Boiled Apple Cider (aka Apple Cider Syrup) takes everything yummy about apple cider and concentrates it to a thick syrup. It's easy to make, and gives you the secret ingredient you need to take all your apple treats to the next level of flavor!
[October, 2022: I've reworked the recipe and updated this post with new pictures. Enjoy!]
Why this recipe works
- Making apple cider syrup is easy to make: just down boiling apple cider until it thickens
- You can flavor the boiled cider with additions like cinnamon, vanilla, or orange zest
- There are lots of ways to use apple syrup in your baking
Autumn is my favorite season, especially in the culinary sense (the other senses also…I love New England fall foliage!). No other season is so identified with flavor.
With apple, maple, pumpkin, and cranberry evoking wonderful sights and aromas of pies, cookies, and bars, I could go on and on. And then there's that catch-all for Fall flavor, pumpkin spice.
(Yes, we get the picture).
Apple pies practically scream autumn. All those baking spices mixed with the wonderfully sweet tart taste of apples. But can you make apple pie even better? That's a big yes, if you use a certain secret ingredient…Boiled Apple Cider (aka Apple Cider Syrup).
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What you need
You don't need any special ingredients to make a boiled cider recipe. Just pure fresh unfiltered apple cider, preferably organic and definitely preservative-free. And alcohol-free, not the hard stuff.
Keep it plain, or add flavorings like 2 or 3 cinnamon sticks, a fresh vanilla bean, split lengthwise, some orange zest, or (my favorite) ¼ cup of whisky or rum to your cider at the beginning of the simmering process.
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How to make boiled cider at home
So how do you make apple cider syrup? It's just as easy as it sounds. Just know that it's going to take a few hours to make it, so plan accordingly.
Step 1: Transfer cider to a pot
Take fresh, unfiltered apple cider and pour it into a heavy pot along with your preferred flavorings (photo 1).
After bringing the cider to a boil, reduce the heat to keep the cider at a simmer. You should see small bubbles.
Step 2: Monitor the cider
One way to measure your progress is to use a skewer to see how far down the cider has evaporated (photo 2). When it's done, the volume will be about ⅛th its original height.
Here's the boiled cider after 2 and 3 hours of simmering (photo 3):
Step 3: Check for doneness
The cider will be ready when you stir it and dark copper-colored bubbles form, covering the entire surface (photo 4). If you were to smear a small amount on a plate, it will have the consistency of warm, runny honey.
Boiled apple cider thickens as it cools, so don't over-cook it. Once you've achieved the right consistency, remove it from the heat and strain it through a fine mesh strainer into a canning jar to remove any impurities.
Questions asked and answered
Here are some questions you might have...
It should keep more or less indefinitely when stored in the refrigerator.
Boiling cider evaporates the water in much the same way as how maple syrup is made, and the final product will be ⅛ of the original volume. So, a ½ gallon of fresh cider will give you about 1 cup of apple syrup and will take about 3 to 4 hours to make. You can also double the recipe to one gallon which will yield about 2 cups and will take 5 to 6 hours to reduce.
If you're starting with ½ gallon of apple cider, a 4-quart heavy duty pot is fine. Starting with one gallon will require at least a 5-quart pot. Either way, it's best to use an enamel-coated cast iron pot or Dutch oven. According to one commenter on King Arthur Baking, don't use a cast-iron pot unless it's enamel coated. Otherwise, the iron can infuse into the syrup and ruin it.
According to King Arthur Baking, yes! You can reduce one gallon of unfiltered cider in a covered slow cooker over 2 to 3 days. You'll still have to stir it every 1 to 2 hours to keep it from scorching, so it's best to turn off the slow cooker overnight.
Pro Tip#1: Uses for boiled apple cider
There are so many ways that you can use boiled cider.
Try putting just ¼ cup into your favorite recipe for apple pie. Your friends and family won’t know how you managed to pack so much flavor into a pie crust!
Beyond apple pies, there are so many ways to use apple syrup. Here are some examples:
- Drizzle it onto cakes, ice cream, pancakes, or oatmeal (like you would maple syrup)
- Make a sweet glaze with powdered sugar to drizzle onto muffins or scones
- Make a savory glaze with whole grain mustard to brush on chicken or meat before and after roasting
- Even mix it with water to reconstitute it back into apple juice. Just add 1 tablespoon boiled cider to ¾ cup water, hot or cold
Then there are the recipes. Try an Apples & Honey Babka, Apple Galette Tart, or Apple Crisp, just to name a few.
I’m telling you, making boiled apple cider is going to take your fall baking to the next level!
Pro Tip#2: What might go wrong
I had the same strange experience twice while boiling down apple cider. After reducing it to ⅛ of the original volume, the cider separated into a watery layer over a layer of sediment instead of getting thick like honey.
I hadn't noticed that both times I was using cider that had been filtered and contained preservatives to maintain freshness. When I purchased unfiltered, preservative-free, organic apple cider, it reduced beautifully. The moral of this story: use the good stuff for apple syrup and leave the rest for drinking.
Lots of flavor for very little effort
Do yourself a favor on a crisp, fall day - boil down some apple cider to have on hand as your secret fall flavor enhancer. Not only will you take the flavor of your favorite apple dishes to the next level, you’ll perfume your home with the wonderful scent of apples.
Better still, give as a gift. It's a thoughtful way of sharing fall with friends and family. Be sure to include some how-to-use-it suggestions and recipes. Feel free to use my suggestions above!
I’m busy planning my fall baking agenda, and I’m sure this delicious secret ingredient will be well utilized!
Slainté! L’chaim! Cheers!
Tammy
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Recipe
Easy Homemade Boiled Apple Cider Syrup
Equipment
- 4-quart heavy saucepan not cast iron (unless enamel coated)
Ingredients
- ½ gallon apple cider, unfiltered and preservative-free, organic if possible
- flavorings, as desired, see Recipe Notes
Instructions
- In a large heavy pot, bring the apple cider to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to keep the cider at a simmer. You should see small bubbles.
- Using a skewer, mark the level of the cider. Continue to mark the level on the skewer each hour.
- Simmer the cider for about 3 hours, stirring every 30 minutes. Adjust the heat down slowly as needed as the cider is reduced so that it doesn't boil too fast. During the last hour of simmering, stir every 15 minutes, checking for doneness.
- The cider will be ready when you stir it and dark copper-colored bubbles form, covering the entire surface. You can also check by using your skewer - the cider will boil down to about ⅛ of its original volume. Finally, if you smear a small amount on a plate, it should have the consistency of warm, runny honey. The cider will thicken as it cools, so don't over-cook it.
- Once you've achieved the right consistency, remove the boiled cider from the heat and strain it through a fine mesh strainer into a canning jar to remove any impurities. You should have about 1 cup of boiled cider.
- Let the jar cool to room temperature, then cover and store in the refrigerator. It should keep indefinitely.
Leslie says
What a great idea. I can wait to bring the smells of fall to Nor Cal!
William Hoffman says
When you think of apple cider, you probably think of fall. A warm sweet glass full of apples and spice that warms the body on a cool fall day and this delicious drink is where this miracle tonic gets its start. It begins life as apples that are pulverized to make cider.
Thank you for this recipe, I love this.
Tammy says
Hi William, I agree with your sentiments..., apple cider surely evokes crisp Fall days and warm spices. Thanks for your kind remarks!
Judy11 says
Just a wee correction. Where you post the "Question asked and answered" You indicate 1 quart yields 1 cup and one gallon yields 2 cups . The math teacher in me reacted immediately to that, as the ratio is not the same in both. In your recipe you then say 1/2 gallon yields 1 cup. Now that is better. Guess I am recommending a correction to the Q & A section to say 1/2 gallon = 1 cup, 1 gallon= 2 cups. Thanks for sharing this. As soon as my local farm produces the first round of cider I will be making this recipe!!
Tammy Spencer says
Judy, you're absolutely right! I've made the correction in the FAQs. Thanks for letting me know! 😉
Mimsy says
Can you use Apple juice instead of cider?
Tammy Spencer says
Hi Mimsy, thanks for your question. Apple juice is clarified and pasteurized, so it won’t have all the sediments that unfiltered apple cider would have. I haven’t tried using apple juice myself, so I can’t speak to if boiled apple juice will have the same level of flavor as boiled apple cider. If you try it, please let me know how it goes. Happy boiling! 🙂
Marlene says
I had Onion Soup and the Apple concentrate was in the soup it was Wonderful flavor!
Tammy Spencer says
Wow, what a neat idea! Thanks for sharing 😉
Mary says
I messed up at the end and simmered a little too long and now it's very thick, not runny at all. I have some cider left. Do you have any tips on how to fix this? Was wondering if I simmer more cider (leave it thinner) and add to the original batch.
Does taste delicious though
Tammy Spencer says
Hi Mary, thanks for your question. If your boiled cider is thick but not sour or bitter tasting, you might be able to thin it out with boiling water added in 1 tablespoon increments. I haven’t done this myself, so let me know how it goes for you. Good luck!