stir individual portions with ice before straining over a large cube.

Prepare the orange peel, cherry pick, and cinnamon garnish shortly before serving.

Char and extinguish each cinnamon stick individually, and let it cool before placing it on the glass.

FAQs

What does a Maple Butter Old Fashioned taste like?

It tastes bourbon-forward, lightly sweet, maple-rich, citrusy, and spiced with a warm cinnamon aroma.

Why use hot water with the maple butter?

The hot water loosens the thick maple butter so it mixes smoothly with the bourbon and bitters.

Can I use maple syrup instead of maple butter?

Yes. Use pure maple syrup and reduce or skip the hot water because syrup is already thinner.

Can I use rye instead of bourbon?

Yes. Rye gives the drink a drier and spicier profile.

More Cocktails to Try

If you like maple, bourbon, and fall cocktails, these drinks fit well into the same lineup.

Oak Smoked Old Fashioned: Bourbon, maple, orange bitters, and oak smoke make a deeper smoky drink.
Maple-Bourbon Smash: Bourbon, maple syrup, and lemon create a brighter sweet-tart whiskey cocktail.
Vanilla Chai Old Fashioned: Bourbon, chai syrup, lemon, vanilla, and bitters make a spiced fall option.
Banana Maple Bourbon Smash: Bourbon, banana liqueur, maple, and lemon create a sweeter fruit-forward drink.
Pecan Pie Bourbon Milkshake: Bourbon, vanilla ice cream, pecans, and caramel make a rich dessert cocktail.

These give you a mix of smoky, citrusy, spiced, fruity, and dessert-style bourbon drinks for a full fall and holiday cocktail menu.