Grape juice that tastes like grape candy? Don’t mind if I do. K-Hubs and the girls picked bushels of Concord grapes from our garden a few weeks ago, and we’ve been munching on them ever since. I decided then that we needed a succulent morning beverage to jumpstart our school year. Now we have Homemade Concord Grape Juice, and it is TEW much!!
TEW much, I tell you. It’s an ALL CAPS and made-up words kind of recipe.
Since when does grape juice get to taste like it came out of the confectioner’s shoppe? And, clearly, “shoppe” is with two p’s because we’re high brow like that. To answer the aforementioned burning question, the answer is NOW.
It is a thirst-quenching start to the morning, and full of sweet, sweet flavor. I thought it might even replace my morning coffee routine. Bless my soul. That will never happen. It’s not even the coffee I love. It’s the creamer. #TrueStory I can’t be helped. Go with God, Spiriteds, and be your best selves because I am TEW far gone. But I will say this succulent, sweet Homemade Concord Grape Juice is in addition to my morning coffee. It’s an and/both situation in this house in the a.m. And the flavor! I can’t find enough adjectives to describe it. Concord grapes are my new sweet “candy.”
Even better is the fact that if the grapes are super-sweet, then you may not need much or any added sweetener for your juice. This can easily be a no-sugar-added recipe, and one that is full of surprises, namely in the consistency. I genuinely thought I’d prefer a thinner, juicier concoction (and I have a method for that below), but I have to say I preferred the thicker, pulpier version. Not quite a smoothie, more the consistency of a robust, hearty orange juice. Except, in this case, it’s all about the Concord grapes, and they are amazing.
But what if you don’t have Concord grapes? Spiriteds, use what your garden or your grocery store gave you. In the end, you’ll have a refreshing morning beverage to awaken your tastebuds and brighten your outlook. You may need to adjust the amount of sweetener you use and blending times may vary by grape variety, but this Homemade Concord Grape Juice is doable with just about any grape you’ve got. Easy as pie, or grape juice, because this dairy-free and paleo-friendly recipe is not hard to make!
So how are we making this healthy guilty pleasure? Throw the ingredients in your high-speed blender and GO! That’s it. I like to make mine the night before and let it chill/thicken overnight. But Homemade Concord Grape Juice can be a spur-of-the-moment morning gig, too. And if you want a thinner consistency, then run it through a cheesecloth or wire mesh strainer a few times. I found when I did that, the sweetener seeped out, too. So, if you plan to strain, consider adding your desired sweetener after straining.
That’s it! Top of the morning to you, Spiriteds!
Homemade Concord Grape Juice
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 15 mins
- Total Time: 25 mins
- Yield: approximately 2 cups 1x
Ingredients
- 4 cups Concord grapes (or other variety of choice)
- 1–2 cups water (see notes for added details)
- 2–3 tablespoons 100% pure honey (paleo) or organic agave nectar (vegan)
Instructions
- Combine ingredients in high-speed blender and mix on high until smooth.
- For a thinner juice, pour mixture through a fine mesh strainer or squeeze through a cheesecloth 1-2 times.
Notes
I like to add water one cup at a time, depending on the desired consistency and how fresh the grapes are. You may want to stick with one cup of water or add even more than two cups of water. It’s completely your preference!
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