Apple Pie Moonshine is sweet, smooth, and a perfect Fall drink. Drink it straight, or my favorite way – mixed with a little ginger ale, with some of your best friends and laugh yourself silly.
Apple Pie Moonshine
This recipe is for an alcoholic beverage. Please follow the laws of your state regarding consumption and drink responsibly. Never drink and drive.
In another post about Cherry Bounce I talked about the book Outlander by Diana Gabaldon. Well through a crazy on-line fan page I met some of the most amazing women I’ve ever known. True sisters of the heart. We’ve had the chance to get together a few times and it was at one of these gatherings in the Appalachian Mountains of Tennessee that I was introduced to Apple Pie Moonshine. This is my Sassy Sister Serenity’s recipe and I will be forever grateful for her sharing it with me. This drink is smooth; dangerously so. It’s one of those drinks that really sneaks up on you. Drink it straight, or my favorite way – mixed with a little ginger ale, with some of your best friends and laugh yourself silly.
Is it legal to make moonshine?
That would be a resounding NO. While this is called moonshine, it’s really a cocktail made from mass produced alcohol with all the taxes and duties paid. So don’t worry about the “revenuer” coming to track you down when you whip up a batch or two.
When were cocktails invented?
Over a 100 years ago, Prohibition was the law of the land. We all know how well that went over. Bootleg alcohol and speakeasies became all the rage. People resorted to making their own booze or they adapted industrial alcohol, purposely made with some pretty nasty chemicals and other gross stuff to keep people from drinking it. Well that didn’t stop anyone – they just added juices, muddled fruits, and other sweeteners to mask the horrible flavor – and the cocktail was born. Luckily Prohibition ended but the cocktails didn’t. For more information on Prohibition read this really eye-opening article by the Smithsonian The Modern Craft Cocktail
How do I make Apple Pie Moonshine?
This is SO easy. You’re going to need a really big stock pot and some large jars. I recommend Mason Jars but I’ve been known to put this in any glass jar with a lid that I can get my hands on. You’re going to need both apple juice and apple cider, Everclear, Whipped Cream or Vanilla Vodka, sugar, and cinnamon sticks Don’t use ground cinnamon at all if you can help it.
Put all of the ingredients, except the alcohol, in a large stock pot. Bring to a low boil and simmer for about 30 minutes.
I can’t say this part loud enough LET IT COOL COMPLETELY. If it’s warm at all it can cook out the alcohol and that kind of defeats the purpose. It may take several hours. Once it’s cooled completely, fish out the cinnamon sticks and add one or two to each jar you’re planning on filling.
Add in the Everclear…
And then all that yummy whipped cream vodka…
Pour into your jars and enjoy. It’s perfectly ok to drink it at this point and will be really good. If you have the patience to wait it will just get better over time. Once you open it – store it in the fridge.
Apple Pie Moonshine
Equipment
- Quart Mason Jars
- Large Stock Pot
Ingredients
- 1 gallon apple cider
- 1 gallon apple juice
- 8-10 cinnamon sticks
- 1 ½ cups sugar
- 1 ½ cup brown sugar
- 750 ml bottle 190 proof grain alcohol
- 1 liter whipped cream vodka
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients, except for the alcohol, in a large stockpot and bring to a boil
- Let simmer for about 30 minutes
- Remove from heat and let cool completely
- Once the mixture is completely cool, add in the alcohol, and remove but save cinnamon sticks
- Add one or two of the cinnamon sticks to each jar and then fill with alcohol mixture
- Store in a dark, cool place
