This Apple Cider Vinegar recipe is a simple and natural way to use leftover apples. Made with honey instead of sugar, it’s a traditional homemade staple worth keeping in the kitchen.
We incorporate wine vinegar into our daily menu for salads, dressings, and sauces. Why not create your own healthy apple-based Apple Cider Vinegar recipe? Besides balsamic vinegar, I've practically eliminated other vinegars from my diet.
When is it best to stock up on Apple Cider Vinegar?
First, apples are generally available and fresh in late summer and early fall. Additionally, we often use apples to make various delicacies such as cakes, apple muffins, and more.
Apple vinegar is not only used in the kitchen, but this topic will be covered in the entire article.
How to choose the best ingredients for Homemade Apple Vinegar
Apples: Use fresh apples, ideally from late summer or fall when they have the best flavor. You can also use apple scraps like peels and cores. For this recipe, you’ll need about 1 kg of apples or leftovers.
Honey: Some recipes use sugar, but I prefer honey for a more natural result. This is the method I learned from my grandmother and great-grandmother, and I like to keep that tradition.
Water: Use good-quality water—preferably boiled and cooled or filtered. This helps create a clean environment for fermentation and better flavor.
Top Tip for Success
If you're going to make this recipe, make sure to follow this top tip!
- Keep the jar in a warm place—around 20–25°C (68–77°F) is ideal for fermentation and for forming the “mother.”
- Use a wide jar and don’t fill it to the top—this helps air reach the surface
- Make sure all apple pieces stay under the liquid to prevent spoilage
- Stir the mixture once a day in the beginning to support fermentation
- Once fermentation slows down, stop stirring and let it rest—this is when the “mother” can start forming
- A thin layer on top is a good sign—don’t disturb it
- A light foam or slightly sweet smell at the start is normal and will change over time If you see a light film on the surface, it’s usually part of the process, not mold
- Avoid moving the jar too much in later stages—stability helps the “mother” develop
- The longer you leave it, the stronger and more developed the vinegar will be
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Apple Cider Vinegar Recipe
Ingredients
Method
- I usually make apple vinegar when I have leftover apple scraps, for example after baking an apple cake.
- Wash the apples well and cut them into pieces. You can use almost everything—skins, cores—just remove the stems
- Dissolve honey in boiled, slightly warm water, then let it cool
- Place the apples in a clean, scalded jar and pour the honey water over them
- Do not use metal utensils—use glass, wooden, or plastic tools instead
- Cover the jar loosely (for example with a lid placed on top or a cloth) so it has access to air
- Keep the jar in a warm place and stir the mixture once a day to support fermentation
- Fermentation usually takes 1 to 3 weeks, depending on the apples
- The vinegar is ready when the bubbling stops and the smell becomes clearly acidic
- If mold appears, the batch should be discarded
- Strain the liquid and pour it into a clean bottle
- Store in a closed bottle in a dark place
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