Apple Cider Slushie

This post may contain affiliate links. See our disclosure policy for details.

This Apple Cider Slushie is an amazing fall treat that is great way to cool off during the hotter parts of the early fall season. With just 5 ingredients and a blender, you can get that perfect slushie machine texture you expect form a fair or local orchard right in your home. So grab some fresh apple cider and enjoy these fall flavors today!

Hey Internet, if you're reading this, it means that fall is here or it's really close! It's late August when we're writing this and there's already apple cider showing up in our grocery stores. The local apple orchards are also opening up and we're looking forward to start picking some fresh fruit. While apple production in Illinois is not as big as it is in Washington, New York, and Michigan, we are lucky to have a few great orchards and cider mills near us in Illinois.

One thing we always get when we go apple picking, other than apples, are some apple cider slushies. You don't really see a lot of apple flavor slushies out there in gas stations and markets and we really don't know why. Apple flavor makes for such a delicious drink!

But now, you don't even need to go down to your local farms to get one of these crisp drinks. We have our own slushie recipe for them! And all you need is a blender and a few ingredients to get a slushie consistency to your apple cider. These vegan slushies are sweet and chilly yet cozy, so it's the perfect way to enjoy a sunny fall day early in the season.

Why You'll Love an Apple Cider Slushie

• Easy to Make: With just 5 minutes and a high-powered blender, you'll have a glass ready in no time!
• A Taste of Fall: Sugar, cinnamon, and apples; what's not to love?
• Customizable: It's easy to add a few additions to your blender to add even more flavor and fun. More on that in a moment.

Ingredients

Pick up these simple ingredients the next time you're at a grocery store, cider mill, and/or local farmer's market. See the recipe card at the bottom of this post for full ingredients, instructions, and accurate nutritional information (to the best of my ability; please consult your physician or healthcare professional if you have specific dietary needs). I give substitutions for the ingredients in the section below this one, so most people can still make this recipe!

• 1 Cup Apple Cider, Chilled: We're not using hot apple cider for this. You can find chilled apple cider in the produce section of most grocery stores during the fall and early winter. If you're lucky to live near one, you could get some fresh from an orchard!
• 3 to 4 Cups of Ice: We've used regular ice cubes (from the fridge or standard ice cube trays; I just wouldn't use giant ice for this) for this recipe and they work great. What's even better is the nugget ice you can find at some convenience stores or that some ice makers  can make. They have a more consistent shape and thus will get blended more evenly. You're less likely to have chunks that won't fit through your straw!
• ½ Cup Unsweetened Applesauce: If the applesauce you have is sweetened, you can still make this. Just use less sweetener... to taste!
• ½ Teaspoon Cinnamon We absolutely LOVE Ceylon cinnamon and that's what we've used here. It's a serious game changer! But any kind of ground cinnamon will work in this recipe (we don't recommend throwing in a cinnamon stick).
• 1 Tablespoon Agave: Depending on your taste buds, you might like a little more or less sweetener.

Substitutions and Additions

• Apple Cider: Apple juice is a great replacement for the apple cider if you have a hankering for this apple recipe off season. The apple slushie will just have a little less sweetness and apple flavoring, so consider adding more sweetener and apple sauce.
• Cinnamon: Instead of a pinch of cinnamon, try pumpkin pie spice! It's what they use for pumpkin spice lattes so it's great in the apple cider mixture.
• Agave: A splash of maple syrup or our vegan honey are great replacements for the agave. You could also make a simple syrup with some sugar and water. The key thing is that you need a liquid sweetener so it will in corporate well into a cold drink. If you really want to use use brown sugar, you can totally try it, but we aren't sure how it will turn out.
• Add-On; Vanilla Bean Paste: about ⅛ a teaspoon can help make for a more cozy drink, with more depth of flavor. We tried it and think it's the perfect addition!
• Add-On; "Warmth": It's easy to make this a boozy apple cider slushie. Add a little bit of apple wine or some apple brandy to make it a bit more special.

How To Make Apple Cider Slushies

1. Add to Blender: Place all the ingredients into a high speed blender. (Note: if you do not have a high speed blender, try using nugget ice or crushed ice.)
2. Blending: Blend for 30 to 45 seconds on low to medium speed. We want the ice smooth but not pulverized. You can stop partway through and check the slushy consistency with a spoon by sweeping it around the bottom of the blender while it is off.
3. Serve: Add to a jar or cup and drink with a straw!

More Apple Recipes

• Apple Pie Chia Pudding
• Caramelized Apples
• Vegan Apple Butter Thumbprint Cookies
• Instant Pot Apple Butter
• Vegan Apple Cake
• Roasted Apple Brussels Sprouts
• Vegan Apple Pie Baked Oatmeal

Or check out our whole list of vegan apple recipes!

Print

---

---