diff --git a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-appsync/README.md b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-appsync/README.md
index e562a0b267342..0290e1e3627b0 100644
--- a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-appsync/README.md
+++ b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-appsync/README.md
@@ -334,6 +334,16 @@ new route53.CnameRecord(this, `CnameApiRecord`, {
 });
 ```
 
+## Log Group
+
+AppSync automatically create a log group with the name `/aws/appsync/apis/<graphql_api_id>` upon deployment with
+log data set to never expire.
+
+The `logConfig.retention` property can be used to set a different expiration period.
+
+It is possible to obtain the GraphQL API's log group as a `logs.ILogGroup` by calling the `logGroup` property of the
+`GraphqlApi` construct.
+
 ## Schema
 
 Every GraphQL Api needs a schema to define the Api. CDK offers `appsync.Schema`
@@ -427,7 +437,7 @@ new appsync.GraphqlApi(this, 'api', {
     defaultAuthorization: {
       authorizationType: appsync.AuthorizationType.LAMBDA,
       lambdaAuthorizerConfig: {
-        handler: authFunction, 
+        handler: authFunction,
         // can also specify `resultsCacheTtl` and `validationRegex`.
       },
     },
diff --git a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-appsync/lib/graphqlapi.ts b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-appsync/lib/graphqlapi.ts
index ab740aac4cfb2..3a3eeb6b6e41a 100644
--- a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-appsync/lib/graphqlapi.ts
+++ b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-appsync/lib/graphqlapi.ts
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ import { ICertificate } from '@aws-cdk/aws-certificatemanager';
 import { IUserPool } from '@aws-cdk/aws-cognito';
 import { ManagedPolicy, Role, IRole, ServicePrincipal, Grant, IGrantable } from '@aws-cdk/aws-iam';
 import { IFunction } from '@aws-cdk/aws-lambda';
+import { ILogGroup, LogGroup, LogRetention, RetentionDays } from '@aws-cdk/aws-logs';
 import { ArnFormat, CfnResource, Duration, Expiration, IResolvable, Stack } from '@aws-cdk/core';
 import { Construct } from 'constructs';
 import { CfnApiKey, CfnGraphQLApi, CfnGraphQLSchema, CfnDomainName, CfnDomainNameApiAssociation } from './appsync.generated';
@@ -248,6 +249,13 @@ export interface LogConfig {
    * @default - None
    */
   readonly role?: IRole;
+
+  /**
+  * log retention period
+  *
+  * @default - Use AppSync default
+  */
+  readonly retention?: RetentionDays
 }
 
 /**
@@ -459,6 +467,11 @@ export class GraphqlApi extends GraphqlApiBase {
    */
   public readonly apiKey?: string;
 
+  /**
+   * the CloudWatch Log Group for this API
+   */
+  public readonly logGroup: ILogGroup;
+
   private schemaResource: CfnGraphQLSchema;
   private api: CfnGraphQLApi;
   private apiKeyResource?: CfnApiKey;
@@ -527,6 +540,16 @@ export class GraphqlApi extends GraphqlApiBase {
       });
     }
 
+    const logGroupName = `/aws/appsync/apis/${this.apiId}`;
+
+    this.logGroup = LogGroup.fromLogGroupName(this, 'LogGroup', logGroupName);
+
+    if (props.logConfig?.retention) {
+      new LogRetention(this, 'LogRetention', {
+        logGroupName: this.logGroup.logGroupName,
+        retention: props.logConfig.retention,
+      });
+    };
   }
 
   /**
diff --git a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-appsync/package.json b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-appsync/package.json
index 480e781af2bbc..b0e9b8c1320d8 100644
--- a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-appsync/package.json
+++ b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-appsync/package.json
@@ -84,6 +84,7 @@
     "@aws-cdk/aws-stepfunctions": "0.0.0",
     "@aws-cdk/cdk-build-tools": "0.0.0",
     "@aws-cdk/integ-runner": "0.0.0",
+    "@aws-cdk/integ-tests": "0.0.0",
     "@aws-cdk/cfn2ts": "0.0.0",
     "@aws-cdk/pkglint": "0.0.0",
     "@types/jest": "^27.5.2",
@@ -97,6 +98,7 @@
     "@aws-cdk/aws-elasticsearch": "0.0.0",
     "@aws-cdk/aws-iam": "0.0.0",
     "@aws-cdk/aws-lambda": "0.0.0",
+    "@aws-cdk/aws-logs": "0.0.0",
     "@aws-cdk/aws-opensearchservice": "0.0.0",
     "@aws-cdk/aws-rds": "0.0.0",
     "@aws-cdk/aws-s3-assets": "0.0.0",
@@ -113,6 +115,7 @@
     "@aws-cdk/aws-elasticsearch": "0.0.0",
     "@aws-cdk/aws-iam": "0.0.0",
     "@aws-cdk/aws-lambda": "0.0.0",
+    "@aws-cdk/aws-logs": "0.0.0",
     "@aws-cdk/aws-opensearchservice": "0.0.0",
     "@aws-cdk/aws-rds": "0.0.0",
     "@aws-cdk/aws-s3-assets": "0.0.0",
diff --git a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-appsync/test/appsync.test.ts b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-appsync/test/appsync.test.ts
index 350fbff6229db..cf2572ebf37f9 100644
--- a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-appsync/test/appsync.test.ts
+++ b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-appsync/test/appsync.test.ts
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ import * as path from 'path';
 import { Template } from '@aws-cdk/assertions';
 import { Certificate } from '@aws-cdk/aws-certificatemanager';
 import * as iam from '@aws-cdk/aws-iam';
+import * as logs from '@aws-cdk/aws-logs';
 import * as cdk from '@aws-cdk/core';
 import * as appsync from '../lib';
 
@@ -191,3 +192,37 @@ test('appsync GraphqlApi should be configured with custom domain when specified'
     DomainName: domainName,
   });
 });
+
+test('log retention should be configured with given retention time when specified', () => {
+  // GIVEN
+  const retentionTime = logs.RetentionDays.ONE_WEEK;
+
+  // WHEN
+  new appsync.GraphqlApi(stack, 'log-retention', {
+    authorizationConfig: {},
+    name: 'log-retention',
+    schema: appsync.Schema.fromAsset(path.join(__dirname, 'appsync.test.graphql')),
+    logConfig: {
+      retention: retentionTime,
+    },
+  });
+
+  // THEN
+  Template.fromStack(stack).hasResourceProperties('Custom::LogRetention', {
+    LogGroupName: {
+      'Fn::Join': [
+        '',
+        [
+          '/aws/appsync/apis/',
+          {
+            'Fn::GetAtt': [
+              'logretentionB69DFB48',
+              'ApiId',
+            ],
+          },
+        ],
+      ],
+    },
+    RetentionInDays: 7,
+  });
+});
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-appsync/test/integ.log-retention.ts b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-appsync/test/integ.log-retention.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..bb3c2431cde55
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-appsync/test/integ.log-retention.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,23 @@
+import { join } from 'path';
+import { RetentionDays } from '@aws-cdk/aws-logs';
+import { App, Stack } from '@aws-cdk/core';
+import { IntegTest } from '@aws-cdk/integ-tests';
+import { GraphqlApi, LogConfig, Schema } from '../lib';
+
+const app = new App();
+const stack = new Stack(app, 'AppSyncIntegLogRetention');
+
+const logConfig: LogConfig = {
+  retention: RetentionDays.ONE_WEEK,
+};
+
+new GraphqlApi(stack, 'GraphqlApi', {
+  authorizationConfig: {},
+  name: 'IntegLogRetention',
+  schema: Schema.fromAsset(join(__dirname, 'appsync.test.graphql')),
+  logConfig,
+});
+
+new IntegTest(app, 'Integ', { testCases: [stack] });
+
+app.synth();
\ No newline at end of file