There are two types of cider. In the UK it is an alcoholic beverage with an alcohol content of usually between 3% and 8.5%. It can be either still or sparkling and must contain at least 35% apple juice. In the US, cider is a non-alcoholic drink made from apples. The question is, can you freeze cider?
When it comes to alcoholic cider, the answer is no. Alcohol does not freeze well. This is because it has a lower freezing point than your home freezer gives. Freezers are set at 0F while alcohol doesn’t freeze until the temperature is -16F. If you want an ice-cold glass of cider, you can put the cider in the freezer for about half an hour.
Don’t leave it in there for any longer otherwise the bottle might crack, or the can could burst. However, when it comes to non-alcoholic cider, it can be frozen and, in this article, we will tell you how to freeze cider and how to defrost it.
How To Freeze Cider
1. Portion out the cider.
It is a good idea to portion out the cider so that you only defrost as much as you need at any one time. You can put it in freezer-safe bottles or jars. Don’t fill them up to the top as the liquid will expand in the freezer. If you do fill them up, the bottles or jars could crack, and you could end up with a mess in your freezer.
2. Seal the bottles or jars tightly.
It is important that you do this and keep air out of the bottles or jars. If you don’t, freezer burn may occur, and this will ruin the taste of your cider.
3. Label the bottles or jars.
You should write the date that you put the cider in the freezer on a label so that you don’t keep it for longer than its best-by date.
4. Freeze.
How To Freeze Cider Doughnuts
In the US, cider doughnuts are a popular treat. They are made from non-alcoholic cider and doughnut dough. The good news is that you can freeze them but you should do this before you cook them. This is the way to freeze cider doughnuts.
1. Make your cider doughnuts in the way you would normally.
Don’t fry or cook them.
2. Put the doughnuts on a baking tray.
Put a sheet of parchment paper on a baking sheet and lay out the doughnuts. Make sure that they aren’t touching each other. This will stop them from sticking together when you bag them up. Freeze the doughnuts until they are solid.
3. Put the doughnuts in a freezer bag.
If you want to be doubly sure that the doughnuts don’t stick together, you can wrap them individually in cling film. Then put them in a freezer bag, ensuring that you squeeze out all the air to prevent freezer burn. Put a label on the bag with the date and contents.
4. Freeze.
Tips For Freezing Cider
- Don’t try freezing alcoholic cider. You will be disappointed as it will only become very cold, not frozen. You won’t be increasing its shelf-life so there is no point in doing it.
- Divide the cider into portions for freezing so that you only defrost as much as you need at a time.
- When making cider doughnuts, squeeze out all the air from the freezer bag so that freezer burn doesn’t occur.
- If you are making cider doughnuts don’t cook them before freezing.
For How Long Can You Freeze Cider?
The good news is that you can freeze cider for a long time. It will keep for between eight and twelve months. This is useful if you have grown a lot of apples and don’t know what to do with them before they spoil.
You can freeze cider doughnuts for around two months.
How Do You Defrost Cider?
The best way to defrost cider is slowly and steadily. This helps the cider to keep its taste and texture. Take as many bottles as you need out of the freezer and put them in a bowl to catch liquid running off them. Put the bowl in the fridge and leave it to defrost for a few hours.
Defrost cider doughnuts in the fridge as well and then bake or fry them as soon as they have thawed.
Can You Refreeze Cider?
No, we don’t recommend that you refreeze cider. The texture can change and there is a chance that bacteria will form.
Does Cider Freeze Well?
Alcoholic cider does not freeze so we suggest that you don’t bother trying. Instead, keep it in the fridge so you have a cold drink.
Non-alcoholic cider freezes well, and you won’t notice much difference in the taste and texture.
Cider doughnuts freeze well if you freeze them uncooked. Otherwise, they can end up a bit mushy.
Frequently Asked Questions
Hopefully, you now know all there is to know about freezing cider but in case you have any questions, we have answered a couple here.
Yes, there are many recipes you can use cider in. It goes well with chicken if you make a sauce out of cider, mustard, and herbs. Reduce this sauce to make a sticky glaze for sausages. Pork and apple are a match made in heaven. Cider adds something extra to gravy and to a fish stew. Use it to braise vegetables such as cabbage, curly kale, or chard, or add it to French onion soup. Then when it comes to Thanksgiving or Christmas, roast your turkey in a bath of cider. It will steam the meat while making a delicious base for gravy.
You can freeze cider ice lollies but they don’t work well if you pour it directly into a mold. You need to dilute it for freezing to take place. Mix two parts of the cider with one part liquid. The liquid could be lemonade, water, apple juice, or sparkling water.
