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Author: Sally
Published: 09/26/2015Updated: 10/27/2021
Homemade apple cider is a quintessential fall drink and we’re teaching you how to make a simple version using a slow cooker.
There’s something very special about homemade apple cider. You’ll savor its aroma as the mixture cooks, the delicious ways you can serve it all season long, and the fact that it’s made with real ingredients. We have a feeling you’ll make this recipe an annual fall tradition and you can even use it in apple cider sangria or as a crucial ingredient in apple cider donuts.
Tell Me About this Homemade Apple Cider
- Consistency: The cider is smooth once you strain out the fruit.
- Flavor: This is non-alcoholic apple cider made with just apples, citrus, cinnamon, cloves, and sugar (plus water). We usually make it so it’s more focused on the spices and not the sweetness, but you can sweeten the mixture as much as you like.
- Ease: This is a very simple drink recipe requiring just 5 ingredients.
- Time: Set aside 30 minutes to prep plus 8 hours for slow cooking.
By the way, if you happen to have a little extra cider and need a quick and easy dinner recipe, use it in this apple cider chicken!
No Slow Cooker? No Problem.
If you don’t have a slow cooker, use a large stock pot instead. Place all ingredients into your pot and bring everything to a simmer. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 2 hours. Continue with mashing the fruit, cooking for an additional hour, and straining as instructed below.
Best Apples to Use in Homemade Apple Cider
For the best flavor, we strongly encourage using a variety of apples—some sweet, some tart. We recommend a variety when making apple pie, too!
- Sweet apples we love:Jazz, Honeycrisp, Pink Lady, Gala, Fuji, and Cortland
- Tart apples we love:Granny Smith, Braeburn, Jonathan, and Pacific Rose.
Why the orange? A little citrus balances out the apple flavor and pairs wonderfully with the spices.
You Control the Sugar
Sweeten to your taste. What we love most about homemade apple cider is that you can control the amount of sugar and spices. We all have different preferences, so make sure that you add enough sugar to suit your tastes. We usually only add 3-4 Tablespoons. For apple cider similar to what you purchase at the store, we recommend using 1/2 cup granulated sugar.
Overview: How to Make Homemade Apple Cider
This is aset it and forget itcrockpot recipe. The full printable recipe is below, but let’s walk through it so you understand each step before you get started.
- Place everything in the slow cooker.
- Add water.Use enough to cover the fruit.
- Cook.6-7 hours on low heat or 3 hours on high heat.
- Mash the fruits.Take a giant spoon and begin mashing up all those warm apples and oranges. (At this point, they’ll be super soft.)
- Simmer.Allow this liquid mash to cook for another hour.
- Strain.Use a fine mesh sieveto strain the cider.
- Serve warm.
More Fall Recipes
- Apple Cider Donuts
- Brown Butter Apple Blondies
- Pumpkin Scones
- Apple Bundt Cake
- Pumpkin Bread
Homemade Apple Cider
5 Stars4 Stars3 Stars2 Stars1 Star4.3 from 10 reviews
- Author: Sally
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 8 hours
- Total Time: 8 hours, 30 minutes
- Yield: about 1 and 1/2 quarts
- Category: Beverage
- Method: Slow Cooker
- Cuisine: American
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Description
Apple cider is a quintessential fall drink and we’re teaching you how to make a simple homemade version. For the best flavor, we strongly encourage using a variety of apples such as some sweet and some tart. See post above. For directions to make on the stove, see recipe notes below.
Ingredients
- 1 orange
- 10medium apples (use a variety—I use Honeycrisp and Granny Smith)
- 3 cinnamon sticks (or 1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon)
- 1 teaspoon ground cloves
- granulated sugar*
Instructions
- Peel the orange and place the segments in a 4 quart or larger slow cooker. (Pictures show unpeeled, but we prefer peeling it for a less bitter flavor.) Rinse the apples, cut into quarters, and place in the slow cooker. Add the cinnamon sticks, ground cloves, and sugar. Add just enough water to cover the fruit.
- Cook onlow heat for 6-7hours. (Or high heat for 3.)
- After 6-7 hours, the fruit will be very soft. Use a large spoon to mash the fruit and release its liquids.Allow the cider to cook on low for 1 more hour.
- Very slowly strain the chunky liquidthough a fine mesh sieve into a large pot or pitcher. You can discard the solids. Strain the cider one more time to rid any other solids.Servethe cider warm.
- Leftover cider keeps well in the refrigerator for up to 5-7 days. Warm up on the stove before serving or enjoy it cold.
Notes
- Freezing Instructions: Cider can be frozen up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator.
- Special Tools (affiliate links):Slow Cooker (4-quart or larger) | Large Wooden Spoon | Fine Mesh Sieve
- Sugar: Adjust the sugar to your taste. We usually use 1/4 cup (50g) granulated sugar for a spicier cider. If you prefer your apple cider on the sweeter side (like the kind you buy at the store), use 1/2 cup (100g) of granulated sugar.
- No Slow Cooker? No Problem! In step 1, place all of the ingredients into a large stock pot instead of a slow cooker. Turn the stove up to high heat and bring everything to a simmer while stirring occasionally. Once simmering, reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 2 hours. Mash the fruit as described in step 3. Then, allow the cider to cook for 1 more hour. Continue with step 4.
