Fizzy Apple Refresher with Homemade Apple Syrup
Turn fresh apples into a sparkling, homemade apple soda with a simple syrup made from scratch.
- Prep20 min
- Cook25 min
- Total1h 5m
- DifficultyEasy
- Servings4
This recipe celebrates the autumn apple harvest by turning it into a fun, fizzy drink. The process starts with making fresh apple juice, which is then reduced into a sweet and tangy syrup.
Once you have the syrup, assembling the soda is a breeze—just pour it over ice, add club soda, and garnish with an apple wedge. It's a refreshing treat that's perfect for parties or a special afternoon pick-me-up.
Ingredients
Servings
Converted amounts are rounded.
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Method
- Wash the apples thoroughly. Cut them into quarters or smaller chunks, removing the stem, blossom end, and seeds.
- In a medium saucepan, combine the apples and water. Bring to a rolling boil.
- Reduce the heat, cover, and let simmer for 20 minutes. As the apples soften, mash them slightly with a potato masher or wooden spoon. Remove from heat and let cool for about 10 minutes.
- Process the apples in a food mill or blender to create a juicy pulp.
- Place a fine-mesh strainer over a medium bowl and strain the apple juice from the majority of the pulp. Use a spatula to shuffle the pulp to remove more of the juice.
- Line the strainer with two layers of cheesecloth and strain the apple juice a second time to remove the remaining pulp.
- Use the apple juice right away for the syrup or let cool and transfer it to a jar with a tight seal. Refrigerate for up to 2 weeks or freeze as cubes for up to 6 months.
- In a medium saucepan, bring the apple juice to a boil, stirring in the raw sugar until completely dissolved.
- Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from heat, let cool for about 10 minutes, then stir in the citric acid.
- Once completely cool, pour into jars with tight seals and keep in the refrigerator for up to 2 months.
- To serve, fill a glass with ice and pour the fresh apple syrup over it.
- Top with club soda and stir well. Garnish with an apple wedge and serve immediately.
💡 Tips
- If you don't have citric acid, you can substitute with lemon juice, but the flavor will be slightly different.
- For a more intense apple flavor, use a mix of sweet and tart apple varieties.
- The syrup can be made ahead and stored in the fridge for up to 2 months.
Inspired by a recipe from The Spruce Eats