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How to Make 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:
- Super Easy Apple Pie Moonshine Recipe
- No Boil Apple Pie Shine
- Gourmet Apple Pie Moonshine (our favorite)
- 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*.
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.
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.
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.
We have made this with the Everclear. You take unsweetened apple jucie,then you take the candies Redhots in to the apple juice,add whatever amt. of shine you may want Then shake and swirl the liquid until redhots are melted into the liquid. Lovely tasting drink,but if you imbibe too much. you can’t hit the floor with your hat. And next morning you just may have to put pads on the cat’s paws as you might be a little hungover.
Your Apple Pie recipe is wrong, you have left out key components.
My husband wants to make your moonshine, how much is the kit?
I’ve read some about re-using a mash up to 6 or 7 times. I’ve made your corn whiskey mash recipe and it produced great tasting shine, do you have specific instructions as to how one could go about re-using this recipe?
Your Apple Pie recipe is a keeper. Many THANKS
Your 10-gallon kit was easy to build, been using it for a couple months. Made apple pie using juice and cider, this doesn’t compare to your recipe with frozen concentrate – I use 1 of everything. Comes out 120-130 proof, a little too strong for my wife. She adds a little cream/milk/coffee creamer, which I guess makes this ala mode.
This is a great basic recipe. However, it only comes out to about 40 proof, or 20% alcohol. I wanted to crank up the ABV and lower the sugar, and instead used this:
32 oz apple juice
32 oz apple cider
8 cinnamon sticks
2 cups brown sugar
2 bottles (est 50 oz./ 1500ml) 190 proof grain alcohol
Result: Est 45% ABV/ 90 Proof Alcohol
Boil juice, cider, cinnamon sticks for about 20 mins, stire in sugar. Let cool completely (first on counter, then covered in fridge), then add everclear.
Made three (3) 32oz bottles- two to friends, one to age in cupboard.
We used Ikea “EZ-Cap” 32oz bottles (4$/ea), and for decoration, we added wire ribbon “lipstick” – the pattern of classic picnic red/white cloth, and a product description tag attached with thin twine. They came out VERY nice.
Due to the bottles being so large, I might put them in 1/2 pint (8oz) mason jars instead next time, and have many smaller gifts instead of a few large ones. We’ll cover the tops (before putting on the ring) with the same picnic-color fabric.
How do you store the apple pie moonshine ???
Is it better to use spring water or tap water
There is nothing like the taste of apple! Best thing in the world, if you ask me! And what I love most about it is that using a good whiskey still will always get the best aroma for you.
The best I have ever had is a old school recipe that I got handed down. First you put a half gallon of apple cider and a half gallon of pressed apple juice (not concentrate) bring to a slow boil and add 1 1/4 cups of dark brown sugar and then 3/4 cup of plain sugar. let simmer for about 30 minutes. Slice a red delicious apple (you should get 10 slices) place a cinnamon stick and 5 slices of apple into the jar, fill the jar a little over half full of 90 proof corn liquor, then add the luke warm mixture of cider, juice and sugars place the lid on and put into the refrigerator you will love it, it will be ready for consumption as soon as it’s nice and cool. this recipe and five apples will make 10 quarts of apple pie but you will need about a gallon of shine to mix in.
would like to know more about making moonshine. and would like to know where i could buy a moonshine still.
LOOKS LIKE SOMETHING I CAN USE!
Sounds good may have to try. My nephew came in from georgia, he is in the air force. He had made some. It smelt good.
well i live 15 min from th moonshine capitol of th world ..so i really hope this works out for me …dont wanna mess up good shine ……..
what do your kits costs and how do i get one?
can anyone email me a recipe of the best apple pie moonshine they have ever had im a first timer and want to get it right. thanks
Are you supposed to use light or dark brown sugar? I made it with dark and and it came out really thick (like syrup).
Mine separated when I made this. The brown stuff is at the bottom. What did I do wrong? It surely doesn’t look like the picture.
sounds like a good recipe,could have a little trouble finding real shine,tend to use the ever clear unless i can find real shine