Slow Cooker Apple Cider
Make a delicious Slow Cooker Apple Cider this fall and winter to keep you warm and cozy all season long! Simply add your ingredients to the crockpot and let them cook away!
Servings: 12
Calories: 77kcal
Equipment
- 1 gallon glass jug
- large heat-safe bowl
- fine mesh strainer
- cheesecloth optional
Ingredients
- 8 large apples *see notes
- 2 oranges
- 4 cinnamon sticks
- 1 teaspoon whole cloves
- 1 teaspoon allspice berries
- 1 whole nutmeg
- 1 star anise optional
- 12 cups water
Instructions
- Wash the apples and oranges and cut into halves or quarters, leaving the skins on. Discard the apple cores.
- Put the oranges and apples in the slow cooker. Add the whole spices (star anise, cloves, nutmeg, cinnamon sticks, allspice berries). Pour in water and cover.
- Set the slow cooker to low for 6 hours or high for 3 hours. When done, remove the lid and use a potato masher to press down on the apples and oranges to release more flavor into the liquid.
- Place a fine mesh strainer over a large heat-safe bowl. You can also place a cheesecloth over the strainer to catch as many fruit solids and spice residue as possible. Carefully ladle out the contents of the slow cooker into the strainer. Allow the liquid to drain fully into the bowl, then discard the solids. Repeat until all solids are discarded. *If adding sweetener, add it to the hot cider after straining out the solids.
- Transfer the hot cider into a glass or heat-safe gallon jug. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Notes
Apples: the variety of apples you use depends on if you want a sweet cider or a tart cider. For sweet ciders, stick with Gala, Fuji, Honeycrisp, Golden Delicious or Red Delicious apples. For a more tart cider, opt for Pink Lady, McIntosh, Jonathan, Braeburn or Granny Smith apples. Feel free to use a combination of apples or a combination of sweet and tart apples to make a sharp sweet-tart cider.
Sweetener: this recipe is very sweet without added sugar, but you can add brown sugar, honey or maple syrup if desired. Add in small ¼ cup increments until your desired level of sweetness has been reached.
Storing: keep in the fridge for up to 10 days or the freezer for about 6 months.
Nutrition
Serving: 8oz | Calories: 77kcal | Carbohydrates: 20g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 0.4g | Saturated Fat: 0.1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.03g | Sodium: 14mg | Potassium: 179mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 15g | Vitamin A: 119IU | Vitamin C: 17mg | Calcium: 33mg | Iron: 0.3mg
