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Drink up

in case you need a little more Halloween looking drink hehe

Okay, for any who wanted it, here is our recipe for Apple Pie Shots:

~2 Gallons real Apple Cider (If you can get it straight from a farm/orchard, that's the best.) (Unsweetened, of course...not Apple Juice or such.)
~3 1/2 C Sugar
~5-6 Cinnamon Sticks, depending on size of sticks.
~750ml Bottle of Everclear (Name brand, don't get off brand! Trust me...yuck!)

*Mix Cider, Sugar and Cinnamon Sticks in a very large pot (You don't want a boil over, which can happen quickly if you aren't watching...it's a sticky disastrous mess! Make sure that pot is deep! Or, split the recipe and do two large pots if you don't have a huge pot.)
*Bring just to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for one hour. (Your house will smell like Fall heaven!)
*Let cool to room temp, remove Cinnamon Sticks, then mix in the Everclear. (Adding the alcohol while the spiced cider is still hot can burn off some of the actual alcohol.)
*Bottle and refrigerate. (I usually just pour it right back into the cider jugs that I rinsed out, first. Some of the Cider evaporates during the boil/simmer process, so it still fits back in the jugs once you add the alcohol...if it doesn't fit, bottle in whatever you'd like. Some use mason jars, ect.) If you aren't using it for a party and using it all up at once, the alcohol content will keep your bottled Apple Pie Shots good in the fridge for many months to come...Just shake it once in awhile so stuff doesn't settle.

TIPS:
Some people like to leave the cinnamon sticks in the bottles/jugs...it gives it a little extra cinnamon flavor for when ready to serve. I wouldn't suggest leaving them in there if keeping for months, though.
If the cider you buy isn't fresh from the orchard or doesn't have a really good, strong apple flavor, you can drop several peeled apple slices into the pot while simmering. This will amp up the apple flavor. Just strain the Cider when bottling to get out the apple pieces and bits.
If you don't or can't drink alcohol, like me, you can just leave out the Everclear and have a beautiful tasting Sweet Cinnamon Spiced Cider, nice and hot! If you want both, do like I said earlier and just leave out a little Sweet Spiced Cider for yourself and others who don't drink before adding the alcohol. Adjust the alcohol you add, accordingly, for whatever is leftover.
You can add 1/2 or 2/3rds the bottle of Everclear to make it a little less potent, if you'd like.
The amount of sugar may seem like a lot...but that's what makes it taste more like a sweet apple pie than just regular cinnamon apple cider...hence the name.

Enjoy!

BR1MSTON3 said:

OMG there is an off brand of that stuff?!

And that would knock it down to say.... 188 proof? 😄

Click to expand...

Lol!!
It was just some other brand of grain alcohol like Everclear. I went to Hyvee liquor dept. and couldn't find the Everclear, so, when I asked the guy working there and told him what I was making, he insisted I try this "other" brand that cost a little less...as Everclear is kind of expensive...and that it tasted just as good, if not better. When I opened the bottle, at home, the smell almost knocked me out. I thought maybe it was just stronger or something. I had already made the cider and was ready to bottle, and didn't have time or money to go get actual Everclear, so I used it...but only half the bottle. It still made my expensive freakin' Apple Pie Shots taste like I poured straight Rubbing Alcohol in it! I couldn't even stand the smell of it, let along drink it, even with all the strong cider, sugar and cinnamon. Never again will I use anything but actual Everclear...just spend the extra few bucks! I don't know what that guy at the store was thinking...The rest of the bottle sat untouched in the cabinet for years until I finally just dumped it...