DRINK RECIPES

Crab Apple Cider

Updated

One of the easiest crab apple recipes: whole crab apples simmered with brown sugar, cinnamon sticks and allspice, then strained into a rosy, sweet-tart spiced cider you can serve hot or cold.

Prep
15 min
Cook
3 hr
Total
3 hr 30 min
Yield
about 8 cups (1/2 gallon)
Illustration of Crab Apple Cider
AI-generated illustration, not a photo of this recipe.

Crab apples are too small and sour to snack on by the handful, but they are perfect for a pot of homemade cider. Because the fruit is cooked whole and strained at the end, there is no peeling or coring, just a quick trim before everything goes into the pot. The skins give this classic from the KitchenSimplicity archive a lovely pink-amber color.

This is the non-alcoholic, unfiltered kind of cider that North Americans sip warm in the fall. Make a batch when the trees are heavy with fruit in September and October, keep it in the fridge, and reheat a mug at a time, or warm the whole pot for a holiday gathering.

Tips

  • Refrigerate the cider in covered jars or a pitcher for up to 1 week, or freeze it in airtight containers for up to 3 months, leaving room at the top for expansion.
  • Crab apples vary a lot in tartness, so taste the finished cider and stir in a little more brown sugar or a spoonful of maple syrup while it is still warm if needed.
  • Add a few strips of orange peel, a sliced knob of fresh ginger or a couple of star anise pods with the cinnamon for a different spice blend.
  • For a party, keep the strained cider warm in a slow cooker set to low and let guests ladle their own.

Crab Apple Cider

Prep
15 min
Cook
3 hr
Total
3 hr 30 min
Yield
about 8 cups (1/2 gallon)

Ingredients

  • 12 cups crab apples (about 3 pounds / 1.4 kg), stems removed and blossom ends trimmed
  • 12 cups water
  • 1 cup (200 g) packed brown sugar or raw cane sugar
  • 6 cinnamon sticks
  • 2 teaspoons whole allspice berries (or whole cloves)

Steps

  1. Rinse the crab apples in a colander and pick out any that are bruised or soft. Pull off the stems and slice away the dry blossom end of each apple; there is no need to peel or core them.
  2. Put the crab apples, water, brown sugar, cinnamon sticks and allspice in a large stockpot (at least 8 quarts) and bring to a boil over high heat.
  3. Let the mixture boil uncovered for 1 hour. Every 15 minutes or so, press the softening apples against the side of the pot with a potato masher or sturdy spoon to help release their juice.
  4. Lower the heat so the liquid simmers gently, set the lid slightly ajar and cook for another 1 1/2 to 2 hours, until the liquid has reduced by about one third. Taste it; if you want a stronger flavor, keep simmering a little longer.
  5. Line a fine-mesh sieve with a double layer of cheesecloth or a couple of coffee filters and set it over a large bowl or pitcher. Ladle in the fruit and liquid in batches.
  6. Press firmly on the pulp with the back of a ladle to squeeze out as much liquid as possible, then discard the solids and spices.
  7. Serve the cider hot, or let it cool, cover and refrigerate, then reheat gently on the stove or in the microwave when you want a mug.

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