Hazelnut 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 their juices, then cider vinegar and warm spices like cinnamon, cloves, and ginger are stirred in for a second long rest in the fridge. What you end up with is a deeply flavored syrup that balances sweet, tangy, and aromatic in every sip. Stirred into sparkling water over ice, it's a genuinely refreshing non-alcoholic option that feels far more sophisticated than anything from a bottle. Tree nut allergies can make flavored syrups and shrubs tricky to navigate since commercial versions sometimes share production lines with nut-based products, but this one is made entirely from fruit, sugar, vinegar, and spice — nothing hidden, nothing ambiguous. It keeps in the fridge for up to three months, so you can batch it once and enjoy it for weeks. This is the kind of recipe that quietly becomes a household staple.
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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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