Make the best apple cider recipe in your slow cooker! It’ll warm you from the inside out with its amazing flavors. This is a must-have fall drink and tastes so much better when it is homemade. Great way to use up apples in the fall and your house will smell amazing!
Why This Recipe Works
In the past four days I have made two batches of this irresistible Apple Cider recipe as well as two Apple Pies. There are still apples in my fridge and I can’t decide if I should make a loaf of Apple Pie Bread tomorrow or try something different. Decisions!
October brings so many yummy baking and cooking possibilities which is one of the many reasons it is my favorite month. I’m believing that Heaven is a lifetime of crisp, beautiful-leafed October days.
I had never made a Homemade Apple Cider recipe until now and I’m wondering WHAT I WAS THINKING. It is so much better than store-bought and I enjoy it on the spiced side with not as much sugar. Feel free to add more or less sugar and spices, based on preferences.
Recipe Ingredients
Apples – Use medium baking apples such as honeycrisp, gala, golden delicious, jonagold or granny smith. You will be straining the juice, so no coring of the apples necessary.
Oranges – No need to peel your oranges.
Sugar – If you prefer, you can add more naturally sweet apples and reduce the amount of brown sugar you added. Other sugar substitutes that would be great are maple syrup, coconut sugar or stevia.
Spices – Add extra cinnamon sticks for an extra kick of spice!
How To Make The Best Apple Cider Drink!
Step 1
Add the water and lemon juice to a 6-quart slow cooker. Add the quartered apples as you cut them, as well as the orange, brown sugar, allspice, nutmeg, cinnamon and cloves. Stir and cover. Cook on LOW heat for 8-15 hours. The longer it cooks, the more flavorful it will be.
Using a potato masher, mash the apples into the juice that’s in the slow cooker. Let cool.
Step 2
Ladle contents of the slow cooker into a large pot or bowl, pouring everything through a fine mesh sieve or strainer.
Discard the solids and pour the cider into quart-size mason jars or a large pitcher. Keep refrigerated until ready to serve. Warm before serving or enjoy chilled!
Recipe Notes
- I let my first batch cook for 8 hours and my second for 15. I thought the second batch produced a cider that was bolder with more of a kick. Both were sooo good.
- This step isn’t necessary, but it adds a touch of somethin’-somethin’, in my opinion. After I turned my slow cooker off, I mashed everything up with a potato masher and then waited until the mixture had completely cooled. Whether you mash or not, be sure to strain the cider using a fine-mesh strainer. Discard the solids.
- Enjoy the nectar that is left behind! This is a super easy recipe that you can prepare for your family each fall. We all have different preferences in our house, but all of us agreed that this is the BEST cider we’ve ever had. And totally homemade for the double win.
What Types Of Apples Are Good For Apple Cider?
I recommend using a variety of apples and at the very least, use two kinds: one sweet and one tart. My favorite combo is Granny Smith and Honeycrisp apples.
Sweet/Softer Apple Brands
- Fuji
- Honeycrisp
- Red Delicious
- Golden Delicious
- Cortland
- Gala
Tart (or a little Sour) Apple Brands
- Granny Smith
- McIntosh
- Ida Red
- Braeburn
- Empire
- Jonathan
How To Store Apple Cider
Store in mason jars or in a large pitcher in the refrigerator. It should be good for about 5-7 days. Warm it up before serving or enjoy chilled! If you prefer to freeze a batch or two, place it in an airtight container and place it in your deep freeze.
It’ll be good for 3-6 months. Remember to leave a small half-inch amount open at the top of the container as your cider will expand as it freezes.
The Difference Between Apple Juice & Apple Cider
There are a few differences between these two delicious apple drinks but on the outside, they don’t appear very different. They have similar coloring and some companies even interchange the names cider and juice.
But while your toddler might love a little apple juice in the day, apple cider just signifies fall and outdoor crisp air and a special flavor brought out in the process of making it fresh early in the season with the first batches of apples.
Apple Juice is pasteurized and filtered to remove pulp and sediment. This helps apple juice stay fresh longer. On the other hand, you don’t usually see a clear juice when you’ve had a cup of of cider. You’ll notice it’s opaque and cloudy and there’s a little texture to it with spices added to enhance the drink.
Hard cider is a delicious, alcoholic apple flavored beverage. While this recipe isn’t that, feel free to head out, pick one up and enjoy!
Is Apple Cider Healthy For You
We know that drinks we enjoy are often laced with sugar and therefore while the main ingredient, apples, are good for you because they are high in antioxidants, the sugar doesn’t help you healthwise. In fact, you probably should limit your intake of cider on a daily basis to one cup – but that allows you to enjoy it a few more days.
I tried to limit how much sugar I added to this recipe because apples are naturally sweet. You could opt to reduce the sugar content, if desired.
FAQ About Apples
Good news! Apples are very good for you! Apples are high in dietary fiber and pectin found in the peels of the apples.
Dogs can eat apples, as they are a nutritious snack for dogs. They are an excellent source of vitamin C, helping immunity and providing other benefits.
Apples do not align with a keto diet. One medium apple contains more than 20 g of carbs, making it too carb-heavy for this low-carb eating plan.
Apples can be frozen! They can be frozen whole for up to 9 months, or prepare applesauce, pie filling or entire pies and freeze them that way instead.
The recommendation is that you enjoy an apple in the morning hours of each day. This will help you avoid poor digestion at night. The fruit can help your stomach to empty more slowly, helping you to stay feeling full longer and not prone to snack/eat between meals.
When baking with apples or making apple based drinks, use a variety of apples. At the very least, use two kinds: one sweet and one tart. My personal favorite combo is Granny Smith apples and Honeycrisp apples.
Apple Recipes For Fall
- Appledoodles – These cookies are a fun twist on the classic snickerdoodles! Great way to use up apples in the fall!
- Homemade Crockpot Applesauce – A kid-worthy snack that is fun to prepare because it’s so easy to make. Use an assortment of green and red apples and you’ll have a flavorful snack you can enjoy; better than the store stuff!
- Apple Pie Jam – this fall make this Amazing Apple Pie Jam! This jam tastes just like Apple Pie because it’s similar to pie filling. So get ready to be addicted. Put it on your English muffins, pancakes or with peanut butter!
- Apple Coffee Cake – This is the best Apple Coffee Cake recipe you’ll find. Enjoy as an indulgent breakfast treat or an any-time snack or dessert!
- Salted Chocolate Caramel Apples – Sprinkling of sea salt and a bit of chocolate turns Caramel Apples into an extravagant dessert.. Salted Chocolate Caramel Apples!
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Best Apple Cider Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 12 cups water
- Juice from 1/2 of a lemon
- 12 apples quartered (use a variety of tart and sweet for a more complex flavor)
- 1 orange quartered
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar
- 3 cinnamon sticks
- 2 tsp whole cloves
- 2 tsp whole allspice
- 1 whole nutmeg
Instructions
- Add the water and lemon juice to a 6-quart slow cooker. Add the quartered apples as you cut them, as well as the orange, brown sugar, cinnamon sticks, cloves, allspice and nutmeg. Stir and cover.
- Cook on LOW heat for 8-15 hours. The longer it cooks, the more flavorful it will be. Using a potato masher, mash the contents in the slow cooker. Let cool.
- Ladle contents of the slow cooker into a large bowl, pouring everything through a fine-mesh strainer. Discard the solids and pour the cider into quart-size mason jars or a large pitcher. Keep refrigerated until ready to serve. Warm before serving or enjoy chilled!
Notes
- I let my first batch cook for 8 hours and my second for 15. I thought the second batch produced a cider that was bolder with more of a kick. Both were sooo good.
- This step isn’t necessary, but it adds a touch of somethin’-somethin’, in my opinion. After I turned my slow cooker off, I mashed everything up with a potato masher and then waited until the mixture had completely cooled. Whether you mash or not, be sure to strain the cider using a fine-mesh strainer. Discard the solids.
- Enjoy the nectar that is left behind! This is a super easy recipe that you can prepare for your family each fall. We all have different preferences in our house, but all of us agreed that this is the BEST cider we’ve ever had. And totally homemade for the double win.
I made this and it tasted pretty good, but had a slightly weird taste. Now I am reading your recipe again and see in the beginning you say to peel the orange. But the photos show the orange in the pot with the peel and you do not mentioning peeling the orange in the recipe card. Could this be the issue for me? Also, are you supposed to core the apples? Thanks!
Hi Stephanie, I have updated the recipe because you do not need to remove the peels unless you choose to from the orange. No apple coring necessary! Everything gets pushed through a strainer anyway. Depending on how fresh the fruit was, or any bruising, the age of the spice, you can experience variations of flavors. I’ve made this drink many times and it’s always been a hit. Thank you for asking.
Looks like liquid gold! I love Apple Cider, but as a diabetic, it’s so difficult to "sip just one"! I appreciate that you recognized that by using less sugar. Can’t wait to try this when the new crop of apples are ready for picking as my cousin owns an orchard here in Central PA with lots of varieties to choose from. You’d love it! They are always looking for customers to share apple recipes and this would be my first one along with the Pork Loin. I promise, promise, promise I will give you ALL of the credit! I hope you’ll consider a savory cookbook as a companion to Cookie Remix.
I can understand about the diabetic issue. I know people who also have to consider that and sometimes it’s hard to limit yourself. That’s really cool that you have access to an orchard for all those yummy apples! I love cooking with apples – they are great in a lot of recipes.
Another cookbook would be fun! I have lots of ideas! 😉