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no boil apple pie moonshine recipe

No Boil Apple Pie Moonshine Recipe

No-boil apple pie moonshine is a sweet, cinnamon-spiced apple drink made by stirring apple cider, apple juice, brown sugar, and warm spices with high-proof grain alcohol. No stovetop is needed. It tastes like liquid apple pie with a warm kick. Hands-on time is about 10 minutes, plus 3 days of steeping in the fridge.
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Author: Lori Walker, MS, RD
Course: Soup
Cuisine: Mediterranean
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 3 days 10 minutes
Servings: 20

Ingredients

  • 4 cup apple cider fresh or shelf-stable, unfiltered gives the best flavor
  • 4 cup apple juice 100% juice, not from concentrate if you can find it
  • 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar use 1 cup for a dessert-sweet drink
  • 6 whole cinnamon sticks plus extra for the jars
  • 1 teaspoon apple pie spice or 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon plus a pinch each of nutmeg and allspice
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract optional but rounds out the flavor
  • 2 cup grain alcohol, 190 proof see the strength notes below for swaps
  • 1 pinch fine salt makes the apple taste sweeter and less flat

Instructions

Step 1: Dissolve the Sugar

  • Pour the cider and juice into a large pitcher or bowl. Add the brown sugar and salt, then whisk for 2 to 3 minutes. The liquid should look smooth with no sandy sugar settling on the bottom when you stop stirring.
    no boil apple pie moonshine recipe step 1

Step 2: Add the Spices

  • Stir in the apple pie spice and vanilla. Ground spices will make the drink slightly cloudy, which is normal. Drop in the cinnamon sticks.
    no boil apple pie moonshine recipe step 2

Step 3: Add the Alcohol

  • Measure the grain alcohol and pour it in slowly, then stir gently. Adding the alcohol now, rather than later, helps pull flavor out of the cinnamon sticks as it steeps. Work in a ventilated space and keep the alcohol away from flames.
    no boil apple pie moonshine recipe step 3

Step 4: Jar and Steep

  • Funnel the mixture into clean glass jars. This makes about 10 cups, so use three 1-quart jars or one half-gallon jar plus a pint. Tuck a cinnamon stick into each jar, seal tightly, and refrigerate for at least 3 days. Shake the jars once a day.
    no boil apple pie moonshine recipe step 4

Step 5: Taste and Adjust

  • After 3 days, taste a small pour. If the cinnamon is too faint, steep 2 more days. If it is too sweet, stir in a splash of plain cider. If it is too sharp, add 1 to 2 tablespoons more brown sugar and shake until dissolved.
    no boil apple pie moonshine recipe step 5

Step 6: Strain and Serve

  • For a clear drink, pour through a fine mesh strainer lined with a coffee filter. Serve very cold in 2- to 4-ounce pours. A fresh cinnamon stick makes a nice stirrer. Lori's Tip: Whole cinnamon sticks give clean flavor and are easy to remove. Add them early and taste on day 3, because cold steeping is slower than simmering. Shake the jars daily so the sugar stays blended and the flavor spreads evenly.
    no boil apple pie moonshine recipe step 6