Don't Let Your Apple Peels Go To Waste. Make A Delicious Drink Instead

As soon as the first autumn breeze puts a chill in the air, many of us flock to local apple orchards for selfies, cider, and good ol' fashioned apple picking. If you're autumn-obsessed like us, the aftermath of these trips involves your home smelling like a bakery as you churn out apple cinnamon slow cooker oatmeal, maple-glazed apple tarts, and luscious homemade apple butter. Of course, these efforts produce a ton of apple peels, which are full of sweet flavor, healthy fiber, folate, and vitamin E.

Fortunately, apple peel tea offers a tasty way to enjoy the health benefits of these peels even if crunchy apple skin isn't your thing. This cozy beverage combines leftover apple cores and peels with water and spices simmered together until the peels are totally spent. The resulting light amber-colored liquid can be strained and served hot, chilled over ice, or used as a stand-in for apple cider in autumn-inspired cocktails.

Whether you're passionate about no-waste cooking techniques or simply love autumn and its associated flavors, you're bound to love apple peel tea. You can brighten it up with a splash of orange or lime juice while the weather's still warm, or add a scraped vanilla pod and whole cloves if the air is turning crisp. It also makes a lovely replacement for afternoon coffee if you're trying to get more rest as the days grow shorter.

To make apple peel tea, simply fill a stockpot about two-thirds full with apple peels and cores, then add enough water to just cover the peels. Here's where you can also add some spices and sweeteners. Brown sugar and maple syrup are both delicious with apples — just don't use too much, since apples are already sweet. With spices, you can keep it simple with cinnamon sticks and a grate of nutmeg, or plop in some star anise, allspice, and fresh ginger, as well.

At this point, the idea is to simmer the tea until fragrant and then let it steep until it's cooled completely. You can then strain out the solids, decant the liquid into tightly lidded Mason jars, and store it in the fridge until you're ready to enjoy. To serve it hot, warm your desired serving amount in a small saucepan until it steams, then pour into a mug. For a cold drink, pour it right into the glass, add ice, and sip.

You can also use this tasty beverage as a foundation for other recipes. Use it instead of water when making instant oatmeal, soak chia seeds in it for chai-spiced pudding, or froth it into steamed milk to give your cinnamon cappuccino some seasonal sweetness. If you're a fan of sweet and savory dishes, try using this tea to make pan gravy to drizzle over butter-seared pork chops, garlicky chicken breasts, or even roasted sweet potatoes.