Spiced Apple Scrap Cider

Have an overabundance of apple scraps from your fall baking? Turn them into this super easy and delicious spiced apple scrap cider.

Fall is my favorite time of year, and I’d be lying to you if I said fall baking and cooking didn’t contribute to my bias.

This year I’ve perfected my spiced pear applesauce, but to process all the apples and pears, I bought this apple peeler/corer/slicer that has become my (and my toddler’s) new favorite kitchen gadget.

After making so much pear applesauce, I had pounds and pounds of apple and pear scraps. I couldn’t force myself to throw them out, so I instead made this apple scrap cider!

This apple scrap cider is great for extracting all the remaining flavor in the unwanted bits and bobs of apples and pears. If you don’t have pounds of scraps at one time, you save your scraps over time in a bag in the freezer. Once the bag is full, make a big batch of cider.

I love my cider warm – both in temperature and in spice – so I add lots of different spices to this recipe. Of course, they’re all ones that you can mix and match to fit your taste preferences, and you can play around with the type and amount of sweetener. 

Why You’ll Love This Spiced Apple Scrap Cider

• no apples go to waste – So much delicious apple flavor remains in the skin and cores, and it would be a shame that ever went straight in the trash. You get to magically turn the unwanted bits and bobs of your apples into the most delicious, flavorful cider.
• quality apple cider with minimal work – Although apple scrap cider takes a few hours to come together on the stove or in the crock pot, it really is simple to make and requires minimal effort. Let the apple scraps do all the hard work for you.
• you get to be the cider master – Apple scrap cider is very simple to make and very forgiving in its flavors. You can use the spices YOU enjoy and adjust the sweetness level to your preference – all things you can’t do with store-bought cider.

ingredients and Notes

• apple scraps – I typically use a variety of apple scraps for this recipe – some tart, some sweet. It all goes in – cores, skins, and any mushy apple chunks that are unsuitable for eating or baking. You can use as much scraps as you have, but I found that about 5 pounds of scraps is enough to make a decent batch of apple scrap cider. You can also store small amounts of scraps in the freezer until you have enough to make a big batch.
• spices – I include traditional spices in this recipe but encourage you to have fun experimenting with ones that you like. I like using whole spices here – their essential oils will be extracted during the simmering process. At the end, I add a few powdered spices to get the final flavor that I like. My little secret ingredient is a dash of cayenne if you really love that extra spicy kick in the back of the throat.
• citrus – Lemon or orange works best for apple cider. To be honest, I usually don’t have oranges in my house, but I DO have those little baby clementines for my toddler. I usually just cut up one of those and put it in there and it works just as good as an orange.
• water – The amount of water you use depends on how much scraps you have. I usually will throw all my scraps into a large pot and then cover it completely with water, which is roughly 16 cups.
• sweetener of choice – There are so many different sweeteners you can play around with to sweeten your cider to your liking. Traditionally ciders are made with granulated sugar or brown sugar, but I really love maple syrup in this recipe since it lends itself so perfectly to the fall flavors.

Instructions To Make Spiced Apple Scrap Cider

1. Add apple scraps, whole spices, and citrus peels to a large stock pot and add in enough water to completely submerge the scraps by about 2 inches.

2. Bring the pot to a boil over medium-high heat. Once boiling, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for 2-3 hours (you can also add the contents to a crock pot and cook for 4-6 hours on high).

3. After 2 hours, you can taste test the cider to see if it’s to your liking. If it tastes diluted, continue to simmer for another 30-60 minutes.

4. Once the cider tastes to your liking, strain it through a sieve. Discard the scraps and return the cider liquid to the pot.

5. While the cider is still hot, stir in optional ground spices and your sweetener of choice. Continue to taste test as you go until you reach the flavor you desire.

6. Serve immediately or store in the fridge in an airtight container for up to one week. You can also store your cider in the freezer for up to one year.

More Fall-Inspired Recipes

• Spiced Pear Applesauce
• Bone Broth Pumpkin Spice Latte
• Maple Pumpkin Spice Coffee Creamer

Thanks for reading! Let me know down in the comments if you try this recipe and what you think! Be sure to check out the blog for other fall-inspired recipes!