Dairy Free Classic Apple Shrub
Tart, spiced, and quietly complex, this apple shrub is the kind of homemade pantry staple that makes every drink feel a little more special. The process is mostly hands-off — diced apples macerate in sugar until they release a gorgeous, concentrated syrup, then cider vinegar and warm spices like cinnamon, cloves, and ginger are stirred in for a second long rest in the fridge. The result is a drinking vinegar with serious depth that you can splash into sparkling water for an instant craft mocktail. Since the whole recipe is built from fruit, sugar, vinegar, and spice, there's nothing here that sneaks in dairy — no cream, no butter, no hidden milk solids to worry about. It keeps in the fridge for up to three months, so one batch goes a long way toward elevating weeknight sparkling water or weekend cocktails alike. If you've never made a shrub before, this is the perfect place to start.
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Learn more →Ingredients
8 servings
- 2 medium apples (about 12 oz), cored and finely diced
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ¾ cup apple cider vinegar
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 3 whole cloves
- ¼ tsp ground ginger
For serving
- sparkling water, for serving (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Combine the diced apples and granulated sugar in a medium bowl and stir well to coat. Cover and refrigerate for at least 24 hours, until the sugar has fully dissolved into the apple juices and a syrupy liquid has pooled at the bottom of the bowl.
- 2
Add the apple cider vinegar, cinnamon stick, whole cloves, and ground ginger to the bowl and stir to combine. Cover and refrigerate for another 24 hours to allow the flavors to develop.
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