Print

Slow Cooker Spiced Apple Cider: Best Easy Homemade Recipe

slow cooker spiced apple cider - featured image
Print Recipe

This slow cooker spiced apple cider is the ultimate hands-off recipe for fall and winter. Simply toss apple juice, orange slices, and whole spices into your slow cooker and let it simmer for hours, filling your home with an irresistible aroma and delivering a perfectly balanced, soul-soothing warm drink.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 gallon (3.8 liters) apple juice or apple cider
  • 1 large orange, sliced into rounds
  • 4–5 cinnamon sticks
  • 1 tablespoon whole cloves
  • 2–3 star anise pods (optional)
  • 1 teaspoon whole allspice berries
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
  • 2–3 tablespoons maple syrup or honey, to taste (optional)
  • Apple slices for garnish (optional)
  • Fresh rosemary sprigs for garnish (optional)
  • Extra cinnamon sticks for garnish (optional)

Instructions

  1. Prep your ingredients (5 minutes): Wash your orange thoroughly and slice it into rounds about 1/4-inch thick. Don’t peel it. If using a cheesecloth bundle, place the cloves, allspice berries, and star anise in the center of a square of cheesecloth, gather the edges, and tie it closed with kitchen twine.
  2. Layer everything in the slow cooker (2 minutes): Pour the entire gallon of apple juice or cider into your slow cooker. Drop in the cinnamon sticks, the spice bundle (or loose spices), and the orange slices. Give everything a gentle stir.
  3. Set it and forget it (3-4 hours): Put the lid on your slow cooker and set it to LOW. Let it cook for 3-4 hours until the color deepens to a rich amber and your house smells aromatic.
  4. Taste and adjust (1 minute): After 3 hours, taste the cider. Add maple syrup or honey a tablespoon at a time if you want more sweetness, or let it cook longer for more spice.
  5. Strain and serve (2 minutes): If you used a spice bundle, lift it out and discard. Use a slotted spoon to remove the orange slices and cinnamon sticks (or leave cinnamon sticks in for presentation). If you used loose spices, strain the cider through a fine-mesh sieve into a pitcher.
  6. Keep warm and serve: Switch your slow cooker to the WARM setting. Ladle into mugs and garnish with apple slices, cinnamon sticks, or rosemary sprigs if desired.

Notes

Don’t boil the cider; low and slow is key. Whole spices are non-negotiable for clear, aromatic cider. Taste as you go and adjust spices. For a party, use a cheesecloth bundle for easy removal. Leftover cider keeps in the refrigerator for up to 5 days and can be frozen for up to 3 months.

Nutrition

Keywords: slow cooker spiced apple cider, homemade apple cider, easy apple cider recipe, fall drink, winter drink, slow cooker drink, spiced cider

Find it online: https://spoonluma.com/slow-cooker-spiced-apple-cider-best-easy-homemade-recipe/