Spiced Apple Cider
Spiced apple cider is a delicious warm drink, perfect for celebrating the season with. To keep things simple, this hot cider comes together in a slow cooker-the fall spices make my house smell better than any seasonal candle!
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Spiced Apple Cider Recipe
Every autumn, my kids and I whip up a batch of this apple cider recipe to serve to the parents on Halloween who are out with their kids. Since it's made in a slow cooker, it's a one-time effort drink that warms everyone up when they need it.
The kids love getting in the kitchen with me to prep the apples or sprinkle in seasonings, and more often than not, we whip up some pumpkin muffins or chocolate chip walnut cookies to give out too! Some years we'll switch it up and make pumpkin apple cider in the crock pot instead, but this classic hot cider is our go-to.
Why You'll Love this Recipe
Aside from being a great way to break the ice with your neighbors, fresh apple cider is just so delicious, and a little sign that fall has finally arrived. I also think you'll love it because:
Though you can make it on the stove top, the slow cooker is so much less effort for Halloween night or fall parties. Switch it to warm, and you no longer have to think about it.
This specific apple cider recipe doesn't contain a lot of sugar, which means you can adjust the taste a bit to your preference, similar to this apple cider mocktail.
Homemade cider is always tastier than store bought, and this a great way to use up extra apples. Plus, the flavor of the drink will vary slightly depending on which apples your kids picked!
Ingredients
Most of the ingredients for the spiced cider are ones you'll have in the cupboard, so it's easy enough to whip up.
The apples you use will affect the flavor of the hot cider. If your apples are tart, like Granny Smith, you'll want to add a bit more sweetness than if they're a naturally sweet apple like Gala. My go-to apples are Honeycrisp, Gala, Fuji, or Pink Lady for red apples and Granny Smith for green apples. Really, any variety of apples will do!
We like to use fresh ginger, cinnamon sticks, nutmeg, and cloves for the recipe. However, you can use all whole spices if you prefer. Keep in mind when using ground spices that you will need to strain the mixture a few times with a fine-mesh sieve to avoid a grainy texture. Allspice and star anise are also great to add to sweet cider.
Brown sugar gives an extra boost of sweetness to the cider, and that's what my kids prefer. However, to scale back on the sugar, you can either omit the brown sugar or use a substitute like stevia, coconut sugar, agave, honey, or maple syrup. Choosing a different sweetener will change the taste a bit, though.
Variations
Bubbly cider: After making the cider, let it cool completely. Then, fill glasses with ice, some of the drink, and top it off with ginger ale, ginger beer, or sparkling water for a light and refreshing fall drink. It's a great way to enjoy fresh apple cider if you are in a warmer climate during fall.
Alcoholic cider: Great for entertaining, to make an alcoholic version, stir in an ounce or two of bourbon or spiced rum for an extra punch of flavor and warmth. It's a delicious way to enjoy this drink that is full of fall flavors.
Of course, if bourbon isn't your thing, you can use some white wine instead. Or use red wine and make apple cider sangria. It can even be used to make an apple cider martini.
Prefer something boozy that will remind you of apple cider? Try this Wassail Recipe or Apple Cider Bourbon Cocktail.
How to Make Spiced Apple Cider
Though Crock pot apple cider isn't a "quick" recipe, it's actually very easy, and hands-on time is minimal. Though there are a lot of images below showing you how to make it, don't be overwhelmed. More often than not, my kids get in the kitchen helping me!
Scroll down to the recipe card for the full step by step instructions! ⬇️
Jump to Recipe
- Core and slice the apples, and thinly slice your oranges. You can leave the peels on! Place both fruits into your slow cooker
- Add the brown sugar and all of the seasonings except for the vanilla extract. You'll add that a bit later.
Do not peel the orange; the rind brings a lot of flavor to the apple cider as it breaks down.
- Then, use a large wooden spoon or silicone spatula to mix everything together until it looks like the apples are evenly coated in the spices.
- Cover the ingredients with water, enough to submerge the fruit completely, because you want the fruit to break down. Cook on low heat if you'll be leaving it in the crock pot for a while, or high heat if you need it quickly-in the next couple of hours.
- Once everything is nice and soft, use a potato masher to mush up the fruit and get out all the remaining juices and sweetness.
- Once mashed, pour the homemade apple cider mixture through a fine mesh strainer or a cheesecloth and discard the pulp. You'll most likely need to do this in batches.
Check the fruit before you mash. You need the apples to be super soft in order to get the most juice and flavor from them. If they're still a bit firm, you need to cook the cider longer.
- Once strained, you can pour it back into the slow cooker to keep warm. Stir in the vanilla extract, and it's ready to go. Seriously, it's that easy.
- Keep the Crock pot on low, and when you're ready to serve it, ladle into separate mugs or disposable cups and garnish with whole cinnamon sticks and extra apple slices.
Madison's Tips for Success:
I've tested this apple cider recipe and have successfully made it many times. Use these tips to ensure that it turns out perfectly for you, too!
- To prep the apples, you can either core the apples with a corer and then slice them, or slice the apples and then remove the seeds. Both work, just know that you don't need to peel them.
- Give the cider a taste test halfway through and adjust the sugar and the seasonings to your personal preference so that it still has time to simmer.
Spiced Apple Cider FAQs
If you don't have a crock pot, you can absolutely make the hot apple cider recipe on the stovetop instead. Just follow the same steps, but add the ingredients to a heavy-bottomed stock pot or Dutch oven and let the mixture simmer over low heat for a few hours.
Of course, it is most common to serve apple cider hot, but you can absolutely serve it cold. The temperature is a personal preference. However, the warming spices definitely lean toward a drink that would likely be better when warm!
Serving Ideas
We use this recipe the most in the early months of fall for parties and trick-or-treating. It's delicious paired with all types of desserts, especially applesauce cake. However, you can actually use any leftover apple cider to make other recipes too!
We've used this fall drink as the base of my honey vinaigrette, in apple cider margaritas, for apple cider BBQ ribs, and to make apple cider bread. It's fun to get creative with something that tastes so good.
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Spiced Apple Cider
Video
Ingredients
- 10-12 apples
- 1-2 oranges
- 1 inch piece Ginger peeled
- 3-4 Cinnamon Sticks
- 1 teaspoon Nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon Cloves
- 1½ - 2 cups Brown sugar to taste
- 10-12 cups Water enough to cover everything
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- cinnamon sticks extra apple slices
Instructions
- Chop up the 10-12 apples and 1-2 oranges, making sure all apple seeds are discarded, and add the fruit to the crockpot.
- Add the 1 inch piece Ginger, 3-4 Cinnamon Sticks, spices (1 teaspoon Nutmeg & 1 teaspoon Cloves), and 1½ - 2 cups Brown sugar.
- Then add the water, just enough to cover everything. 10-12 cups Water should be enough, but the actual amount will depend on your slow cooker.
- Cook on high for 3-4 hours.
- Use a potato masher and mash down all of the ingredients in the water.
- Once mashed, strain the mixture with a fine strainer, or a cheesecloth, and discard the pulp.
- Stir in 1 tablespoon vanilla extract and then it is ready to serve.
- Using a ladle, pour your cider into separate glasses, add a cinnamon sticks and a few apple slices and enjoy warm!
Equipment
Notes
Nutrition
Other Delicious Fall Recipes
If you want a few more ways to celebrate the fall, whip up a spiced cranberry sangria or Apple Cinnamon Muffins
Of course, a pumpkin spice latte is a seasonal classic that tastes great with a cast iron apple spice skillet cake!
I'll teach you how to make simple from-scratch recipes, like seasonings, sauces, dinners and even desserts, that make cooking from home less overwhelming and more enjoyable.
My recipes have been featured on publications like South Your Mouth, Fun.com, Her Campus, Mental Floss, and the TastingTable.
This was the first time I have ever made my own apple cider and I don't think I'll ever want to buy it at the store again. It was so wonderfully aromatic and flavorful. I went on the lighter side with the brown sugar and added a tiny pinch of salt.
I served it in mugs with some whipped cream on top, and it felt like a special treat! Love it that even the kids could have a sip! I'm excited to include it in our family gathering menu next month!
My daughter and I recently did a test run of this recipe before our house is full of company for the Christmas holiday. So easy and delicious!
Just made a batch of Slow Cooker Spiced Apple Cider, it's pure autumn magic! Love how simple it is to make in the slow cooker, keeps the cider warm for hours. The spicy, apple aroma filling the house is irresistible too!
I have this on the stove getting ready for Thanksgiving! It is SO tasty. I've already sampled quite a bit. I know everyone is going to love it. Thank you!
Who doesn't love a good apple cider recipe?!??! YUMMMM