Description
This easy homemade apple cider recipe captures autumn in a mug with fresh apples, citrus, and warming spices. Slow-simmered to perfection, it delivers comforting flavor, cozy aromas, and superior nutrition compared to store-bought cider.
Ingredients
Scale
- 10–12 large apples (mix of Gala, Honeycrisp, Granny Smith, Fuji)
- 2–3 oranges or tangerines, peeled and segmented
- 4 cinnamon sticks
- 2 teaspoons whole cloves
- 1 teaspoon ground allspice
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ cup brown sugar (or honey, maple syrup, stevia)
- 2–3 quarts water (to cover fruit by 2 inches)
Instructions
- Wash apples and citrus thoroughly. Core and quarter apples, keeping peels. Peel oranges and separate into segments.
- Mix cinnamon sticks, cloves, allspice, and nutmeg in a bowl.
- Place fruit and spices in a large stockpot. Add water until 2 inches above fruit.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce to simmer for 2 hours, covered.
- Mash softened fruit with a potato masher to release juices.
- Simmer 1 additional hour, covered.
- Strain mixture through cheesecloth or fine mesh sieve, pressing solids.
- Return strained cider to pot, stir in brown sugar until dissolved. Adjust sweetness to taste. Keep warm until serving.
Notes
Use a mix of sweet and tart apples for best complexity. Always strain twice for clarity. Add sugar at the end to prevent oversweetening.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 3 hours
- Category: Beverage
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 8 oz
- Calories: 130
- Sugar: 30g
- Sodium: 10mg
- Fat: 0g
- Saturated Fat: 0g
- Unsaturated Fat: 0g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 32g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 0g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
Keywords: easy homemade apple cider, fall drink, spiced apple cider, autumn comfort drink