Description
A warm and comforting homemade hot apple cider made with a blend of fresh apples, oranges, warming spices, and sweetened with maple syrup or brown sugar. Perfect for chilly days or holiday gatherings, this cider simmers slowly on the stovetop to develop rich, deep flavors and can be enjoyed warm or chilled.
Ingredients
Scale
Fruit
- 10 to 12 medium apples, quartered with peels and seeds (a mix like Granny Smith, Fuji, Honeycrisp, Gala)
- 2 large oranges, peeled and quartered
Spices
- 4 cinnamon sticks (3-4 inch each)
- 1 tablespoon whole cloves
- 1 inch fresh ginger, peeled
- Optional spices: 1 star anise, 1 whole nutmeg (or ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg), 1 teaspoon allspice berries, 5 whole black peppercorns
Liquids and Sweetener
- 1 gallon (16 cups) water
- ½ cup pure maple syrup or packed brown sugar (or half of each)
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- Add ingredients to pot: Place the quartered apples, peeled and quartered oranges, cinnamon sticks, peeled ginger, whole cloves, and any optional spices into a very large stockpot. A 12-quart pot is ideal, but a smaller pot can be used.
- Add water: Pour in the full gallon of water if the pot is large enough, otherwise fill the pot leaving 1 ½ to 2 inches of space at the top for simmering. The remaining water can be added later.
- Simmer: Cover the pot and bring the water to a rapid simmer over high heat. Once simmering vigorously, reduce the heat to low and let it simmer, covered, for 2 to 2 ½ hours until the fruit is very soft.
- Mash: Use a potato masher or wooden spoon to mash the softened fruit against the sides of the pot to release more flavor and juice.
- Simmer again: Continue simmering the mixture uncovered for an additional 1 hour.
- Strain: Place a fine mesh strainer over a large bowl and ladle the cider through the strainer in batches. Press the solids to extract as much liquid as possible. Discard the solids.
- Add sweetener: Return the strained cider to the pot. Add any remaining water if you did not use the full gallon initially. Stir in maple syrup and/or brown sugar and vanilla extract until combined.
- Adjust to taste: Taste the cider and adjust sweetness adding 1 tablespoon of sweetener at a time as preferred. Optionally, season with ground cinnamon, ground ginger, ground cloves, or ground nutmeg in small pinches to enhance flavor.
- Serve: Serve the hot apple cider warm or refrigerate and serve chilled. Enjoy with your favorite garnishes or spiced additions as desired.
Notes
- The oranges should be peeled before adding to the pot to reduce bitterness, even though some photos show unpeeled oranges.
- For slow cooker preparation, add all ingredients to a large slow cooker and cook on low for 6-7 hours or on high for 3 hours, with low and slow being preferred.
- Store leftover cider in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
- To freeze, use an airtight freezer-safe container, leaving ¾ inch space to allow for expansion. Freeze up to 3 months and thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
- Experiment with additional spices or garnish options for variations and personal preferences.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 120 kcal
- Sugar: 24 g
- Sodium: 5 mg
- Fat: 0 g
- Saturated Fat: 0 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 0 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 0 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
