How to Freeze Apple Cider
Apple Cider is a non-alcoholic beverage made from apples. It is often served during the fall and winter holidays. But what happens if you have too much apple cider on hand? This article answers the question “can you freeze apple cider” and shares the best way how to freeze it so it doesn’t go to waste.
There’s so much you can do with apple cider throughout the year. It is an excellent ingredient for a salad dressing; you can use it in baking recipes or to sweeten a smoothie.
I love warming apple cider up in winter with a cinnamon stick or a clove for a spicy, sweet, and comforting drink. Apple cider is not only the perfect winter warmer – but it also has some great health benefits including antioxidants.
Apple cider is made from fresh apples and is a popular drink during the winter months in the United States and abroad.
Since fresh apple cider only lasts in the fridge for around a week, freezing is an excellent idea if you have a lot of it. And it freezes really well using this helpful guide.
Key Ingredients
The only essential ingredient in this recipe is apple cider. However, if you want to prevent it from discoloring, you could add a squeeze of lemon to the cider before you freeze it.
Special Equipment
Freezing apple cider is simple. You won’t need special equipment or tools.
Most kitchens will have everything you need to freeze apple cider at home. Here’s a list of what you’ll need and some alternative suggestions.
1. Airtight Containers
You’ll need containers to freeze your apple cider in. Here are some options for your airtight container:
- Glass or plastic bottles, as long as they are freezer-friendly and have tight-fitting and secure lids.
- Freezer-safe plastic containers like Tupperware.
- Ice cube trays in metal, silicone, or plastic bags and freezer bags. you can also use popsicle molds.
- Silicone muffin pan liners and freezer-safe bags or any other type of freezer-safe container.
When you choose a container, think about the quantity of apple cider you’ll need to defrost at a time. For example, if you plan to use some of the cider for salad dressing, freeze some in ice cube trays and bag them.
If you need portions of around ¼ cup of apple cider, use the silicone muffin pan liners to freeze them and then bag them when frozen. If you are freezing the cider to drink, bottles or other larger containers make sense.
Tip: If you have large quantities of apple cider to freeze and plan to use it for different purposes, why not use a variety of containers to freeze various quantities? Just remember to label them!
2. Freezer-Friendly Bags
If you’re freezing your apple cider in smaller portions in ice cube trays or silicone muffin liners, you’ll need freezer-friendly Ziplock bags to bag them.
3. Freezer Labels
Have you ever defrosted something, thinking it’s something else? Labeling your apple cider is an excellent idea! Make sure you write what it is, the portion size, and when you froze it or the date you need to use it by.
If you’re out of freezer labels or don’t freeze regularly, write the information on masking tape with a permanent marker.
Recipe Steps
Freezing leftover apple cider only takes a couple of simple steps. You’ll have it prepped and ready to freeze in no time!
Step One
Prepare your apple cider for freezing by cooling it to room temperature.
Step Two
While the apple cider is cooling, prepare the containers you’re using. If you’re using silicone muffin liners, place them in a muffin pan or flat tray that fits into the freezer.
Step Three
Pour the cider into the containers. Only fill them up to around ¾ way full, leaving room for expansion during freezing.
Step Four
If you’re using bottles or containers, close the lids tightly, label them, and place them in the freezer. If you’re using ice cube trays or muffin liners in a muffin tin, freeze the apple cider, remove it from the trays or liners, place it in freezer-friendly bags, and back in the freezer.
Recipe Tips & Substitutions
- Squeeze a little bit of lemon juice into the apple cider and mix it in before you freeze it to prevent discoloration. The apple cider flavor and sweetness will overwhelm the slight lemony taste.
Recipe FAQs
You can keep frozen apple cider for between 12 and 18 months.
Once you store it correctly, there should be no change to the taste or texture of the cider once thawed. However, if you don’t keep it in a properly sealed container, it may absorb other flavors if you have something strong-smelling in the freezer.
Once thawed, you can use apple cider in the same way whether it’s been frozen or not. You can blend frozen cider ice cubes to make an ice cider when the weather is hot, or warm it up and add some spices and apple slices to enjoy on a cold day. You can add it to smoothies, sauces, salad dressings, or use it in baking.
No, you can’t. Hard apple cider or alcoholic cider contains alcohol that is unlikely to freeze in a regular freezer.
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How to Freeze Apple Cider
Apple Cider is a non-alcoholic beverage made from apples. It is often served during the fall and winter holidays. But what happens if you have too much apple cider on hand? This article shares the best way how to freeze apple cider so it doesn’t go to waste.
- Total Time: 3 hours 10 minutes
- Yield: 4 Servings 1x
Ingredients
- 24 ounces apple cider
Instructions
- If you want to freeze warm cider, ensure it has completely cooled to room temperature before starting the process.
- Prepare the containers you’re using to freeze the apple cider in. If you’re using silicone muffin liners, place them in a muffin pan or flat tray that fits into the freezer.
- Pour the cider into the containers up to around ¾ way full. This will mean it has enough room to expand while it’s freezing and won’t spill out once it’s frozen and leave a mess in your freezer.
- If you’re using a bottle or container, close it and ensure it’s airtight. Place a detailed label on it, and place it into the freezer.
- If you’re using ice cube trays or muffin liners in a muffin tin, you can place them directly into the freezer. Once frozen, transfer the frozen portions of apple cider into a freezer-friendly bag, label it, and put it back in the freezer.
Notes
- To prevent your apple cider from discoloring, squeeze a little bit of lemon juice into it and mix it in before you freeze it.
- If you use apple cider for different purposes, freeze it in different quantities. Freeze some in ice cube trays for salad dressing, some of it in muffin liners for sauces and other recipes, and bottles of cider for drinking.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Freezing Time: 3 hours
- Category: Drinks
- Method: Freezer
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Nutrition
- Serving Size:
- Calories: 90
- Sugar: 22.5 g
- Sodium: 44.3 mg
- Fat:
- Saturated Fat:
- Trans Fat:
- Carbohydrates: 22.5 g
- Fiber:
- Protein:
- Cholesterol:
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So simple and a great way to make sure no apple cider goes to waste!