Crockpot Apple Cider Recipe

Homemade Crockpot Apple Cider Recipe slow-cooked with fresh fruit and spices. Perfect for cozy nights during the Autumn season.

With a delicious medley of apples, oranges, and cranberries this Crockpot Apple Cider is a delicious autumn treat with the addition of nutmeg, cloves, and allspice.

This apple cider recipe is perfect for cool Fall evenings and great for Halloween parties.

Ingredients in Homemade Apple Cider

• Water
• Whole cloves
• Whole allspice
• Ground nutmeg
• Whole star anise
• Honey
• Orange
• Cranberries, fresh or frozen
• Apples
• Cinnamon sticks, 2 inches in length

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How to Make This Homemade Apple Cider Recipe

Add water to the crockpot – Pour the water to the crockpot.

Wash the fruit – Wash your apples, orange, and cranberries (if using fresh ones).

Slice the fruit – Cut the apples vertically from the bottom to the top. Remove seeds that you come across as you cut. Remove stem if possible. Cut the orange vertically into round slices as well.

Add the spices to the slow cooker – Add your spices and cinnamon sticks to the crockpot.

Add the fruit to the crockpot – Add the apples and orange slices to the crockpot. Add the cranberries to the crockpot.

Slow Cook for 8 hours – Turn the crockpot on high-heat and let it cook for 8 hours.

Strain the homemade apple cider – Once the time is up, use a wire mesh strainer to scoop out the spices, apples, and oranges.

Hold the wire mesh strainer over the crockpot and use a spoon or potato masher on each scoop to press the apples and orange into the wire mesh strainer to push the liquid back into the crockpot.

Discard the fruit – Discard the apple, spice, and orange pulp from each scoop once most of the liquid has been released. This will take 3-4 scoops and multiple presses depending on the size of your strainer.

Serve and enjoy! – Serve straight from the crockpot into mugs.

Garnish with cinnamon sticks, cranberries, more apple slices, and star anise.

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Frequently Asked Questions and Tips:

How should I store Homemade Apple Cider?

This can be stored in the fridge for 3-4 days. You can freeze this for 4-6 months as well. To store without any pulp remnants, it is best once you get towards the bottom of the crockpot to pour the liquid through a strainer into the storing vessel.

Is it necessary to strain all the fruit and spices out of the Apple Cider?

Yes, without straining and pressing the fruit you will have much less apple flavor.

Tip: A fine mesh food strainer is ideal to remove the pulp from the apple cider.

Can I use something other than honey as a sweetener?

Yes, you can use brown sugar. I have not tested any other sweeteners but believe that agave or maple syrup may work as well.

Can I cook this for a shorter amount of time?

Yes, but the flavor will be less intense. I would not cook this for less than 6 hours. If you do decide to cook for less time, consider heating your water before adding it to the crockpot to speed up the cooking process.

Can I use all ground spices?

It is not recommended to use ground allspice, cinnamon, and cloves. This will change the flavor of your cider drastically.

I only have 8 apples. Will this still turn out ok?

Yes, but I would reduce the water you add by 1-2 cups to concentrate the flavor a bit more.

Can I Apple Cider on the stove as well?

Yes, it would work on the stove as well. You would cook it on medium-high heat, for about 4-6 hours. It is important to not boil the liquid and try to mimic the crockpot level of heat throughout cooking.

What tools do I need to make Crockpot Apple Cider?

Crockpot

Cutting board

Knife

Strainer

Measuring cups/spoons

Masher

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