Homemade Apple Cider Recipe

Homemade apple cider in mug with cinnamon stick

5 from 1 vote

Fresh apples, oranges, and warm spices slowly cook into a richly flavored homemade apple cider. Serve it warm, chilled, or with a splash of bourbon for an easy fall drink.

Prep Time10

Cook Time5

Total Time5 10

Course: Beverage

Cuisine: American

Servings:

Author: Kellie

Cost: $10

Equipment

Large slow cooker, 6-quart or larger
potato masher
fine mesh sieve
cheesecloth
Large heatproof bowl or pitcher

Ingredients

5 pounds apples washed, cored, and quartered
3 oranges quartered and peeled if desired
4 cinnamon sticks
1 tablespoon whole cloves
1 teaspoon ground allspice
6 cups water
1/4 cup packed brown sugar plus more to taste

Instructions

Prepare the fruit. Wash, core, and quarter the apples. Quarter the oranges, peeling them first if you prefer a less bitter cider.
Fill the slow cooker. Place the apples, oranges, cinnamon sticks, cloves, and allspice in a large slow cooker.
Add the water. Pour in 6 cups of water. Add up to 1 additional cup if needed to mostly cover the fruit without filling the slow cooker above its recommended capacity.
Cook. Cover and cook on HIGH for 4 hours or LOW for 6–7 hours. The fruit should be extremely soft and collapse easily when pressed.
Mash. Mash the fruit thoroughly with a potato masher. Continue cooking uncovered on the same setting for 1 additional hour.
Strain. Place a fine-mesh sieve lined with cheesecloth over a large heatproof bowl. Ladle the fruit and liquid into the sieve in batches, gently pressing the solids to extract the cider. Discard the solids.
Sweeten. Return the strained cider to the slow cooker. Stir in the brown sugar until dissolved. Taste and add more sweetener if needed.
Serve. Serve warm, or cool completely and refrigerate in an airtight container.

Notes

Best apples: Combine a sweet apple such as Honeycrisp, Gala, or Fuji with a tart apple such as Granny Smith, Braeburn, or Cortland.
Orange peel: Leave the peel on for stronger citrus flavor. Remove it for a smoother, less bitter cider.
Sweetener: Maple syrup, honey, or granulated sugar may replace the brown sugar. Sweeten the strained cider to taste.
Clearer cider: Strain the cider a second time through fresh cheesecloth.
Storage: Cool completely and refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 5–7 days.
Freezing: Freeze in freezer-safe containers for up to 3 months. Leave room for expansion and thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
Reheating: Warm gently on the stovetop or in the slow cooker on WARM. Do not bring it to a hard boil.
Make ahead: Prepare the cider 1–2 days before serving and refrigerate until needed.
Doubling: Use two slow cookers rather than overfilling one appliance.

Stovetop method: Place the apples, oranges, spices, and 6 cups of water in a large stockpot. Bring to a gentle simmer, reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook for approximately 2 hours or until the fruit is very soft. Mash the fruit and simmer uncovered for 1 additional hour. Strain and sweeten as directed.

Nutrition