Hot Spiced Apple Cider
Hot spiced apple cider will warm you up this holiday season! This recipe doesn’t just simmer bottled apple cider with spices. I’ll show you how to make apple cider from scratch in your slow cooker. Homemade hot cider doesn’t get fresher than this, and the whole house smells amazing while it simmers for hours.
Every family has their holiday traditions, and so many of mine include cooking and baking. Whether it’s vegan gingerbread men baking in the oven, eggnog in the fridge, or spiced apple cider bubbling away in the crock pot, there will be signs the festive season has arrived in my house. This hot apple cider recipe is loaded with sweet apples and infused with warm spices, made right in the slow cooker so it’s practically hands-free.
Like my spiced mulled wine, it’s cozy, warm, and perfect for putting everyone in the holiday spirit. If you want your house to smell inviting for a fall gathering or Christmas party this season, have this hot spiced apple cider simmering in the kitchen!
What Makes This Hot Apple Cider Recipe Extra Special
- This recipe doesn’t just simmer store-bought cider. This is a simple recipe for real apple cider made from scratch in the slow cooker.
- It’s filled with the coziest flavours and warm, festive spices, including cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves.
- No muss, no fuss, just combine the ingredients and let the slow cooker do the work for you. Once it’s simmered for a few hours, just mash and then strain the juice.
- Save the leftover homemade apple cider for more recipes, like fall sangria or apple cider donuts.
Notes on Ingredients
The beauty of making this hot apple cider from scratch is that you only need 5 key ingredients. Here’s a shopping list for you (see the recipe card below for measurements):
- Apples – I like to use a mix of sweet and tart apples like Gala, Honeycrisp, and Granny Smith when making cider.
- Orange – Remove the rind, as it can make the cider bitter.
- Spices – Whole cloves, nutmeg, pimento seeds, and cinnamon sticks.
- Filtered water – Some tap water has off flavours, so filtered water gives this hot spiced apple cider a purer taste.
- Maple syrup or agave nectar – To sweeten the cider.
How to Make Hot Apple Cider in the Slow Cooker
This crock pot method yields the freshest and best versions of hot chocolate and hot cider I’ve tasted. Here’s what you’ll do.
- Prepare the fruit. Roughly chop the apples and cut the orange into quarters.
- Assemble. Add the fruit to your slow cooker, along with all the spices and filtered water. Stir to combine.
- Cook. Turn your slow cooker on and cook for 7-8 hours on low heat or 4 hours on high heat.
- Mash. One hour before your spiced apple cider is ready, use a potato masher to mash the apples and oranges. Stir in the maple syrup.
- Continue cooking. Allow the cider to cook for another hour.
- Strain. Pour the mixture through a fine mesh sieve or cheesecloth, then serve warm and enjoy.
Use the Leftover Apple Pulp
Instead of discarding the leftover apple mash, turn it into apple butter! Pick out any whole spices, including the cloves. Then, blend the mash in a food processor or blender until smooth. Cook it down in a saucepan over low heat until the apple butter is dark brown and thickened. You can season to taste with ground spices, like cinnamon and nutmeg. Apple butter is delicious spread over toast or pumpkin muffins, or you can add a few spoonfuls to pumpkin pie filling!
Tips for the Best Spiced Apple Cider
- Adjust the sweetness to your liking. If you want the apple cider barely sweet, add ½ cup of maple syrup. If you like it on the sweeter side, but not overly sweet, you can add ¾ cup. The amount will depend on the sweetness of the apples you use, too.
- Double strain the cider. I like to double strain the cider—basically, straining it once and then repeating. Using a cheesecloth will help you get any little bits of spices and apples out.
- Try different spices. Star anise adds a unique flavour to this hot spiced apple cider, or add some slices of fresh ginger root for some extra warmth. Cardamom pods are also lovely for cider.
Serving Hot Apple Cider
If you’re scaling up this hot spiced apple cider for a holiday get-together, turn the slow cooker to the Keep Warm setting and set a ladle and cups or mugs next to the crockpot so guests can serve themselves. If you’d like, spike the apple cider with bourbon or spiced rum.
Hot apple cider goes wonderfully with festive finger foods, like mince pies. I also like serving hot apple cider as an after-dinner treat with slices of vegan coffee cake.
How to Store Leftovers
- Refrigerate. Store any leftover spiced apple cider in a covered bottle or airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
- Reheat. You can reheat it in the microwave or on the stovetop over medium heat.
- To freeze, transfer the cooled apple cider to an airtight container or freezer bag and freeze it for up to 3 months. Let it thaw in the refrigerator, then reheat it according to the instructions above.
More Cozy Drink Recipes
Enjoy friends! If you make this hot apple cider recipe, please snap a photo and tag #jessicainthekitchen on Instagram! We’d also love it if you would leave a comment below and give the recipe a rating! Thanks so much!
Hot Apple Cider
Ingredients
- 10 apples, I used a mix of gala, honey crisp and Granny Smith
- 1 orange, sliced and peel removed
- ½ tablespoon whole cloves
- 1 whole nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon pimento seeds/whole all spice
- 3 cinnamon sticks
- 10 cups of filtered water
- ½ cup maple syrup , or Agave Nectar
Instructions
- Roughly chop the apples, and cut the orange (peel removed) into quarters. Add to your slow cooker along with all the spices and the filtered water. Stir to combine and turn your slow cooker on for 7-8 hours on low heat or 4 hours on high heat.
- One hour before your spiced apple cider is ready, using a potato masher, mash all of the fruits. They should be very soft and easy to mash. Mash until all the fruits are mashed. Add the maple syrup at this point. If you like it barely sweet, you can add the ½ cup. If you like it on the sweeter side, but not overly sweet, you can add ¾ cup. You can always add more later after it's finished and you've tasted it, so you can start with less.
- Allow the cider to cook for the last hour, and then strain. We like to double strain it (strain once, then repeat the process) using a fine meshed sieve, and you can also use a cheesecloth for added precision.
- Serve warm and enjoy! You can freeze this recipe for several months to enjoy all winter long.
Notes
Disclaimer: Although jessicainthekitchen.com attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, kindly note that these are only estimates. Nutritional information may be affected based on the product type, the brand that was purchased, and in other unforeseeable ways. Jessicainthekitchen.com will not be held liable for any loss or damage resulting for your reliance on nutritional information. If you need to follow a specific caloric regimen, please consult your doctor first.
Thankyou for this post!!!!! I had no idea that honey had pesticide in it . . . My family and I consume a lot of honey 🙁 this really opened my eyes about the need to be more careful about what kind of honey we are getting. Will definitely be looking for this brand in our grocery store. This recipe also looks amazing! Can’t wait to try it 🙂
Hi Kaleigh,
You’re so welcome and I am so happy that the post helped to bring this awareness to you and to introduce you to the Wholesome Organic Honey brand!! It also tastes phenomenal and also comes in a raw and unfiltered version too that is also organic, so there’s a lot of variety. I really hope you enjoy this recipe too! It really hit a spot with that warmth on a cold rainy night!! 🙂 Thank you so much for your comment!
Wonderful pictures, I just bought some pears. It is time to try this new recipe for my family. I would use them instead of apples. I will let you know the result after I make it.