A step-by-step guide on how to make apple juice with a blender. With only two simple ingredients, no juicer needed! If you’re wanting to experiment with juicing and don’t want to invest in another appliance, you can absolutely make apple juice in a blender (or food processor too!). I share my tips along the way and answer your FAQ.
Last year we found ourselves with an abundance of apples from my grandparent’s apple trees. I didn’t want them to go to waste, so I got creative on using them all up. Although I do own a juicer, sometimes I like to use my blender to make apple juice because the clean up seems faster and the whole process seems to be easier. Using a blender or food processor is also a way to get the extra benefits of drinking cold pressed juice because this technique is a no heat juicing process.
Why making homemade apple juice in a blender is the best
Making fresh apple juice in your blender is a fun activity you can do with your kids and it’s super easy!
Even if you only have a few extra apples laying around, you can make enough for a couple of servings of this refreshing drink.
Homemade apple juice tastes better than store bought and it’s a perfect Fall bucket list idea.
You can control the ingredients that go into your juice. Many store-bought juices contain added sugar, have been filtered and processed, and contain added flavors. You can sweeten your juice with alternatives like maple syrup or leave it unsweetened. It tastes just as great!
Ingredients
You will only need two ingredients for this simple apple juice recipe in a blender. See my variations at the end for more recipes and ideas for your apple juice.
Apples
You want to pick apples that are firm and not mealy. Fresh apples are better. Different apple varieties have different juice contents. A common choice for apple juice are sweet apples like the Red Delicious or Gala apples. More tart apples, like the Granny Smith apple, will give a more tart flavor profile. See my complete guide on choosing the best apples for apple juice.
Water
If you were just using a juicer to make apple juice, water isn’t necessarily needed. I like to add a little bit of water when I’m making juice in my blender. You can try it without adding water, and add a little as you go. I usually add between 1/4-1/2 cup water for 2-4 servings.
Equipment
- Blender or food processor- either will work
- Fine mesh strainer, nut milk bag or cheesecloth- You can use either of these three options. I find that when just using a fine mesh strainer, it’s a little harder to get all the liquid out of the pulp. I like to use a nut milk bag.
- Spatula or wooden spoon- If you are using a fine mesh strainer you will use this to help strain the puree and scrape the puree out of the blender.
Steps
Step 1: Prepare your apples
Prepare your apples by washing thoroughly. You can choose if you want to peel your apples or not. For me, I like to leave the peel on because of the nutrients in the peels. Remove apple cores.
Important note -apple seeds contain a small amount of cyanide. Because the amount is so small, it will not be harmful, however I choose to remove the apple seeds. Some people leave them in.
Cut your apples into 1 inch pieces.
Step 2: Place apples in blender or food processor
Blend starting on low and build up to high. Blend on high for 30-45 seconds. Scrape down the sides of the blender and blend on high for another 10-20 seconds.
Step 3: Strain
If using a fine mesh strainer, place it over a collection container. Pour apple puree into the mesh strainer and push the puree through the strainer with the spatula. To extract as much juice from the pulp as possible, you can place the strained pulp back into the blender and blend for another 20- 30 seconds with a small amount of water again (about ¼-½ cup). Repeat the straining process with the mesh strainer and spatula.
Alternatively, you can pour the puree into a nut milk bag and squeeze the juice from the pulp into a bowl or glass.
Step 4: Enjoy your fresh apple juice
Add ice cubes or chill in the refrigerator and enjoy! It will still taste great at room temperature though too! You can also heat it to enjoy a warm apple cider. Apple juice is best enjoyed fresh within 24 hours for the best flavor.
Storage
When you make your own apple juice, it will not have a long shelf life. If you will be storing your apple juice in the fridge or freezer for any length of time, I recommend adding a little lemon juice to preserve freshness and prevent discoloration. Fresh apple juice will discolor some when it oxidizes. Fresh homemade apple juice can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-5 days.
Freezer storage
You can freeze your fresh juice if you want to save more for later. See my guide on freezing apple juice for everything you need to know.
Tips
Your homemade juice will not look like the store-bought apple juice you are used to. It will look cloudy instead of clear. This is because it hasn’t been processed and filtered. This also means that your apple juice made at home has more health benefits!
Most store bought apples will have a wax coating sprayed on them to help prevent the apples from losing moisture. You can wash this wax coating off of them if you prefer by submerging them in hot water and rubbing with a cloth. The wax coating is food grade and you can skip this step if you’d like.
To peel or not peel
The choice is yours! I like to leave the peel on because it has more health benefits. But if you want a clearer apple juice, you can remove the peel before blending.
Variations
- Hot apple cider- warm you apple juice and add cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and allspice for a perfect Fall drink
- Sparkling juice- Adding half juice and half sparkling water for a more refreshing apple juice drink on those hot summer days.
- Juice blends- Blend apples with other fruit or fruit juices for other juice flavors. My favorites are adding a few strawberries. You can experiment with so many different flavors.
- Cocktails- Use as a mixer with whiskey, vodka or rum.
FAQ
What can I do with the extra apple pulp?
You can make many things with the apple pulp. Cook it in soups or dips. You can add it to smoothies, or make fruit leather with it. My personal favorite is to bake with it making apple bread or apple muffins.
Which are the best apples for juicing?
Here I cover the best apples for juicing, leaving no apple unturned.
How many apples do I need to make juice?
About 3 medium-sized apples will make one cup of juice.
What’s the difference between apple juice and apple cider?
Apple juice is filtered and processed. This is the typical apple juice you buy in the grocery store. Apple cider (in the United States) is what I consider to be fresh or homemade apple juice. It will be cloudy and have some sediment.
Visit my complete guide on how to make apple juice. There you will find your every question about apple juice answered.
How to make fast & easy apple juice with a blender
Ingredients
- 6 apples
- 1/4-1/2 cup water (optional)
Instructions
- Prepare your apples by washing, peeling (optional) and removing core and apple seeds
- Cut apples into 1 inch pieces
- Place apples and small amount of water into blender
- Blend starting on low and build up to high. Blend on high for 30-45 seconds. Scrape down the sides of the blender and blend on high for another 10-20 seconds.
- Strain with mesh strainer over collection container pushing puree with spatula
- Alternatively, you can pour puree into a nut milk bag and squeeze the juice from the pulp into a bowl or glass.
- Enjoy!
- Add ice cubes or chill in the refrigerator and enjoy! It will still taste great at room temperature though too! You can also heat it to enjoy a warm apple cider. Apple juice is best enjoyed fresh within 24 hours for the best flavor
- Add a splash of lemon juice if your juice will not be consumed right away
Notes
To extract as much juice from the pulp as possible, you can place the strained pulp back into the blender and blend for another 20- 30 seconds with a small amount of water again (about ¼-½ cup). Repeat the straining process with the mesh strainer and spatula.
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