Fast & FREE Shipping!

This blog provides information for educational purposes only. Read our complete summary for more info.

March 19, 2013
Last updated

How to Make Apple Pie Moonshine

Owner of Clawhammer Supply
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. Here is our favorite (high octane) apple pie moonshine recipe.You can use any type of high proof alcohol you want to make these recipes. We used store bought moonshine from the Ole Smoky distillery.

What is Apple Pie Moonshine?

Simply put apple pie moonshine is moonshine that has the same flavors of an actual apple pie. Think cinnamon, clove, nutmeg. As we see it, there are 4 different types of apple pie moonshine:

  1. Super Easy Apple Pie Moonshine Recipe
  2. No Boil Apple Pie Shine
  3. Gourmet Apple Pie Moonshine (our favorite)
  4. Hot Apple Pie Moonshine

These will varying in taste, color, as well as temperature. Here's each type, along with a brief description, list of ingredients, and recipe directions.

Apple Pie Moonshine Recipe Ingredients

  • 1 quart of 150 proof, pure corn whiskey moonshine (everclear could be used as a substitute).
  • 3 cans of frozen apple concentrate.
  • 8 cinnamon sticks.
  • 0-2 cups brown sugar*.
*Depending on how sweet you want it to be, you may add up to twice as much of these particular items (in other words, 1 or 2 cups of brown sugar instead of none).
 

Super Easy Apple Pie Moonshine

This recipe is called "instant" because it takes less than 30 minutes to make. This version of apple pie moonshine is the quickest to make, but it will have more bitterness and will lack a depth of flavor compared to the other options.

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” Apple Pie Moonshine

This method of making apple pie moonshine is extremely simple and does not require any cooking. This recipe does require at least 12 hours but we recommend letting it steep for up to 48 hours for best results. This apple pie moonshine recipe does take more more time to make but the flavors are worth the wait.If you want to make a truly supreme batch of apple pie shine, you'll want to use something similar to 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 gourmet apple pie moonshine recipe is easy to make and requires no fancy equipment. In our opinion it tastes better than any store bought bottle. This recipe uses the same base ingredients as the "no boil" method,  but the addition of spices turns a basic apple pie moonshine into something amazing.

apple pie moonshine spice mixThe 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.

Hot Apple Pie Moonshine

Not many people drink hot moonshine but it is delicious and underrated. This style of moonshine is best served during the winter months when the days are short and the nights are long and cold.

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.

Please read our complete legal summary for more information on the legalities of distillation.

Kyle Brown is the owner of Clawhammer Supply, a small scale distillation and brewing equipment company which he founded in 2009. His passion is teaching people about the many uses of distillation equipment as well as how to make beer at home. When he isn't brewing beer or writing about it, you can find him at his local gym or on the running trail.

  • try the frozen juice cooler at the grocery store..
    Posted by John on November 05, 2012
  • I have resently ordered a kit and do look forward to working with it. I will let a few people know how it goes, inclueding the the good people at clawhammer

    Posted by doug on October 20, 2012
  • My brother & sister-in-law made this to donate to a benefit for a little girl who has cancer, it went for $70.00 a bottle!Everyone said it’s great stuff! Thanks for the recipe!

    Posted by Elly Humes on October 10, 2012
  • Made the apple pie moonshine….can’t wait for Oct. 21st to taste it! However, I have a question….the brown sugar has not dissolved. I keep shaking the jars but some of the sugar has settled to the bottom. Is this normal????

    Posted by Andrea on October 04, 2012
  • You need to send this to Jim. One of his 2 yr. olds won a $70,000 race Will Rogers Downs yesterday. How is Robert doing? Does he have a good horse for sale?

    Posted by Billy Wheeler on September 30, 2012
  • my apple pie,one in ahaft gal apple cider haft gal apple juice 2 cups suger 9cinnamon sticks mix together in large pot simmer for 2 to 3hrs let cool to room temp then add one bottle of everclear

    Posted by carol newton on September 30, 2012
  • i cant wait to make some i have had some from indiana and it was so good

    Posted by jeanne luddeni on September 30, 2012
  • i got this from a guy i work with and i love it

    Posted by marie on September 27, 2012
  • What name brand whiskey do you recommend?

    Posted by TA on September 27, 2012
  • http://www.4allvitamins.com/product_info.php?products_id=4796&product_configuration_id=6707&referrer=shopping.com Apple concentrate

    Posted by Joe on September 27, 2012
  • We make very similar drink for all our house parties. 1 gal apple juice. 1 gal apple cider. 1 bottle of everclear. 5 cinnamon sticks and a 1-2 cups sugar (to taste) simmer all except the booze for about an hour, once cool add the booze. Tastes best if it sits in the fridge for a day and then frozen. YUM! Next batch I will be trying w/ brown sugar instead.

    Posted by Soph on September 27, 2012
  • Best shine comes from Rocky Top where we get our corn from a jar. Ole Smoky’s is good and legal
    so shine on and shine responsibly. My daughter works down in moonshine holler where it all began to be legal. Try filling up a jar with pie cherries then shine the jar to the top. Let the cherries soak it all up and eat a few with a spoon, the best. Shine on.

    Posted by Daryl on September 26, 2012
  • how much Apple concentrate!!! Ive never seen apple concentrate in a bottle!!! will this work
    http://www.walmart.com/ip/Old-Orchard-100-Juice-Apple-Concentrate-Frozen-12-oz/10805172

    Posted by doris on September 26, 2012
  • Thank you !!!

    Posted by Tina Williams on September 26, 2012
  • I would also like to know where to get the apple concentrate plz…

    Posted by Annie on September 26, 2012
  • Where do I get moonshine? I don’t have a still

    Posted by Sara on September 26, 2012
  • My recipe calls for apple juice and apple cider. I use Martinelli’s for both and, with true moonshine, makes an excellent drink that’s oh so smooth!

    Posted by Jackie on September 26, 2012
  • I live in Oklahoma and really would like to just buy some of the apple pie shine already made anyone know where

    Posted by chad on September 19, 2012
  • if you have some good vanilla extract, add a drop….i use the heads and tails of my run with this recipe after i proof it too 100 proof. add a cut up apple to absorb off flavors and the vanilla smoothes it out.

    Posted by jimbo on September 12, 2012
  • can’t you get in trouble for making this? i’ve always thought bout making it but it’s big jail time. always wished i live back in the early 1900’s god bless all those monshiners! r.i.p. popcorn sutton

    Posted by Eric on September 09, 2012


Leave a comment

Please note, the design of our website does not allow us to respond directly to blog comments. Please email us directly regarding questions about products. We don't answer questions about recipes, procedures, etc. However, feel free to leave a comment or respond to comments made by others!

Enter your email address below and we'll send you a free eBook on how to get started with brewing or distilling!
>