This easy Apple Cider Slushie blends cold apple cider, ice, brown sugar, and cinnamon into a thick, frosty fall drink in just 5 minutes. There's no need to freeze cider ahead or use a slush machine-everything goes straight into the blender.
Apple Cider Slushie At A Glance
- 🍽️ Course: Drinks
- ⏱️ Time: Prep: 5 minutes | Total: 5 minutes
- 🍴 Servings: 2 large slushies
- 🍎 Flavor Profile: Sweet apple, warm cinnamon, and caramel-like brown sugar
- 🍂 Best Served For: Fall afternoons with our pumpkin spice Frappuccino, Halloween parties, Thanksgiving, and apple season
- 🧊 Make Ahead?: No; blend just before serving for the best frozen texture
Summarize and Save This Content On
The apple cider provides plenty of fresh apple flavor, while brown sugar adds caramel-like sweetness and cinnamon brings just the right amount of warm fall spice. These apple cider slushies are a fun non-alcoholic drink for apple season, Halloween, Thanksgiving, or a crisp fall afternoon.
This was inspired by my pumpkin cream cold brew on this site, and pairs well with these muffin tin apple pies.
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Why You Will Love This Recipe
- Ready in 5 Minutes: No freezing cider ahead-add everything to the blender and serve.
- Only Four Ingredients: Apple cider, ice, brown sugar, and cinnamon create plenty of fall flavor without specialty ingredients.
- Family-Friendly: This non-alcoholic fall drink is easy to serve to both kids and adults.
What Does an Apple Cider Slushie Taste Like?
An Apple Cider Slushie is sweet, crisp, and refreshing with fresh apple flavor, warm cinnamon, and a hint of caramel-like sweetness from the brown sugar. Blending the cider with ice creates a thick, frosty texture while keeping the apple flavor front and center.
How We Tested This Recipe
- Cider-to-Ice Ratio: We tested 2, 3, and 4 cups of ice with 3 cups of cider. Two cups made the drink too thin, while 4 cups diluted the apple flavor. Three cups gave us the best balance of thick, frosty texture and strong cider flavor.
- Cider Temperature: Cold cider produced a noticeably thicker, colder slushie. Room-temperature cider melted the ice faster and resulted in a thinner consistency.
- Blending Time: High speed worked best, but only until the ice was completely crushed and the mixture was smooth and thick. Blending longer warmed the mixture from friction and caused it to thin.
- Brown Sugar: The brown sugar dissolved completely during blending without grittiness. Light brown sugar kept the flavor more apple-forward, while dark brown sugar added a slightly deeper, caramel-like note.
- Cinnamon: We found ½ teaspoon provided noticeable warm cinnamon flavor without overpowering the cider or creating a gritty texture. For a stronger cinnamon flavor, increase it to ¾ teaspoon.
Ingredients
You only need four easy-to-find ingredients for this apple cider slushie recipe.
- Apple Cider: Provides the concentrated apple flavor and natural sweetness that form the base of the drink.
- Ice: Turns the cider into a thick, frozen slush without requiring any advance freezing.
- Brown Sugar: Adds sweetness and a subtle molasses flavor that complements the apples and cinnamon.
- Ground Cinnamon: Adds warm fall spice without overpowering the cider.
See the recipe card below for exact ingredient amounts, nutritional information, and detailed instructions.
Variations
- Change the Spice: Replace the cinnamon with apple pie spice for a warmer blend of classic fall spices.
- Add Maple Flavor: Replace the brown sugar with pure maple syrup for an apple-maple variation.
- Make It Sweeter: Adjust the brown sugar to suit the sweetness of your cider and your personal preference.
- Dress It Up: Garnish with a cinnamon stick, thin apple slice, whipped cream, caramel drizzle, or an extra sprinkle of cinnamon.
How To Make Apple Cider Slushies
Everything goes straight into the blender, so there's no need to freeze the cider ahead. Blend just until thick and frosty, then serve immediately.
Step 1: Blend the Slushie. Add the cold apple cider, ice, brown sugar, and cinnamon to a high-powered blender. Blend on high just until the ice is completely crushed and the mixture is smooth, thick, and slushy.
Step 2: Pour and Serve. Divide the slushie immediately between two glasses. Sprinkle with additional cinnamon or add your favorite garnish, if desired, and serve while thick and frozen.
If you love recipes like this, you may also enjoy apple brown sugar shaken espresso and apple crisp cold brew.
Expert Tips
- Adjust the Consistency: If the slushie turns out too thick, stir in a small splash of cider to loosen it up. If it's too thin, blend in a bit more ice - but add it gradually, since too much can water down the apple flavor.
- Serve Immediately: These slushies are best enjoyed right away. The ice will start melting as soon as blending stops, so the longer it sits, the more it'll lose that thick, frosty texture.
Storage Directions
Refrigerator: Refrigerating the finished drink isn't recommended because the ice will melt and the slushie will lose its frozen texture.
Freezer: Freeze leftovers in a freezer-safe container. Let them soften slightly, then reblend until slushy, adding a splash of cider if needed.
Make Ahead: For the best results, don't blend the drink ahead. Measure the ingredients in advance and refrigerate the cider, then blend everything immediately before serving.
Serving Suggestions
- Apple Treats: Top with apple crisp cold foam or pair with apple cider cake recipe, vampire donuts (apple cider donuts), apple fritters, caramel apples, or apple crisp muffins.
- Halloween Parties: Pour into clear glasses or cups and add festive straws for an easy kid-friendly party drink.
- Pumpkin Favorites: Serve with pumpkin bread, pumpkin spice muffins, 3 ingredient pumpkin cookies, or pumpkin scones.
- Thanksgiving: Serve as a cold non-alcoholic option alongside hot apple cider, coffee, or other fall drinks.
Apple Cider Slushie Recipe FAQs
Yes. Apple juice can be substituted, but it has a lighter, less concentrated apple flavor than cider, so the finished slushie won't taste quite as rich.
Yes, although a high-powered blender makes it easier to create a smooth texture. If using a standard blender, smaller ice cubes or crushed ice will be easier to process.
No. This recipe is completely non-alcoholic, making it a family-friendly fall drink for both kids and adults.
More Apple Recipes
If you love this Apple Cider Slushie, try more of our easy apple recipes for fall, from cozy baked treats to refreshing apple drinks.
If you try this recipe and love it please leave a star rating in the recipe card below or even better, drop a review in the comment section. I always appreciate your feedback. Be sure to follow along with me on Facebook, Pinterest, and YouTube for more easy recipes!
Apple Cider Slushy
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 cups apple cider
- 3 cups ice
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Add the apple cider, ice, brown sugar, and cinnamon to a high-powered blender.
- Blend on high until the mixture is smooth, thick, and slushy.
- Pour immediately into glasses and sprinkle with additional cinnamon, if desired.
- Serve immediately while cold and frozen.
Notes
- Keep It Cold: Refrigerated cider helps create a thicker, frostier slushie than room-temperature cider.
- Use the Right Ratio: Three cups each of cider and ice gave us the best balance of strong apple flavor and thick slushy texture.
- Don't Overblend: Stop as soon as the ice is fully crushed and the mixture is smooth and thick. Continued blending warms the drink and makes it thinner.
- Serve Immediately: The texture will gradually thin as the ice melts.
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