How to Make Easy Crab Apple Cider

So many homes and parks have crab apple trees and so few people put these tasty, healthy little fruits to use. Here’s a recipe to change all that! It’s easy, packed with vitamins and antioxidants, and delicious.

It’s also practically free!

I came up with this recipe to use up some crab apples that we got from friends one year. It tastes like a cross between apple cider and lemonade, only ruby red with just a hint of spice. And that bright red color means lots of disease-fighting, vitamin-rich nutrients too.

Be sure to gather your crab apples from trees that have not been sprayed.

Here’s all you do…

Alicia’s Easy Crab Apple Cider

1. Find yourself a friend with a crab apple tree. Pick a bunch!

2. Wash them and remove the stems and blossom ends. Cut into quarters.

3. Put them in a big pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil and simmer until they are very tender and they have lost much of their color.

4. Line a strainer with some cheesecloth and scoop it into the strainer over a big bowl. Squeeze the juice out of the crab apples and add the crab apples to the compost pile.

5. Return the liquid to the pan and add sugar (or other sweetener) to taste. Bring back to a simmer to dissolve the sugar and add some water if it’s too strong. If it’s not strong enough, simmer to reduce it until it’s just right.

Serve warm (our favorite way) or chill.

Print Recipe

Alicia's Crab Apple Cider

An easy way to make a delicious, nutritious, beautiful fall drink from foraged crab apples

Ingredients

crab apples
water
sugar or honey

Instructions

Wash the crab apples and remove the stems and blossom ends. Cut into quarters.
Put them in a big pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil and simmer until they are very tender and they have lost much of their color.
Line a strainer with some cheesecloth and scoop it into the strainer over a big bowl. Squeeze the juice out of the crab apples and add the crab apples to the compost pile.
Return the liquid to the pan and add sugar (or other sweetener) to taste. Bring back to a simmer to dissolve the sugar and add some water if it’s too strong. If it’s not strong enough, simmer to reduce it until it’s just right.
Serve warm (our favorite way) or chill.

Enjoy!