I grew up drinking apple cider and homemade wassail (a spiced cider/tea with citrus) around the holidays, so when I had kids of my own I wanted to come up with my own apple cider recipe to keep the tradition going. Plus, given the cost of a gallon of organic apple cider, I thought I could save some money making it at home for my brood.
Most recipes online called for huge amounts of apples (even too much for us) and required canning and special equipment. I wanted to find a way to make a batch without canning since we would probably want to drink it that same day.
I immediately thought of making cider in the Crock-Pot. I loved the idea of the smell of baking apples filling the house all day while it cooked. They say smells trigger emotions and memories in the brain, and I believe it! Hot apple cider does that for me.
It’s easy to make too!
5-Minute Apple Cider Recipe (from Scratch)
We usually also make fresh applesauce when apples are in season in the fall, so the first time I tried making this we had a mixture of different organic apples in the house. I used Fiji, Honeycrisp, and Gala, but any apples would work. I didn’t have to add any sweetener because those varieties were naturally sweet. If you use more sour apples, add a little honey, maple syrup, or coconut sugar to the final product.
I was pleased with the hands-on time for this recipe. It took about 5 minutes to wash, peel, and cut 10 apples. (My kids are pretty good with knives in the kitchen thanks to this class so that helps!)
After prep it’s really just a matter of waiting and taking in the heavenly smell of baking apples and spices as they cook down. All that’s left is to strain and serve!
We like cider best served warm, but we refrigerate the leftovers (when there are any) in a stainless steel pitcher and it’s wonderful cold as well.
Make This Apple Cider Recipe Even Better … with Butter!
Every heard of butter in your coffee? On special occasions (and when it’s cold enough outside) we’ve also made this into grown-up cider with this Hot Buttered Rum recipe from Mommypotamus. (It does seem to be true that butter makes everything better!)
If you haven’t ever had cider this way, I seriously urge you to try it … it’s amazing! Cider, maple syrup, a touch of butter, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and a dash of rum!
Now it’s a tradition we happily keep and serve for company during any holiday gathering.
How to Serve Apple Cider … the Wellness Mama Way
Granted, this apple cider isn’t exactly a health recipe as it does contain about 30 grams of sugar per cup. (If you need that, check out this immune-boosting Fire Cider or Apple Cider Vinegar recipe.)
In typical healthy mom fashion, I serve this in smaller cups. I’ve even been known to stir in a few tablespoons of gelatin or collagen for an extra boost of protein to help my kids ride out the sugar rush. (They’ll never know as long as you serve it hot … let it get cold and they might notice!)
Put this apple cider recipe in the slow cooker in the morning and have it ready for a cozy night around the fireplace with the family. Or, keep it warm in the slow cooker for guests at a fall party.
On the flip side, make this at night before bed and cook on low in the slow cooker so it is ready for breakfast (on Christmas perhaps!). Bonus: your house will smell amazing all day!
Hot Apple Cider Recipe
Servings
Ingredients
- 10 fresh apples
- 1 orange
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- a dash of ground nutmeg
- a dash of ground cloves or 4 whole cloves
- 1 gallon filtered water
Instructions
- Wash apples and peel if they aren't organic.
- Cut into slices and place in slow cooker.
- Wash orange, cut into 8 slices, and add to slow-cooker.
- Add spices.
- Pour water into the slow cooker and turn on low for about 6-8 hours. See notes for 1-hour Instant Pot option! I use my Instant Pot on the slow cooker option since I prefer to make this before bed and have it ready (and the house smelling incredible) for breakfast.
- Strain out apples, orange, and spices using cheesecloth or a fine mesh strainer and serve.
Nutrition
Notes
- Add all ingredients to pot.
- Fill with water to just below max fill line.
- Set to 1 hour on high pressure.
- Allow natural release and strain.
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Which drinks are a family tradition at your house?
I followed this exactly. I used red delicious, honey crisp & honey bee apples. It was horrible. Tasted super watered down & bland. I could taste the spices. The apple barely came through. I added a bit more spices. It didn’t help. It needs more apple flavors. As it cooled down it tasted a bit better, but still no apple flavor.
Mine is same way. I just made it and tried it, terrible.
I’m curious as to why you add an orange. Also seems a shame to throw away all of the nutrient dense apple.
This was pretty gross. I even cut the orange in half because I read that could make it more bitter. It was bitter even after adding sugar. Super bummed. The house smelled nice though! No one finished their cup, all got dumped. 🙁
I wouldn’t call this “cider” , it is more a “kompot” without leaving the cooked fruits inside. It looks good anyway, I may try it after I make real Apple cider. Cheers!
I’m excited to try this! Regarding the orange, should it be peeled or cook with the rind?
Could you please tell me, how long will the crock-pot apple cider last in the fridge for?
I was really disappointed with this recipe, it is not correct at all. There is far too much water, I only used a quarter of what the recipe stated and I was left with a watery bland soup. I would also recommend not putting an entire orange in as the pith is what makes this recipe bitter. I removed the orange zest with a peeler and took off any remaining pith and put this into the cider then juiced the orange.
Great idea to make in a slow cooker though