Soy Free Classic Apple Shrub
Tart, spiced, and quietly complex, this apple shrub is the kind of homemade pantry staple that makes you feel like a serious home cook. The process is mostly hands-off — just two long rests in the fridge while the sugar draws out the apple juices and the vinegar works its magic alongside cinnamon, cloves, and ginger. What you end up with is a deeply aromatic syrup that tastes like autumn in a jar. Stirred into sparkling water over ice, it delivers a bright, tangy sip that's miles more interesting than anything from a bottle. Because it's built entirely from whole fruit, pantry spices, and vinegar, there's nothing hidden to worry about — no processed additives, no ambiguous flavor compounds, just clean, real ingredients. The shrub keeps in the fridge for up to three months, so you can batch it once and enjoy it for weeks as a mixer, a mocktail base, or even a splash in a vinaigrette.
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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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