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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:
Apple Cider Recipe
Equipment
- fine mesh seive
- cheesecloth
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.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
so simple and spiced to perfection! Perfect for the fall season. A must-try recipe for apple lovers!
Made this a week ago X2 and another batch today X3. After 2 hour simmer, mashed apples with potato masher, strained and put liquid back in stock pot and simmer 1 more hour without lid to reduce because seemed kind of weak tasting.
Other than that, perfect!!!
hey, earlier in the post the recipe says to boil uncovered for one hour and then simmer for two hours but later it says to just simmer for two hours. i’m wondering which is the correct instructions. thank you!
This is looking so tasty and yummy apple cider recipe. I will surely make this recipe at home. Thank you for sharing this.
You’re welcome! Hope you enjoy the cider.
I loved how this made the whole house smell AMAZING and drinking it was like an added gift. YUMMY!
Oh my goodness this was fabulous! My kids can’t wait to make this again for Halloween!
This apple cider was amazing, I love all of the flavors you get from simmering it for a while!! I will be using this recipe all of this fall and winter, it is the best comforting drink!
This is so much better than store-bought. It is one of our favorite after trick or treating traditions!
Yes!! Nothing like fresh apple cider in the fall!
I had no idea how easy it was to make apple cider! We drink this all winter! It warms the soul!
Love apple cider! Especially on a rainy day.