Homemade Apple Cider Recipe Natashaskitchen Com

You can use any variety of apples and you’ll love the warm blend of spices and natural sweetness from the apples and brown sugar. This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy.

Apple Cider Recipe

Whether you’re looking for an alternative to Hot Chocolate to warm you up on a chilly day, or you’re trying to use up all of the apples that you picked at a local farm without having to eat your weight in Apple Pie, Caramel Apples, or Apple Turnovers, you are going to love this spiced cider recipe. Hot Apple Cider is so soothing during the cooler months, it warms your entire body with every sip. The irresistible aroma while it simmers on the stove is better than any fancy candle you can buy- the scent will greet and comfort your guests as soon as they step into your home. This recipe is simple to make, you don’t even need to peel your apples. Just chop, simmer, strain, and serve. We often serve special drinks like our Cranberry Punch, or Sherbet Punch when we host parties, and this Cider is the perfect addition to your Fall holiday celebrations.

Ingredients for Apple Cider

Apples – 8-10 medium (or 4 lbs.), any variety or combination Orange – adds citrus flavor notes to the sweet cider, peel for a less tart cider Cinnamon – 3 medium or 4 small cinnamon sticks Whole cloves – use 2 tsp whole or 1/2 tsp ground cloves Nutmeg – 1 whole nutmeg, or just a pinch of ground nutmeg Brown Sugar – adds comforting sweetness Water – add enough water to cover your apples and watch it turn to amber brown as the flavors infuse into the water

The Best Apples to Use for Cider

We love using a variety of apples for homemade cider, they can even be imperfect- they’re going to be simmered and mashed to a pulp, so this is not an apple beauty contest. If you have a local apple farm, many will give a discount for the apples that have already fallen off of the trees, which are perfect for cider making- just be sure to give them a good rinse. You can replace the water with store-bought cider. Reduce the apples down to one or two. Since store-bought cider typically already has sugar added, be sure to only add sugar to taste if needed. For the best apple cider, we like to use a mixture of sweet and tart apples. Use a combination of the varieties below:

Sweet apple varieties

Pink Lady Honeycrisp Fuji Golden Delicious Gala

Tart apple varieties

Granny Smith MacIntosh Cortland

How to Make Apple Cider

Chop – Core and roughly chop your fruit, no need to peel. We used this apple slicer to make the coring and cutting job even easier. Fill Your Pot – Add fruit, spices, sugar, and water to your pot. Be sure the water covers the fruit. Boil – Bring the pot to a boil then reduce heat and lightly boil uncovered for 1 hour. Reduce heat to medium/low heat, cover, and simmer for 2 hours. Strain – Strain your cider through a fine mesh strainer or through a cheesecloth placed over a regular colander, into a punch bowl, pot, or slow cooker. Be sure to catch all of the solid ingredients. Squeeze to extract as much juice as possible. Serve – Garnish with fresh fruit and serve. Cheers! (See more serving variations below)

How to Serve Spiced Apple Cider

We love to serve this cider warm in clear glass mugs and garnish with:

Fresh apple slices – cut thin, add 1 or 2 slices per mug Fresh orange slices – for a pop of color and aromatic flavor Cinnamon sticks – use 1 small stick per mug for extra infused flavor and a picture-perfect mug of apple cider Caramel Cream – serve warm with whipped cream and a drizzle of caramel sauce on top Sparking Apple Cider – serve cold with sparking water or club soda for a bubbly treat Apple Cider Ice Cream Float – add one scoop of ice cream and a drizzle of caramel sauce on top