Today I’m joining some of my favorite blogging pals for an Autumn Progressive Dinner. We’ll kick off the evening with Apple Cider Aperol Spritz, an easy, crowd pleasing batch drink (I’ll give you the single drink recipe too) that’s ideal for any fall menu. Let’s get this Autumn Progressive Dinner started.
Progressive dinners are so much fun and I’m excited to join Annie, Mary Ann, Cindy and Sheri to host an Autumn Progressive Dinner.
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Autumn Progressive Dinner Menu
Doesn’t it all sound scrumptious?! And perfect for an autumn evening with friends?
I’m in California so, weather permitting, we’ll kick things off with Apple Cider Aperol Spritz’ on the patio.
First Stop – Drinks
All images by Monica Vargas Photography
When serving a crowd, batched drinks are the way to go. Apple Cider Aperol Spritz can be mixed in a pitcher shortly before guests arrive. More on that later .
Apple Cider Aperol Spritz for 10
You’ll need hard cider, Aperol, Club Soda and ice. That’s it.
For garnish you’ll need thyme sprigs and apple slices.
Up level your presentation by rimming the glasses with cinnamon sugar. Yum.
Ingredients
Method
- Combine Aperol and cider in a large pitcher and stir.
- Pour into prepared glasses (rimmed with cinnamon sugar and filled with ice) to about 1" below rim.
- Top glasses with Club Soda.
- Garnish each glass with a sprig of thyme and slice of apple.
- Thorough combine sugar and cinnamon in shallow bowl or ramekin that is wider than the mouth of serving glass.
- Pour a little hard cider or apple cider in a second bowl.
- Dip top of glass into cider, then dip it into cinnamon sugar until the rim is evenly coated.
Combine the hard cider and Aperol in a pitcher and stir and refrigerate. Just before guests arrive, pour the cider Aperol mixture into ice filled, sugar rimmed glasses (about 3/4 full), and top with Club Soda.
Garnish with thyme and an apple slice and you’re ready to welcome guests!
Welcome to our Autumn Progressive Dinner!
To make a single Apple Cider Aperol Spritz …
- 4 oz hard cider
- 2 oz Aperol
- 1 oz Club Soda
- Thyme sprig & apple slice for garnish
Cocktail Hour Nibbles
Sure they’ll be lot’s of wonderful food served throughout the evening, but I still offer something to nibble during cocktail hour. Something simple, easy and fun that you can buy or throw together quickly. Like Ina Garten’s Chipoltle & Rosemary Roasted Nuts from her How Easy is That? cookbook. I substituted thyme for rosemary to be compatible with Apple Cider Aperol Spritz garnish.
Potato chips, cheese straws, and truffled popcorn are fun too!
As the first stop on the autumn progressive dinner trail, I want to set a fun vibe. Weather permitting we’ll be cocktailing on the patio around fire pit with twinkle lights overhead. And fun, upbeat music.
A great playlist is essential to a good party and I rely on Yacht Rock to set the tone. Don’t roll your eyes, it puts everyone in a festive mood, including me. Here’s my go-to Yacht Rock playlist.
Maggie and Pippa are excited to welcome you to cocktail hour at Snowberry! Hope you didn’t wear black.
Let’s get this Autumn Progressive Dinner started!
Shop ~
And there you have it, Apple Cider Aperol Spritz on the patio. The first stop on our Autumn Progressive Dinner.
Next stop, Harvest Charcuterie & Wine at Cindy’s.
Be sure to visit each and every house for amazing recipes and entertaining ideas!
Are you inspired to host an Autumn Progressive Dinner? I hope so.
As always, I appreciate you taking the time to read my latest dispatch. If you’re new here, welcome! Sign up here to receive new posts hot-off-the press delivered direct to your inbox. Each Saturday morning I post a weekly round up of inspirations and goings-on, with one to two additional posts – like this one – each month related to love of home, style and travel. If you’d like to follow me on Instagram at @makemineaspritzer I’d love that too!
Cheers from Snowberry!
Juliet I love these! My daughter introduced me to Aperol Spritz not too long ago; I always thought of them as a summer drink but you did a beautiful job and so simply too! The sugar cinnamon rim is right up my alley and you can bet I’ll be serving these this Thanksgiving! Thank you for the easy and wonderful idea! xo
I love cocktails! And a progressive dinner sounds like a wonderful way to spend a beautiful Fall evening. I have not been to one in years.
I have pinned this so that I can make it this weekend.
Off to check out the rest of the dinner!
Have a wonderful day Juliet! I will see you Saturday.
P.S. Hope your back is feeling better.
Elizabeth … I know, I haven’t been to one in years either. I’m tempted to knock on a few neighbors doors … wouldn’t they be in shock?! My back is getter better and I’ll see you Saturday! xo
Juliet,
Your Yacht Rock playlist took me all the way back!!! I love it!! It is now in my Spotify library.
Yes, Sherri … isn’t it so much fun … I love it. So glad you do too! xo
Every Christmas our Court does a Progressive Feast!Been a few years as WE were rudely interrupted by Covid!
Our house was the house AFTER DESERTS
For Midnight pasta just in case you were still Hungry and Limoncello‼️
Xxx
I love that so much! My neighborhood really needs to step it up. Maybe I should knock on some doors and suggest a party … we can have cocktail at my house and surely there must be someone of Italian decent who can handle midnight pasta and Limoncello! xo
Juliet!! what a way to get the party started!! The drink is so gorgeous and that sugar cinnamon rim! Sweet and spicy! Love the color, the snack ideas too!! Perfect!
Xx
Thanks for inviting me to the party, Annie! So much fun … I’m full already! xo
Your plaid flannel – how cute it is! May we ask you to share where it is from? Enjoy the progressive dinner!
Janet! So glad you asked … you can find the link below. It comes in many color combinations and I’m wearing it constantly. I may need to buy another! Thanks for stopping by! xo
https://bit.ly/3rVz7R9
A wonderful post, timed perfectly to inspire our meal planning and our bar offerings for the season of entertainment and celebration ahead!
Wonderful … let the holiday planning begin! xo
This looks amazing, Juliet. What a fun way to start a festive party!!
Cheers! xo
Oh, your post made me laugh… reminding me of a party we hosted many years ago when Cosmos were the ‘in’ cocktail. We, too, made them by the pitcher and what a mistake! Numerous people overindulged. And then no one wanted to eat any of the food I had spent the day preparing; they all seemed to decide jumping in the pool was the thing to do. Those that were drinking something else just sat back and enjoyed the show! Needless to say, we were much younger then and our parties aren’t nearly as fun anymore.
Oh my gosh these are gorgeous! But I expected nothing less. I guess I am going to have to start a drinks Pinterest Board. My Pinterest V.A will kill me. What a fun drink for Turkey Day!
Haha … go ahead and start that board!!! xo
Juliet,
This looks amazing … Love Aperols and the idea of making it ahead with the batches is genius! This takes a lot of the work out. I’m down with Yacht Rock.. It’s my favorite channel on Sirius so I will have to try the playlist! Love the nuts too. You do cocktails so well I can see why no one left your house.
So funny remember when cosmos were the thing.. Max bragged to his work at the time, that it was his drink and he can make them all for everyone at a holiday gather..he didn’t have a clue, it was kind of a ladies drink.. We still give him a hard time about it..
Beautiful post as always ! This might be our Thanksgiving cocktail now that all my kids are 21! xo
Sounds like so much fun. I love the idea of doing as a neighborhood.
That drink looks delicious. I wonder if you could use apple cider (non-alcoholic) with the rest of the ingredients to make a lighter drink? I may give that a try.
The cosmo debacle is funny!
Hi Laurie … absolutely you could use an apple cider. Although what I do is just our myself half the 1-drink recipe. I’m such a lightweight and can never finish an entire drink … so I’ve learned to just pour half a glass. A neighborhood progressive would be so fun … I feel like knocking on my neighbors doors. But they’d think I’m a crazy woman! xo
Of course you would be in charge of cocktails! And they look great and sound wonderful. I’ve so moved away from wine and more toward cocktails. Looking forward to some holiday libations. Cheers!!
Juliet, what a great post. I love Aperol spritzers and will be trying these for Thanksgiving. Thank you for inspiring me to try something new.
Just read this one too! I need to move out there with you gals – nobody will drink a fun cocktail like that with me! Everyone wants an IPA or wine or a very straight cocktail. Boooring!
Although you are right, anything sweet will knock you out quickly…I had one too many cosmos on my birthday this year~
This looks and sounds fabulous! I’m going to make these tomorrow night for my witchy wine night! Wondering how far in advance can one make the aperol cider mix… I’m thinking of using regular apple cider and possibly a bit of Prosecco. Let me know what you think.
Love that idea, Victoria … and your witchy wine night. So fun!!! xo
I have a question! I’m making this in a couple days for a small dinner party.
What did you use on the glassware to make the cinnamon sugar mixture stick to the glass?
Hi Shirley, I poured a little bit of the cider into a bowl and dipped the top of the glass into it and then the cinnamon. Hope that helps! xo