Homemade Apple Cider is a crisp, nonalcoholic drink made with fresh apples that can be served hot or cold. If you love the taste of apple cider, be sure to try my Caramel Cake with Apple Cider Whipped Cream.
Homemade Apple Cider
Homemade Apple Cider is the perfect drink for the cool fall and winter months. It is a nonalcoholic beverage that can be enjoyed by all ages. The nice thing about this recipe is that you can use the kinds of apples you prefer, from tart to sweet, or a mix of both (as I did in this recipe). When you make these be sure to save some to use in your Hot Buttered Rum drink and a batch of apple cider muffins!
Homemade Apple Cider Ingredients
Apples: For a more tart cider, choose from apples like Pink Lady, Braeburn, or McIntosh apples. For a sweeter cider, use Gala, Cortland, Golden Delicious, or Fuji apples, just to name a few.
Cinnamon Sticks: I used 4 cinnamon sticks in this recipe. If you don’t have cinnamon sticks, use 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon. (1 stick = 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon)
How to Serve Apple Cider
For hot cider, heat up the cider in a saucepan over low heat. You could also heat it up in the microwave. If you are looking to turn the apple cider into a happy hour drink (alcohol), add rum, sparkling wine, bourbon, scotch, or even cognac. Cheers!
How to Store
Apple Cider can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week.
Homemade Apple Cider
Equipment
- Large stockpot I like this 8-quart stainless steel pot
- Glass serving mugs I use glass coffee mugs!
Ingredients
- 10 medium apples, quartered
- ½ cup (100 g) light brown sugar, packed
- 4 sticks cinnamon, or 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon ground allspice
Instructions
- Place quartered apples in a large stockpot and add enough water so it covers the apples by 2 inches when apples are submerged by pushing them down. (The apples will float.)
- Stir in the brown sugar, cinnamon sticks, and allspice. Bring to a boil and allow to mixture to boil uncovered for an hour.
- After the boiling, cover the pot, reduce heat, and simmer for 2 hours.
- After simmering, let the mixture cool a bit before straining it into a bowl through a cheesecloth, gently pressing down on the solids. Discard solids and drain the liquid one more time through the cheesecloth. (You can also use a fine-mesh sieve to drain.)
Did you make this recipe?
Thank you for making my recipe! You took pictures, right? Well go ahead and post them on Instagram! Be sure to mention me @iambaker and use the hashtag #YouAreBaker.
I live in North Alabama, we have a few apple orchards around. We picked Black Arkansas Apples two years in a row. Made this recipe with them and it was amazing! I did add brown sugar as Black Arkansas apples are tart.
I found this recipe and thought it would be fun to try and make apple cider from scratch. It turned out delicious. I even used the solids by putting them on toast. Almost like apple butter. Tasty! Thank you for sharing.
Would this be good to spritz on a pork butt?
I’m braising a pork butt tonight! You can definitely spritz it. I’m using 2 cups of this cider for mine!
How long would this last in the fridge?
Hi Meggan – Here is what is says in the post above the recipe card:
“How to Store
Apple Cider can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week.”
Can this be canned? If so do you know how that would be done
Can this recipe be done in a crockpot?
Yes, the Homemade Apple Cider recipe can easily be adapted for a crockpot. Simply add all the ingredients (apples, spices, and water) to the slow cooker and cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 3-4 hours. Once the apples are soft and fragrant, mash them, and continue cooking for another 30 minutes. Then, strain out the solids, and you’ll have a delicious, warm apple cider.
Can you make the Apple cider the day before you want to serve it?
Sure
Had some leftover apples and wanted to try this recipe out. Turned out amazing!! And I used the solids to make homemade applesauce. Thank you so much!!