With apples, spices, brown sugar and more, this Homemade Apple Cider will be your go-to fall drink recipe!
I’m a sucker for Apple Cider, especially when it is homemade. There is something about homemade compared to store bought that just doesn’t compare.
This Homemade Apple Cider is SUPER easy and all you need to do is simmer, mash strain and serve.
Literally, we make this every year and I don’t even think that it lasts a day! It is just so good and our go-to fall drink recipe that the whole family loves.
With the amazing spices, hint or orange and a sweetness from brown sugar – you have yourself a flavor that you will be drooling over.
Also, any recipe that I can easy make on my stovetop and not do too much work is a winner in my book.
If you want easy, flavorful and a warm comforting drink recipe, then you have to make my Homemade Apple Cider!
Some of our other favorite fall drink recipes we have on our site include: Chai Latte, Copycat Starbucks Medicine Ball Tea and Hot Toddy.
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS:
- The flavors of the mixed apples, orange, spices and brown sugar just work so perfectly.
- This is great on a crisp fall day for morning, noon or night.
- You can double the batch to make more to have on hand.
INGREDIENTS NEEDED (FULL RECIPE AT THE BOTTOM OF THE POST):
Granny Smith apples
Honeycrisp apples (or other sweet variety)
Orange
Cinnamon sticks
Whole cloves
Whole allspice
Light brown sugar
Water
HOW TO MAKE HOMEMADE APPLE CIDER, STEP BY STEP:
- Quarter whole apples and add to a large stockpot or Dutch oven, then cover with water.
- Add orange slices, cinnamon sticks, cloves, and allspice, then stir.
- Heat over high heat until boiling, then reduce to low. Cover, and simmer for 1 ½ hours or until apples have completely softened.
- Using a potato masher, mash everything in pot together.
- Place fine mesh strainer over a large bowl and carefully pour cider into strainer. Use wooden spoon or spatula to press down on apple pieces to remove juice and discard, repeat with remaining apples and spices.
- Whisk in brown sugar and serve.
DO I HAVE TO USE TWO DIFFERENT KIND OF APPLES?
We believe that for a delicious Apple Cider that a tart and sweet apple variety make the best flavor.
You can however use all one kind of apple if you’d like. This is our personal preference and how we always make this recipe!
WHAT ARE THE BEST APPLES TO USE?
Like I stated above we like to use a mixture of tart and sweet so I will give you lists of both.
TART:
- Granny Smith
- Braeburn
- Pink Lady
- Jonagold
- McIntosh
SWEET:
- Honeycrisp
- Golden Delicious
- Gala
- Fuji
- Red Delicious
CAN I ADD ALCOHOL TO MY HOMEMADE APPLE CIDER?
If you are looking to have a nice little nightcap or just want to wind down with a spiked version of this recipe you can absolutely add some alcohol.
Some of our favorites to add in include: Bourbon, Dark Rum and Vodka. Use what you like and what you think tastes best.
CAN I MAKE THIS IN THE SLOW COOKER?
Yes! If you prefer to just fix it and forget it for awhile you can absolutely make this Homemade Apple Cider in the slow cooker.
Place ingredients in a larger slow cooker and cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours or 3-4 hours on high.
After it is done and apples are softened mash them up with the potato masher and then continue with the remainder of how the recipe is for the stovetop!
HOW TO STORE:
This can be stored sealed in the refrigerator where it will keep for up to one week.
To reheat, place in a pan on the stove until heated through or in the microwave until heated through.
TIPS AND TRICKS:
- We like to use a mixture of sweet and tart apples, you can see above on options.
- This can be made in the slow cooker, see above on how to do that.
- We do not recommend freezing this recipe.
- This makes roughly 1.5-2 quarts of Apple Cider.
- You can spike this recipe using bourbon, dark rum or vodka.
- This can be served chilled if you’d like that.
- Add more or less of the brown sugar depending on your sweetness priority.
- Serve with a cinnamon stick or a sprinkle of cinnamon on top for a delicious flavor.
- You can use this is baking recipes that call for apple cider.
- Double this recipe, but you will need a very large pot.
Can’t resist a delicious fall drink that is super easy to throw together? Then you have to add this Homemade Apple Cider to your must make list.
If you like this recipe you might also like:
If you’ve tried this HOMEMADE APPLE CIDER or any other recipe on my site, let me know in the comment section how it turned out, we love hearing from our readers! You can also follow along with me on PINTEREST, FACEBOOK and INSTAGRAM to see more amazing recipes and what shenanigans I’m getting into!
Homemade Apple Cider
Ingredients
- 6 Granny Smith apples
- 6 Honeycrisp apples or other sweet variety
- 1 orange thinly sliced
- 3 whole cinnamon sticks + more for serving
- 1 teaspoon whole cloves
- 1 teaspoon whole allspice
- ½ cup light brown sugar
- 6 cups water
Instructions
- Quarter whole apples and add to a large stockpot or Dutch oven, then cover with water.
- Add orange slices, cinnamon sticks, cloves, and allspice, then stir.
- Heat over high heat until boiling, then reduce to low. Cover, and simmer for 1 ½ hours or until apples have completely softened.
- Using a potato masher, mash everything in pot together.
- Place fine mesh strainer over a large bowl and carefully pour cider into strainer. Use wooden spoon or spatula to press down on apple pieces to remove juice and discard, repeat with remaining apples and spices.
- Whisk in brown sugar and serve.
Notes
- We like to use a mixture of sweet and tart apples, you can see above on options.
- This can be made in the slow cooker, see above on how to do that.
- We do not recommend freezing this recipe.
- This makes roughly 1.5-2 quarts of Apple Cider.
- You can spike this recipe using bourbon, dark rum or vodka.
- This can be served chilled if you’d like that.
- Add more or less of the brown sugar depending on your sweetness priority.
- Serve with a cinnamon stick or a sprinkle of cinnamon on top for a delicious flavor.
- You can use this is baking recipes that call for apple cider.
- Double this recipe, but you will need a very large pot.
Nutrition
Tornadough Alli is not a nutritionist or dietitian, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and nutritional value is important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories and values can vary depending on which brands were used.
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