Did you know you can make apple cider syrup with just one ingredient? All you need is some fresh apple cider and some patience. I added a few cloves and a few cinnamon sticks in there, but that is completely optional. This apple cider syrup is great to use for tea, lattes, cocktails, cheese boards, and even over some pancakes and waffles!

Apple Cider Syrup

This apple cider simple syrup is also known as apple cider syrup or apple molasses. It is essentially just boiled down apple cider. Fresh apple cider normally includes added sugar so you do not have to add any sugar to this recipe. You just add 4 cups (or more) of apple cider to a pot, add some optional warming spices, and simmer on medium-low heat for a couple of hours.

In the end you have a thickened down syrup that tastes delicious. The syrup will thicken even further once it is cooled so don’t worry about boiling it down until it is completely thick. Also, this apple cider syrup will stay fresh in an air tight jar in your fridge for months.

Apple Cider Syrup with a cinnamon stick in it

This recipe is very easy and the perfect recipe for kids to help. They just pour the cider into a large pot, add some spices, and come back from time to time to watch the liquid reduce. Then, once it is done and slightly cooled, they get to taste the yummy results. It is a great recipe to make at the beginning of Fall to last you through the season. Storing it in the refridgerator in an air tight container will keep it fresh.

This recipe makes about a 1/2 cup of syrup. You can easily double this recipe by using 8 cups of apple cider rather than 4 cups and that will give you 1 cup of syrup. When you use this syrup for tea, latte, or cocktails, you are only using about 1-2 teaspoons at a time. When you use this with cheese, you are only using a little drizzle. So just a little bit of this syrup does go a long way.

Apple Cider, cinnamon sticks, and whole cloves in a pot before it is set to boil. — Boil apple cider for a couple hours and turn it into syrup.

Fall Flavored Beverage Syrups

In the past 20 years, “Fall” flavored drinks have become so popular in the United States. Pumpkin Spice lattes, specifically are so popular that other countries are now making them as well. But pumpkin spice isn’t the only delicious fall flavored beverage syrup to get popular.

Apple flavored espresso drinks have risen in popularity over the past 5 years. Once Starbucks makes something, it usually catches on, so other coffee shops have been following the trend and making their own apple flavored lattes and teas. I tried the Apple Crisp Oat Milk Machiatto from Starbucks last year out of curiosity and it really was delicious. I think I prefer the taste of apple in a tea type drink, but apple does taste pretty yummy in any warm foamy milk drink.

If you are looking for a savory Fall dish to make while you wait for this syrup to reduce, check out my recipes for Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Boursin or Pork and Apple Sausage Rolls.

During the boiling process while making apple cider syrup using apple cider, cinnamon sticks, and cloves. — During the boiling process, the apple cider will reduce and turn into syrup.

What are some uses for Apple Cider Syrup?

Tea Sweetener: During the Fall months we drink a lot of tea and one of our favorites is the “Harvest Blend” tea from Trader Joe’s. This syrup tastes so good in it!
Latte: In recent years, apple crisp macchiatos and apple cider lattes have become more popular. You can mix this syrup into steamed milk or hot espresso to give your drink a hint of apple cider sweetness.
Cocktails: My favorite cocktail to make with this is a Hot Toddy but anything with bourbon and apple cider would taste good! This is also good in an apple cider Old Fashioned or an apple cider martini.
Cheese Pairings: I love fruit preserves with my cheese. Normally I choose fig jam or even a pepper jelly. This apple cider syrup goes well with aged cheddar or sharp blue cheese.
Ice Cream Topping: How great would this be on top of some vanilla ice cream? Yum!
Waffles or Pancakes: A little bit of this syrup tastes so great on warm breakfast treats. Substitute this syrup anyplace you would normally use maple syrup.

Tne end of the process making apple cider syrup. The resulting liquid is about 1/8 of what it started as. — After boiling for a couple of hours, the apple cider reduces to about 1/8 of its original amount and turns into syrup.

How to Make Apple Cider Simple Syrup

INGREDIENTS

4 cups Fresh Apple Cider Use the type that you buy at a farmer’s market or orchard. If you are at a grocery store, use the kind that you find refrigerated and not the shelf stable one.
3 cinnamon sticks optional
10 whole cloves optional

INSTRUCTIONS

Pour everything into a large pot and let it come to a boil on high heat.
Reduce the heat to medium – low. You want the mixture to remain at a low boil until the liquid has reduced down to a thicker consistency. It should take about 2-3 hours.
Once the consistency is like a runny maple syrup, remove it from the heat. The liquid should be about 1/8 of the amount from when you started. If you added cinnamon and cloves, use a slotted spoon to remove them from the liquid. Pour the liquid into a jar and let it cool. The mixture will thicken up even more once it is cool.