Apple Molasses (Cider Syrup)

5 from 33 votes

A traditional preserve of apple cider dating back to the 1600's. Use it in place of honey or maple syrup. Makes a little over 1 cup.

Prep Time5

Cook Time1

Total Time1 5

Course: Condiment

Cuisine: American

Servings: servings

Calories: 49kcal

Cost: 5

½ gallon high quality apple cider non-alcoholic, unfiltered apple juice, See note

Tie the spices in cheesecloth and reserve.
Pour the cider into a wide 10 inch pot, add the spice bouquet and bring to a brisk simmer.
As the cider cooks, impurities will float to the top. Skim them off and discard. Put the pan on the burner off-center to make skimming impurities easier.
After 30 minutes, discard the spice bouquet.
After 60 minutes the reduction will be getting close to finished. You're looking for a little over 1 cup of finished molasses.
When the molasses is done, pour the piping hot syrup into a room temperature mason jar and screw on the lid, label and date. For long term storage you can process jars in a waterbath, 10 minutes for half pints.
Cool the syrup and store in a cool dark place.
You can keep the syrup in the refrigerator. If you do it'll need to warm up for it to be usable.

If you reduce the syrup too far and think it's too thick, just add a splash of boiling water and stir to adjust the consistency.
Only freshly pressed, unfrozen apple juice should be used here. Frozen apple juice cannot be substituted.
Feel free to switch up the spices with what you have on hand. You won't notice them much in the finished product so it's fine to experiment a little.