Cozy Slow Cooker Spiced Apple Cider: Easy Homemade Recipe
This cozy slow cooker spiced apple cider is the laziest way to make apple cider from scratch. Chop, toss, press start, and enjoy a warm, sweet, tangy, and spiced drink that fills your home with autumn aromas.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 6-8 hours (LOW) or 3-4 hours (HIGH)
- Total Time: 6 hours 10 minutes to 8 hours 10 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
- Category: Beverage
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
- 6–8 medium apples (mixed varieties like Honeycrisp, Fuji, and Granny Smith)
- 2 medium oranges (1 sliced, 1 juiced)
- 4–5 cinnamon sticks
- 1 tablespoon whole cloves
- 3–4 star anise pods
- 2-inch piece fresh ginger (peeled and sliced into coins)
- ¼ cup maple syrup or brown sugar (optional)
- 6–8 cups water
Instructions
- Wash the apples thoroughly. Cut them into rough chunks (quarters or eighths). Do not remove cores or seeds. Slice one orange into rounds and juice the second orange.
- Place the cinnamon sticks, whole cloves, star anise pods, and sliced ginger at the bottom of the slow cooker.
- Pile the apple chunks and orange slices on top of the spices. Pour in the fresh orange juice.
- Pour in 6 cups of water (or enough to just cover the fruit). Add maple syrup or brown sugar if using. Stir gently to combine.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 6-8 hours or on HIGH for 3-4 hours.
- Around hour 5, taste the cider. The apples should be soft and the liquid deeply colored and fragrant.
- Using a potato masher or the back of a wooden spoon, gently mash the apples and oranges against the sides of the slow cooker to release more flavor.
- Place a fine-mesh strainer over a large bowl or pitcher. Carefully ladle the cider through the strainer, discarding the solids. For clearer cider, line the strainer with cheesecloth.
- Taste and adjust sweetness if needed. Add a pinch of salt or a squeeze of lemon if desired.
- Transfer the strained cider back to the slow cooker to keep warm. Ladle into mugs and garnish with a fresh cinnamon stick or orange slice.
Notes
Don’t overcrowd the slow cooker; use 6-8 medium apples for a 6-quart cooker. Whole spices are preferred over ground for clearer cider. For best flavor, cook on LOW. Once done, keep on WARM to avoid bitterness. Cider can be refrigerated for up to 5 days or frozen for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 8 ounces
- Calories: 85110
- Sugar: 18
- Sodium: 5
- Carbohydrates: 22
Keywords: slow cooker apple cider, spiced apple cider, homemade apple cider, fall drink, cozy beverage, slow cooker recipe