Apple Cider Recipe

5 from 1 vote

You will be amazed at how simple it is to make this Homemade Apple Cider Recipe! The best part is that it fills your house with the warm aromas of an autumn day.

Prep Time20

Cook Time2 20

slow cooker is 7 hours7

Course: Beverage

Cuisine: American

Servings: cups

Calories: 231kcal

Author: Jayne and Cyndy

Equipment

1 Slow Cooker or large stock pot 6-8 quarts
Masher
Fine strainer or cheesecloth

Ingredients

10 to 12 Large Apples
4 whole Cinnamon Sticks (or 2 teaspoon ground cinnamon)
1 whole Nutmeg
2 whole Allspice
½ cup Light Brown Sugar
Water enough to just cover apples and spices

Instructions

Jayne's Slow Cooker Cider:

Rinse, core, and slice apples, or use an apple slicer. It’s okay to leave the skin on the apples.
If possible, use whole spices for this recipe: one nutmeg seed and two allspice berries. Crack the seeds and berries open with a mortar and pestle.
Place the apples in a slow cooker along with the brown sugar, nutmeg, allspice, and cinnamon sticks.
Cover apples with water, with approximately 6 cups of water for a 6-quart slow cooker. The amount of water will vary depending on the size of your slow cooker.
Cover the slow cooker and cook on high for 5-6 hours.
After the initial cook time, uncover and mash the apple with a large potato masher until the fruit is well mashed.
Cover and cook on high for an additional 1 hour.
Let the cider cool to a temperature you can easily work with to strain.
Strain the thick apple mixture very slowly through a fine mesh strainer into a large stockpot or deep bowl. Add cheesecloth to the strainer to get a smoother finished cider.
Remove the solids from the strainer and do a second strain to catch any remaining solids.
Pour into a heat-proof pitcher or ladle into cups.
Cider is ready to serve, warm, accompanied by slices of apple and a cinnamon stick for garnish.

Cyndy's Stovetop Version:

Wash apples, core, and cut each apple into 6-8 pieces - no need to peel them.
Place in a deep stockpot (I use an 8-quart) with cinnamon (I used ground cinnamon because of the shorter cooking time), brown sugar, nutmeg, and allspice.
Add enough water to cover the apples by 2 inches. The amount will vary depending on the size of your cooking pot. FYI: the apples will float and that's okay.
Stir everything, and heat on high until the mixture comes to a boil.
Boil gently, uncovered, for about one hour.
Cover the pot, reduce the heat, and simmer for 90 minutes.
Mash the mixture with a potato masher. It will be very soft and falling apart.
Let the mixture cool down for about 15 minutes
Strain into a deep bowl or pot through a cheesecloth or very fine strainer, and gently press down on the solids. Put the solids aside and save them if you want them for another use. Repeat the strain a second time.
Ladle into mugs or pour into a heat-proof pitcher and serve!

Notes

Refrigerate - Seal and keep refrigerated for 7 -10 days.
Freeze - Use a plastic jug, jar, freezer bag, or air-tight container. Leave room in the container for expansion. Cider can be frozen up to 12 months and then thawed.
Canning Recipe - Water bath canning is ideal for Apple Cider.
Tips for canning: warm cider to 190°F and ladle into warm jars. Boil times for cider using a pint or quart-sized jar is 10 minutes. A half to one-gallon jar takes 15 minutes. Please see our water bath canning post for canning best practices, as canning takes precise instructions.

Nutrition