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Homemade Sparkling Cider is a must-make in our family, especially over the holidays! This easy-to-make version uses club soda to get that sparkle-y fizz—no fancy carbonating machine required.
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I love this DIY sparkling cider recipe because it’s super simple and you can make as much or as little as you need. This version is every bit as good as the Martinelli’s Gold Medals bottled version, if not better! We make this one for special occasions, or even if we just feel fancy on a weekend sometimes. It is the perfect taste to compliment a fancy dinner!
Ingredients in Sparkling Cider
- Apple Cider – Use any apple cider you like, just make sure it isn’t carbonated apple juice. Trader Joe’s has a delicious apple cider made with honeycrisp apples.
- Sugar (optional) – Most apple cider is plenty sweet, but if you want to sweeten it up a little, then add the sugar. You can also use other sweeteners like brown sugar, monk fruit, or stevia.
- Club Soda – Club soda is water that has been injected with CO2 or carbon dioxide, also called carbonation. Do not shake!
- Garnishes
Non-Alcoholic Sparkling Cider
Making this sparkling cider is especially fun for me because everyone can enjoy it. There’s no alcohol in this version—it’s literally a fancy apple juice! Our kids get so excited when they get to drink this. I try to make it special by putting it in a plastic flute for them or a plastic wine glass. The presentation is definitely important. 🙂
Why You Should Make Your Own Sparkling Cider
One of the main reasons I started making my own sparkling apple cider is because I wanted to save money. I love the kind you get from the store but we have a really large family! When we get together, there are a lot of us, so we’d need over a dozen glass bottles for everyone to have a glass or two.
Plus, with lots of little kids running around, having a bunch of glass bottles isn’t really the best option. It’s kind of inviting disaster! A quick glass bottle sparkling cider horror story: A few years ago I had some bottles up on my counter to give to some neighbors. My son was pretty little and loved to climb.When I saw him on the counter I yelled “no!” and started to run to him but his little hand shoved the bottles right over the edge. It was like a bomb went off. I’m not kidding when I say that there was cider dripping from the ceiling and glass in every direction!
Variations
Traditionally, sparkling cider is apple flavored. However, that doesn’t mean you are limited to just that flavor. I like to mix it up and make different flavors of sparkling cider by using different flavors of juice or mixing juices together. Just be sure to use a juice that isn’t thick or pulpy. Usually, the ones on the shelf, not the refrigerated section, work the best for this recipe. This isn’t a complete list, but some of my favorites include:
- Grape
- White Grape
- Cranberry
- Pomegranate
- Fruit Punch
Garnishes
Once you have your sparkling cider made, don’t forget to experiment with toppings. Orange slices or peels, cranberries, chopped fruit, cinnamon sticks, or even thin apple slices make excellent items to float on top of your drink. You can also add star anise or whole cloves
Frequently Asked Questions About Sparkling Cider
Our recipe is not a hard cider and is alcohol free!
Nope! This sparkling cider recipe is caffeine free.
Nope! you just need a couple glasses that can hold 1 ½ cups for however many you’re serving. Or you can use a large pitcher or punch bowl if you’re serving a crowd.
Yes, any kind of still cider or juice will work great for this recipe as long as its not already bubbling.
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More Drinks to Try
Sparkling Cider
Ingredients
- 2 cups apple cider
- 1 cup club soda
- 2 tablespoons sugar optional
- garnishes
Instructions
- Mix together the apple cider and club soda in a pitcher or juice container. If adding sugar, add and mix until it dissolves.
- Pour into glasses and add garnishes. Serve immediately.
Apple Cider or Juice?. Both are listed in instructions.
Either is fine!
You mentioned you bottled it for gifts. What type of bottle do you use?
Oh, in that story I had bought some glass bottles of cider. When I make it myself, I usually keep it in a drink dispenser or cooler.
This is such a great holiday drink! Love it!
I can’t wait to mix this together. I know that all my girlfriends will be joining in on the cheers and sips on this. It is truly perfect for fall and the upcoming holidays.
Thanks you. I really like it.
How come y’all quit using Ziplist? that was one of my favorite features of your website! it was so easy to keep track of the recipes!
Hi Juliann– we loved Ziplist, too. Unfortunately, Ziplist is no longer available to use… for anyone 🙁 No more recipe box– we had to convert to a different plugin by default. We wish they could have stuck around!