Apple Cider Glaze Recipe: 6 Ways to Use Apple Cider Glaze

Apple cider glaze is a warm, thick sauce used to coat various sweet and savory dishes. Made from pressed, fresh apples with minimal processing, traditional apple cider retains much of its brown color and sediment from its key ingredient. The popular fall beverage is raw and unsweetened but lends plenty of natural fruit sugars to this tasty glaze.

Home cooks can incorporate this tangy sauce into both sweet and savory recipes, including:

1. 1. Baked ham: Glaze your bone-in or boneless holiday ham with apple cider glaze to add some tangy sweetness to this savory dish. Customize your glaze with ingredients like Dijon mustard and dried herbs for variations in flavor. Learn how to make glazed ham.
2. 2. Cakes and cupcakes: Drizzle bundt cakes, pound cakes, coffee cakes, and frosted cupcakes with apple cider glaze for a flavorful finish that locks in moisture.
3. 3. Cookies: Dip spiced sugar cookies in warm apple cider glaze (or drizzle a spoonful over the top) for a warming autumn treat. Learn how to make holiday sugar cookies.
4. 4. Doughnuts: Add a boost of fall-friendly flavor to your favorite apple doughnuts by dipping them into this thick glaze before serving. Try this recipe for homemade doughnuts.
5. 5. Pork chops: Apples and pork are a classic pairing. Glaze your oven-roasted pork chops with apple cider glaze for the ultimate sweet-and-savory dish.
6. 6. Scones: Drizzle chai-flavored or pumpkin scones with warm apple cider glaze for an unforgettable fall confection. Try this basic scone recipe.

Home cooks of all experience levels will be able to craft a delicious apple cider glaze with ease. Follow these tips to make the best apple glaze possible:

1. 1. Use pure apple cider. For the most flavorful glaze, use pure organic apple cider, rather than apple juice or apple cider mixed with additional preservatives or ingredients.
2. 2. Experiment with additions. Customize this golden-brown glaze by incorporating various sweet and savory spices, herbs, and condiments. For a more savory take, add Dijon mustard, apple cider vinegar, black pepper, and herbs like thyme and rosemary. To make a sweeter glaze, use additional sweeteners and spices, like brown sugar, molasses, pure maple syrup, powdered sugar, applesauce, vanilla extract, nutmeg, and ginger. Stir in all-purpose flour, cornstarch, or tapioca starch for a thicker glaze.
3. 3. Adjust the proportions. Depending on the size of your culinary project, adjust the ingredient proportions as needed. Follow the approximate ratio of a ⅓ part butter to 1 part sweetener to 2 parts apple cider, plus salt and spices. While cakes may require a larger portion of glaze, savory dishes, like pork chops, will call for less.