Homemade Apple Cider

Hot chocolate has its moment during the winter months, but when the leaves start to change and there’s a slight chill in the air, homemade apple cider is the must-have fall drink I’m reaching for. This easy homemade recipe is filled with warming spices and just enough sweetness, making it the ideal drink to have on the back burner when you’re hosting guests for Thanksgiving or any fall bash. If you’ve never made apple cider at home before, now is the time to start: it’s easy to make, versatile based on what you have on hand, and is the perfect way to use up all of those extra apples when you just can’t bake another apple pie.

What People Are Saying:
“Easy to put together, smelled amazing while simmering, and turned out delightful. Not a single complaint! I loved it and will definitely make it again soon. Thanks!” - evenbecause

How To Make Apple Cider

INGREDIENTS

• Apples: You can use whatever apples you want to make this apple cider: your favorite type of apple, or whatever you happen to have on hand. Pro tip, though: the stronger flavored apples (such as Granny Smith and Honeycrisp) will give your cider a stronger flavor.
• Orange: 1 half of an orange will add a sweet citrus flavor to the cider that it just isn’t complete without.
• Spices: Cinnamon sticks, whole cloves, whole allspice, and whole nutmeg all combine to create a warming, spiced flavor in this apple cider. Don’t worry about the spices being whole—we’ll strain them out before serving.
• Brown Sugar: Brown sugar adds a slight molasses flavor to the apple cider that makes it perfect for fall.

STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS

Grab a large stockpot, and place it over medium heat. This recipe will make a fair amount, so make sure to choose a large pot, or split the ingredients between two pots so that your cider doesn’t boil over. Add your previously quartered apples, orange, spices, and brown sugar to the pot, and cover with water by at least 2”. Bring the mixture to a boil, then once boiling, reduce the heat and let simmer while covered for around 2 hours.

After 2 hours, remove the orange halves, then grab a potato masher or wooden spoon. Mash the apples, then return the mixture to a simmer and let simmer, now uncovered, for around 1 more hour. Though it might feel weird to smash the apples after they’ve been cooking for 2 hours, this step is very important—don’t skip it. This will help you extract maximum apple flavor. Use a potato masher if you have one, or do the best you can with a large wooden spoon.

After another hour, strain the mixture through a fine mesh strainer to get rid of all of the whole spices and unwanted solids. While straining, press on the solids with a wooden spoon to squeeze all of the wonderful juices out. Then, you can discard the solids.

After the solids have been discarded, it’s time to serve the cider! Serve it warm from the pot, and with a cinnamon stick for garnish if you’re feeling fancy.

Full list of ingredients & instructions can be found in the recipe below.

Recipe Tips

• Do I need to peel my apples? Absolutely not. Honestly, your cider will have a lot more flavor if you leave the peels on. There’s tons of great apple flavor hiding in the skins. Don’t worry—you’ll strain everything through a fine mesh strainer at the end, which will catch all the solids (including the spices). Be sure to have a ladle on hand to help with this; there will be a lot of liquid!
• Serving a crowd? As long as you’ve got the space, this cider is easy to double (or cut in half!) based on the amount of people you’re serving.
• Can I add anything? Once you’ve made this recipe, you can use it as a jumping off point to make your ideal apple cider. Feel free to adjust the spices to taste, add some bourbon or whiskey for a spiked apple cider, or add in some ginger for an extra kick.

Storage

Apple cider will stay good in your refrigerator for 2 weeks. Be sure to let it cool down completely before storing in an airtight container and popping it in the refrigerator.