Hot Apple Cider Recipe

Hand holding a warm cup of apple cider with steam rising.

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Homemade Apple Cider is a perfect mix of tangy Granny Smiths, sweet Galas, and Honeycrisps, spiced with orange, cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla, and brown sugar. You’ll love this warm, fall drink!

Prep Time20

Cook Time3

Total Time3 20

Course: Beverage

Cuisine: American, Vegetarian

Keyword: Apple Cider, homemade Apple Cider, Hot Apple Cider Recipe

Servings: cups (see note 1)

Author: Chelsea Lords

Cost: $7.98

Equipment

Large pot

Ingredients

10 medium apples unpeeled but cored (4 Granny smith, 3 Gala or Fuji, 3 Honeycrisp)
1 large orange peeled
10 cups water filtered preferred
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon salt
3 teaspoons cinnamon divided
1/2 light brown sugar up to 1 full cup, gently packed
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon vanilla extract

US - Metric

Instructions

Wash apples thoroughly and cut apples off the core; discard all cores. There’s no need to peel the apples. Peel the orange carefully, making sure to remove all the white pith, as it can impart a bitter flavor.
In a very large stockpot, combine the prepared apples and orange. Add 10 cups of water. Stir in nutmeg, salt, and 2 teaspoons of the cinnamon. Place pot over high heat and bring mixture to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat to low and cover with a lid. Allow mixture to simmer gently for 2 hours.
After 2 hours, remove lid. Using a potato masher or a wooden spoon, mash the fruit by pressing it against the sides of the pot. Continue simmering the mashed fruit mixture for an additional hour, uncovered.
Turn off heat. Place a fine mesh sieve over a large bowl. Carefully ladle the fruit mixture into the sieve. Press the solids to extract as much liquid as possible. Discard the solids.
Pour the strained liquid back into the pot. Stir in remaining 1 teaspoon cinnamon, the brown sugar (start with 1/2 cup and add more to reach your desired sweetness, up to 1 cup—I like it best at 3/4 cup), vanilla extract, and lemon juice. Heat mixture over medium heat just until warm to ensure sugar is fully dissolved and flavors are well combined.
Taste the cider and adjust the sweetness and spices if necessary. Serve the cider warm for a cozy beverage. Store any leftovers in the refrigerator and reheat before serving.

Notes

Note 1: This cider is ideal for parties or holiday gatherings—you can easily scale it up! Just double or triple the batch and keep it toasty in a large slow cooker on the “WARM” setting. Have some cups handy for serving.

Storage:

Refrigerate: Keep cider in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week.
Reheat: Warm it up on the stovetop on low heat or in the microwave.
Freeze: Pour into ice cube trays and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge or use straight from the freezer in smoothies or beverages.

Nutrition