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You’ll be surprised how simple it is to make this homemade apple cider recipe from scratch. It is spiced to perfection!
Apple season is upon us and I can’t help but make all of the apple things like Caramel Apple Dip, the BEST Apple Pie, and our favorite cozy cider!
Why We Love Apple Cider!
This homemade apple cider recipe is perfect after a day of leaf jumping, trick-or-treating, or just cuddling on the couch.
It’s one of my favorite holiday drinks and here’s why:
- Simple ingredients. Just apples, water, sugar, and spices!
- Hot or cold. Enjoy it chilled or nice and toasty warm.
- Easy. Only 15 minutes of prep!
- Aroma. We LOVE that this cider makes your home smell like fall!
Apple Cider Ingredients
What are the best apples for apple cider?
We use 5 Gala and 5 Honeycrisp (two combos of sweet apples), but a combination of sweet and tart may be used as well. Other apples that work: Fuji, Cortland, Golden Delicious, Pink Lady, Granny Smith, Red Delicious + McIntosh.
You will also need:
- Sugar – Use honey, maple syrup, or stevia, but the flavor will be slightly altered.
- Cinnamon & Allspice – Experiment by adding nutmeg, whole cloves, fresh ginger, and cardamom.
- Water – This is the majority of the liquid in this recipe.
- Cinnamon Sticks – The added flavor of cinnamon is a must for this apple cider!
How to Make Apple Cider
- PREP. Quarter each apple and remove the core. Place apple slices in a large stockpot and add water.
- SIMMER. Stir in spices. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, then cover the pot with a lid and continue simmering for 2 hours.
- STRAIN. Stir well, then carefully strain the apple mixture through a fine-mesh strainer. Discard solids from the sieve. Line the sieve with cheesecloth and strain the cider again.
- ENJOY! Serve warm, or refrigerate for 1–2 hours until cold.
Crockpot Instructions
The crock pot will take longer but will fill your home with the delicious aroma of fall all day long.
To make, simply cook on HIGH HEAT for 3-4 hours or LOW for 6-8 hours.
Recipe Tips + Storing
- Leave the apple peels on. The peel contains natural oils and compounds that contribute to the overall taste and aroma of the cider as well as add nutritional value. Bonus- the prep time is faster!
- Caramel apple cider. Stir in 2 tbsp of caramel sauce to the cider before serving.
- Garnish. Garnish with freshly sliced apples and cinnamon sticks. Add them to the serving pitcher or to the individual glasses.
- STORE a batch of cider in the refrigerator for about a week.
- FREEZE. Allow at least a 2-inch head space since the cider will expand during freezing and can rupture the container.
For More Drinks:
Wassail Recipe
30 mins
Caramel Apple Cider
25 mins
Hot Chocolate Recipe
8 mins
Easy Eggnog Recipe
2 hrs 15 mins
Apple Cider Recipe
Equipment
- fine mesh seive
Video
Ingredients
- 10 large apples we use 5 Gala and 5 Honeycrisp
- 16 cups water
- ¾ cup sugar
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon ground allspice
- 6 cinnamon sticks
Instructions
- Quarter each apple and remove the core. Place apple slices in a large stockpot and add water.
- Stir in sugar, cinnamon, allspice, and cinnamon sticks. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, then cover the pot with a lid and continue simmering for 2 hours.
- Stir well, then carefully strain the apple mixture through a fine-mesh sieve. Discard solids from the sieve. Line the sieve with cheesecloth and strain the cider again.
- Serve warm, or refrigerate for 1–2 hours until cold.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Hello this looks really good! But I wanted to ask if I could make it without cinnamon sticks and just cinnamon because I feel like if I add 6 cinnamon sticks it will taste more like cinnamon and not apple cider. If not can I just add 1 or 2 cinnamon sticks?
Yes, you can absolutely use ground cinnamon instead! Just use about 2 teaspoons total if you skip the sticks. Or if you prefer a lighter cinnamon flavor, using 1 or 2 sticks works perfectly too.