Apple pie moonshine is one of my favorite homemade drinks—it’s sweet, spiced, and has just the right amount of kick. The combination of cinnamon, apples, and brown sugar makes it taste just like a slice of warm apple pie, but with a boozy twist.
I love making this recipe because it’s perfect for sipping, mixing into cocktails, or even bottling up as gifts for friends and family. Plus, it’s incredibly easy to make in large batches, and the flavors only get better the longer it sits.
The best part? There’s no distilling required—just a few simple ingredients and a little patience. The result is a smooth, flavorful moonshine that’s always a hit at gatherings.
In this post, I’ll walk you through how to make my apple pie moonshine, along with tips on ingredients, storage, and serving ideas. Trust me, once you try it, you’ll want to keep a batch on hand year-round!
If you love this recipe, you’ll definitely want to try my Peach Moonshine Recipe or this easy Apple Boilo (it’s a vintage coal miner recipe).
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Why this Apple Pie Moonshine Recipe is a Keeper
My Apple Pie Moonshine is a keeper because it’s packed with warm, cozy flavors and has the perfect balance of sweetness and spice. I love how incredibly easy it is to make in big batches, making it great for gifts or gatherings. Plus, it gets even better with time—so the longer it sits, the richer the flavor!
- Quick Prep: It takes only a few minutes to prepare and about an hour to simmer.
- Rest: This recipe will take 8 weeks to mellow and blend (if you use 190 proof grain alcohol). If you try this moonshine too soon, it’s like drinking rocket fuel. Or at least I’m assuming that’s what rocket fuel would taste like. I’ve never really tried it. I’ve found that the longer it sits, the better it gets.
- Adaptable: You can make so many different versions and you can even add different spices to create your own custom flavor.
- Makes Great Gifts: Since this recipe makes a pretty decent amount of moonshine, I prefer to give away some, it makes a wonderful Christmas, hostess gift or party gift.
Reader Review
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
After having this at a halloween party one year I’ve always wanted to try making it myself. This recipe is delicious! ~Dana
How long will the Apple Pie Moonshine last?
Due to the high alcohol content (usually above 40% ABV), unopened moonshine can technically last for an indefinite period on the shelf if stored properly. The alcohol acts as a preservative, preventing bacteria growth that would spoil the drink.
Ingredient Notes for this Everclear Drink Recipe
After much testing, I’ve found that there are a few ingredients you need to know about.
- Apple Cider – A fall staple but now you can find year-round in most gourmet sections of supermarkets. But I got fresh apple cider from my local mill.
- Cinnamon Sticks – I like to use the sticks rather than ground cinnamon. They provide a warmth to this apple pie moonshine drink. I place a cinnamon stick in the jars of moonshine so the cinnamon flavor continues to develop as the moonshine rests.
- Grain Alcohol: This moonshine is made with 750 ml 190 proof Everclear grain alcohol or the highest proof vodka you can find. Any grain alcohol will work but I use Everclear. There are two versions, 151 and 190 proof. 190 proof is preferred. If you use the 151 proof, it will only need to rest for a day or so before enjoying.
See the recipe card below for a complete list of the ingredients with measurements.
Variations and Substitutions for Flavored Moonshine
Making this moonshine can be adjusted with different substitutions and variations to make your favorite seasonal drink.
- Sugar Substitute: You can make Apple Pie Moonshine with the white sugar listed below in the recipe card, brown sugar or a combination of the two. Certainly you can use less sugar or a sugar substitute if you prefer.
- Additions: Add a slice of apple to the recipe, some even add whipped cream vodka, fireball or vanilla bean.
- Red Hots: Drop in some red hot candys to give the moonshine a deliciously sweet kick.
- Concentrate: Add apple juice concentrate to make this recipe for apple moonshine.
- Spices: I made the recipe exactly as written last year, but you can try this apple pie moonshine with a touch more complexity with pumpkin pie spice.
Special Equipment Needed for Homemade Moonshine
- Large Stock Pot: Or any saucepan that is large enough to handle a large amount of liquid.
- Funnel: It helps when transferring to jars once the mixture has cooled.
- Canning/Mason Jars: I like to make in quart jars. They are the perfect size for gift giving.
Reader Interaction Pro Tip
Apple pie moonshine isn’t just for drinking! Some bakers use it to add a unique kick to cakes, cookies, or even glazes. A splash of moonshine can enhance the apple flavor and add a subtle warmth to your fall desserts.
How to Make Apple Pie Moonshine
Drinking apple pie moonshine is like eating a slice of apple pie only better. It truly tastes like apple pie but packs a big punch. It is a strong drink but you can add many things to make it less so.
These are the basic steps for making apple pie moonshine drink. Refer to the full, printable recipe card below for detailed instructions.
1. Add Ingredients to a Pot and Bring to a Boil
Bring the ingredients to a boil, stir and then cover and simmer for 1 hour.
2. Stir in the Alcohol
Next, allow the mixture to cool completely then stir in the grain alcohol. If the liquid is too warm, the alcohol will dissipate.
**CAUTION: Do not add alcohol near a flame or heat source. It is highly flammable. Make sure mixture is completely cooled before adding alcohol.
3. Let it Sit
Strain the cinnamon sticks out and pour into jars. Divide remaining 6 cinnamon sticks among mason jars. Finally, place lids on jars and allow to sit to blend and mellow in a dry place at room temperature for 8 weeks before enjoying.
Recipe FAQs for Real Moonshine
Here are a few tips and helpful suggestions see all the information in the Flavored Moonshine Ultimate Guide. After opening, it should last 3 – 4 months in the back of your refrigerator.
The reason that the recipe recommends the eight weeks is to allow it to mellow, 190 proof grain alcohol is very strong.
If your goal is to make your own moonshine from a still and not this easy apple pie drink recipe, then here is a great website that will give you access to stills and all the equipment that you will need to purchase.
Due to the high alcohol content (usually above 40% ABV), unopened moonshine can technically last for an indefinite period on the shelf if stored properly. The alcohol acts as a preservative, preventing bacteria growth that would spoil the drink.
This can happen from the spices, or sometimes sediment in your sider. You can strain it through cheesecloth or shake it before serving to guests.
Yes, if you want to store for longer, you can freeze the apple moonshine drinks. Just remember to leave headspace at the top as the liquid expands in the freezer.
If you want to serve this warm, you can. Just remember that it might burn off some of the alcohol.
Truly, it is good enough to sip on it’s own. However, now you have this amazing homemade moonshine, what do you do with it? This apple pie moonshine drink can be enjoyed hot or cold. Mix it with soda or juices, liquor such as vanilla vodka, whiskey or rum or make some fabulous fall cocktail recipes.
Expert Tips for Making Moonshine
My homemade apple pie moonshine is incredible. Whether you like apple pie or not. You can add more alcohol if you wish such as fireball or spiced rum to the delicious apple pie moonshine recipe, depending on how strong you want your cocktail.
- Add Less Cinnamon: Not a fan of cinnamon, there is no need to add the cinnamon sticks to the moonshine recipe.
- Apple Cider: Feel free to make your own if you have a good recipe.
- Alcohol Content: It is difficult to calculate as it depends on the brands that you utilize. However, for general purposes it is about 30 proof with an ABV of around 15 percent (estimated).
- Jars: You can use any size canning jars or other jar with a tight fitting lid.
- No Canning Needed: You aren’t going to do the entire canning process. Just fill the jars and make sure they are tightly sealed. Because the alcohol content is so high, there is no need to go through the canning process
- Store the Moonshine: The eight weeks is a guide, as the alcohol content is very high. If you like strong spirits with a kick or use a less strong proof then you can drink before the 8 weeks. Please drink responsibly.
More Recipes You Might Like
Apple Pie Moonshine Recipe
Video
Equipment
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Ingredients
- 64 ounces Apple juice
- 64 ounces Apple cider
- 3 cups Sugar
- 14 Cinnamon sticks, divided
- ½ teaspoon Ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon Ground cinnamon
- 750 milliliter 190 proof Everclear grain alcohol, or the highest proof vodka you can find
Instructions
- Bring the apple juice, cider, sugar, nutmeg, ground cinnamon and 8 cinnamon sticks to a boil.
- Cover and simmer for 1 hour.
- Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature.
- Add alcohol to mixture. **CAUTION: Do not add alcohol near a flame or heat source. It is highly flammable. Make sure mixture is completely cooled before adding alcohol.
- Strain the cinnamon sticks out and pour into jars.
- Divide remaining 6 cinnamon sticks among jars.
- Place lids on jars and allow to sit in a cool, dry place for 8 weeks before enjoying.
- Please enjoy responsibly.
Christina’s Notes
- Add Less Cinnamon: Not a fan of cinnamon, there is no need to add the cinnamon sticks to the moonshine recipe.
- Apple Cider: Feel free to make your own if you have a good recipe.
- Alcohol Content: It is difficult to calculate as it depends on the brands that you utilize. However, for general purposes it is about 30 proof with an ABV of around 15 percent. (This is just an estimate only, please do not come at me in the comments)
- Jars: Any size canning jars
that you have to store this Apple Pie Moonshine Everclear. You aren’t going to do the entire canning process. Just fill the jars and make sure they are tightly sealed. - Time: The eight weeks is a guide, as the alcohol content is very high. If you like strong spirits or use a less strong proof then you can drink before the 8 weeks. Please drink responsibly.
that you have to store this Apple Pie Moonshine Everclear. You aren’t going to do the entire canning process. Just fill the jars and make sure they are tightly sealed.- Scale the recipe: Simply adjust the serving size in the recipe card and the ingredients will update automatically.
- Make your own All Purpose Seasoning: When a recipe calls for All Purpose Seasoning, you can use my homemade All Purpose Seasoning recipe or substitute salt and pepper to taste.
- Meat doneness: I always use a meat thermometer to test for doneness when cooking meat.
- Use unsalted butter: I use unsalted butter so I can control the salt level in the recipe.
- Preheat the oven: Unless otherwise noted, always preheat your oven before baking.
For more helpful information about this recipe, such as variations, substitutions and other pro-tips, check out the blog post.
It’s delicious…definitely worth the effort. Apple cider is generally found in produce section of grocery stores but may not be available until fall/winter months. This is a drink you can buy in the taverns in Wisconsin…it will creep up on you though, so be careful!
It will definitely sneak up on you 😉
This is an added step, but when I make apple pie moonshine I like to make the cider home made. This is the recipe I use!
https://createwithkay.com/drink/homemade-spiced-apple-cider
It’s so delicious. And makes it feel even more home made ????
Thanks so much for sharing! It sounds delicious!
I was wondering what is the best apple juice to buy
I don’t have a preference. Since so much is added to this recipe, I used whichever is economical.
3 questions. What size pot is best? Do you HAVE to strain it before canning ? How many mason jars should I buy and what size?
1. I use my biggest stock pot when making this recipe. It’s about 5 quarts. You could also divide the recipe evenly between 2 pots.
2. Straining depends on how much sediment you have. I’ve made it where there is a lot (and I strained it through cheesecloth) and I’ve also made it where it wasn’t so bad so I didn’t strain.
3. You can use whatever size mason jars you want. It makes about 145 fl ounces of liquid so you’ll need to figure the number of mason jars based on that. There’s about 32 oz to a quart.
We made this today. How long is awhile that it will last for? 6 months or more? You don’t need to seal it at all?
It will last for a long time. I’ve had some in the cabinet for over 12 months. No you don’t need to seal it. The alcohol content is very strong.
So you don’t need to seal the lids? How long is awhile it last? We just made it so will it be good for 6 months or longer?
I used 1 half gallon of apple sider, 1 half gallon of apple juice,1 cup of brown sugar, 1 cup of reg white sugar, 6 cinnamon sticks, 1 clove and brought that to a boil then simmered for half hour. I let completely cool for 2-3 hours then poured 1 bottle of evercler in and 2 cups of whipped vodka. Mixed all up put a cinnamon stick in each pint mason jar and now it’s all sitting in a closet nice cool and dark.
Definitely let me know how it turns out 🙂
I’ve done this a couple of times. I’d recommend drinking it within a few months, other wise the apple starts to break down and clouds the mix. What I’ve noticed is the apple slice will absorb the alcohol so who ever gets the last shot get a real kick by eating the apple!
I’ve also added a couple of shots of rye whiskey in each jar, really gives it an enjoyable twist!
Great suggestions!
If I can’t find Everclear I can just use vodka…….will it be the same taste? Apple cider is found where…..grocery store or liquor store…..i’m in Canada? Thankyou.
Use the strongest vodka you can find (highest proof). The taste should be similar. I get my apple cider at a local cider mill or at the grocery store. Enjoy!
Can I slice up apples and put them in the jar and have them sit or will the apples go bad?
i’m not sure. I’ve never tried doing that. They might ferment.
I’ve done this a couple of times. I’d recommend drinking it within a few months, other wise the apple starts to break down and clouds the mix. What I’ve noticed is the apple slice will absorb the alcohol so who ever gets the last shot get a real kick by eating the apple!
Did you mean 1 bottle cause a you put 1ml and it doesnt make sense because a normal bottle is 750ml
It’s a 750ml bottle. When my recipe transferred over, things got mixed up but it’s fixed now. Thanks! 🙂
Is it 64 ounces of apple cider and apple juice?
Yes, 64 oz of each 🙂
I made this last night, however I tasted a small spoon full and it was so strong! Is that normal?
Yes. It’s like rocket fuel when you first make it. It has to sit for about 4 weeks to mellow out. It gets better the longer it sits. But, keep in mind it will still be pretty strong because the grain alcohol is 190 proof.
Is the apple cider apple cider vinigar ?
Apple cider – definitely NOT vinegar.
does it need to be refrigerated while sitting for a month? wasn’t sure because of the cider…
It does not 🙂
Do I have to let it sit for a FULL month before enjoying?
While I understand it may be hard to wait, you really should. The grain alcohol really needs the time to mellow. If you try it before it’s ready, it will be like rocket fuel 🙂 this stuff gets better the longer it sits. Enjoy 🙂
Will it hurt to not wait? I don’t have a month I have about 4 days. What will happen
It will be quite strong. If you need it quickly, use a 90 proof alcohol such as vodka.
What does ‘strain the cinnamon sticks out’ mean?
Remove the cinnamon sticks from the mixture.
How do you strain it. Trying coffee filter but not working.
I use cheesecloth.
I am currently making this as I type… is it supposed to be cloudy with little specks of cinnamon in it? I dont know if i cooked it on too high of a temperature or what… hoping it still turns out okay.
Since apple cider is more “cloudy” than apple juice, the moonshine will have a bit of cloudy appearance. And, I usually do have little specks of cinnamon in mine. If these bother you, you can filter the moonshine through some cheese cloth. Enjoy! 🙂
Has anyone tried this? I want to make it but I’m scared it won’t turn out.
I make it all of the time and it turns out perfectly.
It’s delicious…definitely worth the effort. Apple cider is generally found in produce section of grocery stores but may not be available until fall/winter months. This is a drink you can buy in the taverns in Wisconsin…it will creep up on you though, so be careful!
How long is the applepie moonshine good for sitting on the shelf?just curious cuz its not sealed. please reply thank you
Mine has been on the shelf for several months — but it rarely lasts that long 🙂
Being new to canning, I a probably overcautious about bacteria growth. I placed this shine in “unsealed” mason jars with lids and placed them in my cool basement. They have been there for ~ 3 months. When I grabbed one off the shelf there was some murkeyness (possible sediment) on the bottom around the cinnamon. Is this normal and safe or should I get rid of it? Thanks.
It’s most likely sediment. I get it from the cinnamon sticks. A good shake should get everything mixed back up. Mine has been in my cabinet for quite some time and it’s still good to drink.
I’m pretty sure the amount of alcohol in the Everclear would kill anything in it that might go bad ! Just shake it up. We’ve had Moonshine sit for years, hasn’t killed us yet.
You are correct! The alcohol content is very strong. We’ve had some in our cabinet for over a year too.
Everclear is illegal in my state, If I use Vodka is the shelf life/storage the same
Yes, you can use vodka. It should still have a good shelf life.
Thank you so much for posting this, I love, love apple pie moonshine. Ok now I sound like a drunk, which I am not lol. I tasted it once and fell in love with it.
im going to try this recipe one day soon .My landlady went to tennessee smokey mountains for xmas and brought me back a quart of smky mtn apple pie moonshine it tasted just like i was eating a piece of apple pie i done drank my quart so im gonna make me some more goes down good on a cold winters noght right before bedtime sweet dreams!
Sounds great can not wait to try it. I
will have to come. back. I have no way of coping it.
Thank you for posting this recipe. I thought it was more complicated than that. Ever since hubby tasted some at a Christmas party last year, he’s been wanting some. Now I can make it. I think your recipe must be close to what he/we drank because, to me it burned going down, but he drank 3 drinks! It did taste good.