Easy Homemade Apple Cider

Sip on the sweet, woodsy flavors of fall with this Homemade Apple Cider. It’s made with loads of apples and oranges and wintery spices!

Fall recipes get all of the attention. But, I guess it’s expected considering there’s not much to do when the weather gets cold besides cozy up with tasty recipes! I guess there’s also the food fest that is Thanksgiving.

So, yeah. The fall is all about tasty recipes for sharing with friends and family. But what about fall-inspired beverages?!

Today we’re whipping up one of my favorite fall drinks – homemade apple cider! It’s quick on the prep and extremely simple. You can make it on the stove or in a crock pot – whichever works best for you!

Ingredients in apple cider

Hot apple cider goes heavy on the fruit and easy on the method. Load up on apples and spices, because this is where the bulk of your flavor will come from! We will also add brown sugar and oranges for a bit of extra sweet tanginess.

• Apples: First up, you’ll need 10 apples (about 3 to 4 pounds of apples). Go for assorted colors to get the most flavor! I like to use a mix of honey crisp, gala, granny smith, etc.
• Oranges: 2 oranges will add a nice tanginess. Remove the peels for extra sweet, citrus flavor, or leave it on for a touch of bitterness.
• Cinnamon Sticks: For a cozy spiced flavor, include 4 cinnamon sticks.
• Spices: Next, we’ll use various spices to get that deep cider spice. I recommend ¼ tsp each of ground cloves, allspice, and ground nutmeg.
• Water: Everything will brew together in hot water. You’ll need about 1 gallon, or enough to cover the apples.
• Optional: Optionally, include 1 thumb of fresh ginger for extra flavor.
• Brown Sugar: Sugar will help sweeten things up while bringing out the flavors of the spices. Brown sugar in the amount of ½ cup will taste best in this cider!
• Garnishes: Finally, set aside cranberries, oranges slices, and cinnamon sticks for garnishing your drinks.

How to make homemade apple cider

It’s all in the simmer! After slicing up your fruit and placing it in a big pot, just fill with water and wait! Eventually, we will mash and strain the fruit. Then, it’s ready to enjoy.

Step 1: Prep the fruit
Quarter and remove the core from each apple. Quarter the oranges – remove the peel for a sweeter cider, or leave it on for a slightly more bitter cider. Add all of the fruit, cinnamon, and spices to a large pot. Cover with water.

Step 2: Simmer for 2 hours
Bring to a simmer and cover (you may need to leave the lid ajar if it keeps boiling over). Simmer for 2 hours, or until the apples are very soft.

Step 3: Mash the fruit
Mash the fruit to release the flavors, and then continue simmering for 15 minutes.

Step 4: Strain and sweeten
Carefully pour the mix through a fine mesh sieve into a large pitcher or pot. Stir in brown sugar, adding more as needed to suit your taste.

Step 5: Serve and garnish
Serve hot, optionally garnished with fruit, cranberries, and cinnamon sticks.

How to make homemade apple cider with a slow cooker

In addition to cooking the cider on the stove, using a slow cooker is a great, easy method.

To do so, chop the fruit and add it to the slow cooker with the water and spices as directed. Cook the mixture on low for 6-8 hours, or on high for 3-4. Mash, then continue simmering for 15 minutes before straining.

More fall beverages

Want some more tasty recipes to sip on this season? Try these easy fall beverages, all made with simple, delicious ingredients!

• Autumn Apple Sangria
• Carrot Smoothie with Ginger and Citrus
• Easy Bourbon Slush
• Healthy Pumpkin Smoothie