5 Ingredients or Fewer

Cranberry-Apple Shrub

by:
December  2, 2014
2.8 Stars
Cranberry-Apple Shrub
Photo by James Ransom
Author Notes

Aside from pumpkin pie, fallen leaves, and football games, nothing says "fall" better than this autumnal shrub. If you're buying from a farmers' market, make the farmer happy and go for bruised or otherwise marred apples. You might get a discount on your purchase, and it'll save the farmer from trucking it all back home at the end of the night. And it certainly won't affect the quality of the shrub.

-- Reprinted with permission of Countryman Press from SHRUBS: AN OLD-FASHIONED DRINK FOR MODERN TIMES, by Michael Dietsch. Countryman Press, 2014. —adashofbitters

  • Makes about 12 ounces
Ingredients
  • 3 medium apples, quartered (no need to seed or core)
  • 1 cup cranberries
  • 1 cup apple cider vinegar
  • 1/2 cup turbinado sugar
In This Recipe
Directions
  1. Using a box grater or a food processor, shred the apples.
  2. Meanwhile, add cranberries and vinegar to a blender. Blend until puréed.
  3. Add shredded apples, cranberry-vinegar mixture, and sugar to a nonreactive container. Cover and leave in cool place on the countertop for up to 2 days.
  4. After 2 days, place a fine-mesh strainer over a bowl. Strain apple-cranberry mixture. Squeeze or press to remove any remaining liquid.
  5. Pour liquid into clean mason jar or glass bottle. Add lid or cap and then shake well to combine. Place in refrigerator.
  6. Discard solids. Shrub will keep for up to 1 year.
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I'm a home bartender/mixologist who also loves to cook!

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5 Reviews

Doreen
Doreen March 20, 2021
Found this recipe to be a "win win". The removed grated apple and cranberry were made into small ice cubes and used one at a time in smoothies for added depth. The actual shrub works great with silver tequila, blood orange bitters and soda water.
 
susan G.
susan G. November 6, 2016
I have made a range of shrubs (some from hardlikearmour's recipes. It may be an acquired taste, but I've acquired it. I usually use 1 or 2 Tb of the base with a mix of seltzer and water.
I assume this is a base of similar concentration?
 
Susan C.
Susan C. November 24, 2015
How long do the solids remain refrigerated before strained in step 6?
 
DanielB
DanielB November 27, 2015
The solids are actually removed in step 4.
 
DStewnpg
DStewnpg May 14, 2015
I made this for the first time and it was a bit too vinegary for me to use with bubbles; however it was amazing with tequila and grand marnier equal parts and the shrub. A keeper for me.