Appalachian moonshiners simmered cinnamon and apple cider into 190-proof grain alcohol, mellowing jar liquor into a spiced, sippable holiday tradition.
Apple Pie Moonshine
This apple pie moonshine recipe tastes like apple pie in a jar, but it does pack quite a kick if you're not careful. The longer it sits in the fridge, the better it gets. Makes a great gift.
Prep
10
min
Cook
60
min
Serves
4
people
Level
intermediate
The Story
This isn't some ancient recipe—it's pure Appalachian backwoods genius from Prohibition-era Tennessee and the Carolinas, where moonshiners needed to disguise rotgut grain alcohol from revenue agents and suspicious neighbors alike, so they dumped it into spiced cider like Granny's pie filling, creating a jar of liquid dynamite that tastes like dessert and hits like a freight train from Knoxville.
Regional Twist
Up in Michigan's apple country near Grand Rapids, distillers swap half the white sugar for local maple syrup, giving this jungle juice a woodsy backbone that turns a backwoods Tennessee creation into something a Yooper would proudly serve at deer camp.
📝 Ingredients
🥬Fresh Produce(3)
- 1 gallon apple cider
- 1 gallon apple juice
- 1 pinch apple pie spice
🫙Pantry Staples(2)
- 2 cups brown sugar
- 2 cups white sugar
🧂Spices & Seasonings(1)
- 4 cinnamon sticks, more to taste
📦Other(2)
- 1 (750 milliliter) bottle 190 proof grain alcohol
- 1 (750 milliliter) bottle vodka
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories
131
Protein
0g
Carbs
21g
Fat
0g
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Combine juice, cider, white sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon sticks, and apple pie spice in a large pot; bring to a lively simmer over medium heat. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer for about 1 hour. Remove from heat; cool completely.
- 2
Stir grain alcohol and vodka into apple mixture; remove cinnamon sticks.
- 3
Divide between glass jars or bottles. Store in the refrigerator.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Simmer the apple juice and cider mixture at 180-190°F (82-88°C) for exactly 1 hour to volatilize harsh fusel alcohols from the apple base, but not so hot that you lose delicate volatile aromatics (which begin escaping above 212°F). This concentrates flavor without creating a harsh spirit.timing180-190°F for 60 minutes
- ✓Cool the cooked mixture to below 70°F (21°C) before adding the grain alcohol and vodka, because adding 190-proof spirits to hot liquid causes rapid ethanol evaporation (ethanol's boiling point is 173°F/78°C) and can lose up to 15% ABV.techniqueBelow 70°F before alcohol addition; prevents 15% ABV loss
- ✓Use a 2:1 ratio of grain alcohol to vodka (750mL:750mL total with 4 gallons liquid) to reach approximately 25-28% ABV; the vodka's congener profile mellows the grain alcohol's harsher compounds while maintaining proof for preservation.ingredient2:1 ratio; 25-28% final ABV
- ✓Add the 4 cinnamon sticks during the simmer but remove immediately after cooking (don't let them steep in the finished spirit), because cinnamon's essential oils continue extracting in alcohol and become overpowering and bitter after 24+ hours, overtaking apple notes by 3-4 days.techniqueRemove cinnamon before alcohol addition; prevents over-extraction
- ✓Store finished moonshine at 35-40°F in dark glass bottles to minimize oxidation (which causes browning and off-flavors) and slow the hydrolysis reaction that gradually dilutes alcohol content by approximately 0.2% ABV per month at room temperature.equipment35-40°F in dark glass; prevents 0.2% monthly ABV loss
Share this recipe
Prep
10
min
Cook
60
min
Serves
4
people
Level
intermediate
Share this recipe
Appalachian moonshiners simmered cinnamon and apple cider into 190-proof grain alcohol, mellowing jar liquor into a spiced, sippable holiday tradition.
Apple Pie Moonshine
This apple pie moonshine recipe tastes like apple pie in a jar, but it does pack quite a kick if you're not careful. The longer it sits in the fridge, the better it gets. Makes a great gift.
The Story
This isn't some ancient recipe—it's pure Appalachian backwoods genius from Prohibition-era Tennessee and the Carolinas, where moonshiners needed to disguise rotgut grain alcohol from revenue agents and suspicious neighbors alike, so they dumped it into spiced cider like Granny's pie filling, creating a jar of liquid dynamite that tastes like dessert and hits like a freight train from Knoxville.
Regional Twist
Up in Michigan's apple country near Grand Rapids, distillers swap half the white sugar for local maple syrup, giving this jungle juice a woodsy backbone that turns a backwoods Tennessee creation into something a Yooper would proudly serve at deer camp.
📝 Ingredients
🥬Fresh Produce(3)
- 1 gallon apple cider
- 1 gallon apple juice
- 1 pinch apple pie spice
🫙Pantry Staples(2)
- 2 cups brown sugar
- 2 cups white sugar
🧂Spices & Seasonings(1)
- 4 cinnamon sticks, more to taste
📦Other(2)
- 1 (750 milliliter) bottle 190 proof grain alcohol
- 1 (750 milliliter) bottle vodka
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories
131
Protein
0g
Carbs
21g
Fat
0g
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Combine juice, cider, white sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon sticks, and apple pie spice in a large pot; bring to a lively simmer over medium heat. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer for about 1 hour. Remove from heat; cool completely.
- 2
Stir grain alcohol and vodka into apple mixture; remove cinnamon sticks.
- 3
Divide between glass jars or bottles. Store in the refrigerator.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Simmer the apple juice and cider mixture at 180-190°F (82-88°C) for exactly 1 hour to volatilize harsh fusel alcohols from the apple base, but not so hot that you lose delicate volatile aromatics (which begin escaping above 212°F). This concentrates flavor without creating a harsh spirit.timing180-190°F for 60 minutes
- ✓Cool the cooked mixture to below 70°F (21°C) before adding the grain alcohol and vodka, because adding 190-proof spirits to hot liquid causes rapid ethanol evaporation (ethanol's boiling point is 173°F/78°C) and can lose up to 15% ABV.techniqueBelow 70°F before alcohol addition; prevents 15% ABV loss
- ✓Use a 2:1 ratio of grain alcohol to vodka (750mL:750mL total with 4 gallons liquid) to reach approximately 25-28% ABV; the vodka's congener profile mellows the grain alcohol's harsher compounds while maintaining proof for preservation.ingredient2:1 ratio; 25-28% final ABV
- ✓Add the 4 cinnamon sticks during the simmer but remove immediately after cooking (don't let them steep in the finished spirit), because cinnamon's essential oils continue extracting in alcohol and become overpowering and bitter after 24+ hours, overtaking apple notes by 3-4 days.techniqueRemove cinnamon before alcohol addition; prevents over-extraction
- ✓Store finished moonshine at 35-40°F in dark glass bottles to minimize oxidation (which causes browning and off-flavors) and slow the hydrolysis reaction that gradually dilutes alcohol content by approximately 0.2% ABV per month at room temperature.equipment35-40°F in dark glass; prevents 0.2% monthly ABV loss