Apple season is upon us. It is a glorious time of year! It’s time to make applesauce, apple butter, apple pie filling, and many other delicious recipes.
As scrumptious as all of this sounds, do you ever search for ideas for using leftover apple peels?
If you’re like me and don’t like to waste, this has probably crossed your mind a time or two.
Well, no need to keep feeding the apple peels to the trash. I’m bringing you a variety of ideas on using leftover apple peels.
Here’s what you can do with them:
1. Make Apple Juice
Many times, people buy apples with the intention of juicing them to make homemade apple juice. But;you still end up with a massive amount of peels left over.
If you love apple juice, then don’t toss the peels. Instead, boil the peels in water. If you allow the mixture to boil down, it’ll create more apple juice.
2. Turn The Peels into Jelly
Did you know apple peels make an excellent jelly? Well, if you didn’t, you’ve been missing out. It’s an easy recipe to make and a great way to utilize the leftover apple peels.
In the future, when you finish with your apple recipes, use the peels to make apple juice. From there, pectin can be added and made into a tasty jelly you’ll love.
3. ACV
Apple cider vinegar has a ton of benefits. It’s a wonderful item to keep on hand because it can be used in many versatile ways.
ACV is also extremely easy to make too. The next time you’re stuck with a ton of peels, consider making a healthy and useful item out of them.
4. Pull Out the Dehydrator
I’m famous for dehydrating my tomato peels when I’ve finished canning tomatoes because they make a great tomato powder for soups.
Well, you can do the same thing with apple peels. Dehydrate them and eat them like you would an apple chip. You can also use the dehydrated peels to flavor hot beverages.
5. Please Pass the Syrup
I wasn’t into fruit syrups until I began making delicious blueberry syrup with my blueberry harvest. From there on, I was hooked.
You can use apple peels to make syrup too. You make a simple syrup, add the apple peels, and allow the ingredients to come together.
6. Yummy Butter
One of my fondest memories of time spent with my mother-in-law was when making apple butter together. As hard as I’ve tried, I can’t quite make it as she and I did together since she’s no longer with us.
If you’re a fan of apple butter too, try your hand at making it. You can use the cores and peels of the apples to make it.
7. Get Them Sizzling
Do you enjoy fried apples? It’s one of my favorite dishes. You can use the peels in the place of the apples.
Pull out your favorite skillet, add a little oil in the bottom of it, and allow the apple peels to fry. You can add sugar and cinnamon for a sweeter flavor.
8. Wine Time
Have you ever tried making homemade wine? Many people do, and they love the different flavors they come up with.
Well, if you have leftover apple peels, consider adding them to your favorite wine recipe. You could end up with a new and inexpensive favorite.
9. Hard Cider
Many people use apple season as a way to make delicious apple cider. Hard cider is an adult favorite and can be made fresh easily during apple season.
Well, don’t let the peels go to waste. Instead, incorporate them into your favorite hard cider recipe. You may be glad you did!
10. Chop, Chop, Chop
By using leftover apple peels creatively, it can feel like a bonus when processing apples. There’s a ton you can do with them.
For instance, you can chop them up. When they’re roughly chopped, add them into baked goods or use them to make preserves.
11. Apple Extract
If you’re a baker, you may enjoy playing around with different flavored extracts in your recipes. Have you ever considered how handy an apple extract could be?
All you do is fill half a mason jar with apple peels. Fill the jar up fully with vodka and allow the jar to rest for approximately three months. You can add cinnamon sticks for more flavor.
12. Homemade Jell-O
Jell-O is exceptionally cheap to buy which is why many of us don’t consider making it ourselves. However, when you are looking for ways of using leftover apple peels, you begin thinking outside the box.
Save the apple peels until you’re ready to make Jell-O. Boil them in water and turn them into juice. When the liquid is ready, add gelatin, and you’ll have homemade Jell-O.
13. Compost Additive
You may be looking at this list and thinking, “This sounds awesome, but I’ve canned a ton of apple recipes. I’m tired. Is there anything else I can do with apples which require less energy?”
I’m glad you asked because yes, there is. If you don’t want to waste the apple peels but don’t quite have the energy to make anything else, use them as an addition to your compost.
14. Feed Them to Your Guys and Girls
If you’re running low on energy but don’t want to waste the apple peels, look out in your yard. If you have chickens back there, you now have a productive way of using leftover apple peels.
Chickens love kitchen scraps. The apple peels are good for them, will save you on feed, and also keep the peels from going to waste.
But don’t forget your goats and pigs, they would also love these peels and appreciate the treat.
15. Applesauce
You may have ended up with apple peels because you were busy making fresh applesauce. Well, would you like a little more?
Instead of throwing the scraps away, use the peels and cores to cook down and make more delicious homemade applesauce.
16. Turn into a Garnish
Are you someone who likes to prepare fancy meals? Well, use the apple peels for your meals. You can use them to wrap pork in.
Garnish is a great way for using leftover apple peels for dishes or salads. If you make an apple salad with nuts, throw the peels in there for an added crunch.
17. Grind Them Finely
Do you love the taste of apples in different recipes? Well, dehydrate the apple peels. When they’re dried, place them in a grinder to turn them into a fine powder.
Once you have apple powder, you can add it in your hot tea, oatmeal, or as a flavor booster to a smoothie.
18. Hmm… It Smells Wonderful in Here
I like for my home to smell nice, but if I’m honest, I hate spending a ton of money on expensive potpourris and candles from the store.
This is where apple peels are incredibly handy. You can make a fresh potpourri by placing cinnamon and apple peels in water to simmer on your stove. If you’d like to save apple peels for potpourri year-round, put the skins in a freezer bag and freeze them until you’re ready to make potpourri again.
19. Feed Nature
Our last option for utilizing apple peels is to feed nature. Hunters will purchase deer apples to draw deer to their area.
Instead, use apple peels. You can also use the apple peels to feed squirrels, chipmunks, and any other critter you hunt or like to watch for entertainment. The birds would appreciate the snack too.
Well, you now have 19 different ways of using leftover apple peels. There’re some great recipes, some great ways to feed animals, and also some creative ways to make your home smell better on a budget.
Hopefully, you’ll find an option to suit your needs and put your leftovers to good use!
