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How to Make Apple Pie Moonshine
Apple Pie Moonshine
So, you want to know how to make apple pie moonshine, eh? You've come to the right place.
Apple pie shine is probably the most popular and sought after type of bootleg whiskey ever made, and for good reason - it's delicious. We've already posted procedures for making a basic mash and even instructions on making peach moonshine. Here is our favorite (high octane) apple pie moonshine recipe.

Details:
Ingredients:
Directions:
The "Instant Satisfaction" Method
First, add the apple concentrate, cinnamon sticks and brown sugar to a pot. Bring to a boil and then simmer on very low heat, covered, for 20-30 minutes. Stir a few times as it is heating up to dissolve the sugar. Heating causes the cinnamon sticks to release their flavor very quickly, allowing you to be able to drink it immediately. I like to call this the "instant satisfaction" method.
After simmering, remove the pot from heat and let it cool. Make sure it is completely cool, and none of the burners on the stove are on before moving on to the next step.
After the mixture has cooled, split it between 4 pint jars (or 2 quart jars). Top the jars off with 150 proof corn whiskey. Remember, 100+ proof moonshine is flammable. You do not want to do this anywhere near a heat source.
If you completed all of the steps, congratulations, you just made your very own apple pie moonshine. You can start enjoying the fruits of your labor immediately.
The "no-boil" method
They say that good things come to those who wait, and we think that this statement applies to apple pie moonshine as well as it does to anything else. If you want to make a truly supreme batch of apple pie shine, you'll want to use this method. The "instant satisfaction" method listed above causes flavor to be rapidly released from cinnamon sticks, making your batch instantly drinkable. However, "steeping" the ingredients overnight, without boiling, produces a better product. Why? Well, we aren't exactly sure, but we think that boiling the cinnamon sticks cause additional flavors to be released, making the final product ever so slightly bitter. The "no boil" method provides 100% of the flavor with none of the bitterness.
Beware, this recipe is high proof. A lot of recipes call for adding a gallon apple this and a gallon of apple that, but by the time you're done adding all that liquid, you've dropped your proof down into the baby formula range. Apple concentrate provides apple flavor without compromising proof. This stuff sneaks up on you - and then it punches you in the face! But it's oh, so good.

Gourmet Apple Pie Moonshine
The above mentioned recipe (cinnamon, sugar, and apple juice concentrate only) will make a great batch of apple pie moonshine. However, add spices like ginger, orange peel, cloves, allspice, vanilla bean, peppercorn, etc... and you'll have something that will make your tastebuds do backflips. There are plenty of recipes on the web for more complicated versions of apple pie moonshine. Some of them are great, others are OK, but most are sorely lacking. We know this firsthand here at Clawhammer Supply, because we've tried a lot of them out. We did this because we've been working on a top secret project for a while now - the creation of a perfect blend of apple pie moonshine spices. After making many, many test batches, and drinking a lot, lot, lot of apple pie moonshine, we finally landed on a recipe that we're 100% sure will melt your tastebuds into a puddle of awesomeness. We proudly present to you our very own Apple Pie Moonshine Spice Mix. Check out that link to buy some, or head on over to our sister site, How to Make Apple Pie Moonshine for more info and additional recipes.
Hot Apple Pie Moonshine
If you would like to serve up some hot apple pie moonshine, here's what we would suggest. Use the recipe above to make standard apple pie moonshine. Then, buy a couple of gallons of apple cider and spice it to taste using the same ingredients above. Heat it in a crock pot WITHOUT the apple pie moonshine. (You don't want to add the moonshine because you'll vaporize all of the alcohol if you heat it over a long period of time.) Just set the jar of apple pie moonshine next to the crock pot and let your guests add a bit (or a lot) to each cup of cider they pour.
We hope you enjoy this post on how to make apple pie moonshine. This is how we like it, but we'd also love to hear your thoughts. Let us know your opinion on this recipe, or share your own apple pie moonshine recipe below.
Can this recipe be made without added sugar and still mask the alcohol? Also, can vodka be substituted and what adjustments need to be made to the recipe to do so?
Does this recipe have to be refrigerated, or can it be stored on a shelf?
I made some last week took 500 ml of my 150 proof brandy and added that to two cans of frozen Apple juice I added a cinnamon stick and vanilla bean and a couple of Cherry’s also two table spoons of cherry juice ..took what I had in the pot and made two 500ml bottles ..and let them sit for a week and it was awesome
How long is the apple pie moonshine good for after it is made? Shelf life
How long will this keep in a dark cooler area , worried about the apple juice, I have one that is a year old
After drinking the stuff I think I’m at 71 proof…PERFECT…I recalculated…Thanks Again from ALABAMA…
I used your recipe in a crock-pot…NO-boil…4/12 oz cans frozen apple juice…1 cup dark brown sugar…10 cinnamon sticks…added a coffee filter filled with ground ginger and cloves…Got me 47.5 proof with 750 ml of 190…added another 375 ml of 190….I’m at 63 proof…perfect for women and wimps…I think my calculations are right…If not…it is potent without a doubt…if you sit around sipping this stuff you may not get out of your chair…thank you for the recipe…from alabama…
I have made several batches of this and below is the recipe that I went with.
• 1 gal apple juice
• 1 gal apple cider (I look for the dark and cloudy stuff)
• 1 cups brown sugar
• 1 cup of white sugar
• 6 to 8 cinnamon sticks
• 1 liters of 190 grain alcohol.
• 1 liter of higher proof peach schnapps
Heat/simmer the juices, sugar & sticks without boiling, stirring regular until the sticks open up (30 to 60 minutes). Remove from heat & let cool to room temp. If you do not let it cool, you will boil off all of the alcohol.. Here is where my process is different from most. I measure 4 to 5 ounces of each liquor into each jar and then fill the remaining space with the apple brew from above. This gives you better control over the alcohol content of your batch. . This makes about 10 quarts. My last batch I multiplied the ingredients by 1.5 so that I could make a little over 12 quarts.
Made a batch of this last week, and noticed some white….stuff on the bottom of the jars. I wouldn’t think with as high proof as this is it would be infected or anything, but I have no idea what it could be. Any ideas?
I just followed & made a batch of apple pie moonshine :) put into mason jars, since it shows to add alcohol after cools the lids are just on to screw lids shut but not tight like canning since that requires to be very hot & all was already cooled then put lids on.
How do you store? can they be kept in cabinet or do they need to be refrigerted? Hubby says no cause alcohol will not allow mold but I worry cause of all the apple juice / cider.
Please & Thank you.
In making the apple pie moonshine I combined all the ingredients (inadvertently the 190 proof Everclear included) in the pot to heat to simmer before I realized my error. Not wanting to throw all this out I continued to simmer for an hour then strained into sterilized quart jars. Because I heated this with the alcohol will it still be okay or will I have to throw this all out and start over. A big waste of $$.
I wanted to try the “Ruckus Juice receipt” but with a lower alcohol level of around 60 proof …. So I just blended some 100 proof with 153 proof grain alcohol and it came out on target once added to the 4 cans of juice concentrate and the spice kit. I personally added 1/4 cup of brown sugar. LOVED THE OUTCOME. A little low proof means a little faster sipping :)
Looking for a good pineapple moonshine recipe and a good pear moonshine recipe.
Steeping, do you let all the ingredients sit 24 hours then add alcohol?
Mine taste like a bit of fireball from the cinnamon. I did boil the sticks. Only used three! How can I cut the cinnamon flavor down? More apple juice? Some brown sugar?
Not sure I under stand your steep method. I’m I suppose to heat it at all or just mix ingredients including alcohol and let set overnight without heating?
I made this, following the instructions but with everclear.. Is it supposed to be really strong? After splitting it up and placing into 2 quart jars, It burns my nose hair just smelling it lol, will this mellow out or should I cut it down with more apple juice concentrate/regular juice
I add a tad bit of Cayenne pepper to my quarts, give it that final WOOOO…. Taste….
A little FYI on why boiling the cinnamon sticks makes the drink slightly bitter… cinnamon contains tannins which are natural astringent compounds. Tannins are usually released when tempuratures well above 170 degrees are used, which boiling definitely passes. Not that ya’ll needed to know that to know boiling makes the drink slightly bitter, but I like to know why stuff happens so I thought I’d share. BTW, thanks for the ideas, I’ll be trying out your recipe (plus some spices of my own) tomorrow night.