Slow Cooker Apple Cider From Scratch
My slow cooker apple cider is super simple to make at home! No cinnamon sticks or expensive whole spices needed. Just a few apples, water, lemon juice, ground cinnamon, and raw honey. There are zero processed sugars added! My husband and I love it just as much, if not more than store-bought. I hope this recipe finds a special place on your table this fall!
This post may contain affiliate links of items I know and love. Read our disclosure policy for more information. I NEVER use AI (artificial intelligence) to create content for Plum Branch Home. Recipes, blog posts, photos, videos, podcasts, social media content: everything is made from scratch by me, Molly LaFontaine. After developing my recipes, they’re tested 2x by my husband, Tyler, and I before publishing. What you see from Plum Branch Home is real. It’s made for a reason, tested, and loved!
There’s something about sipping hot apple cider on a cool fall day. Maybe it marks the true beginning of fall, or the familiar flavors bring back memories. Either way, apple cider sure makes fall feel a little more special! I’m so excited to share my recipe with you!
Inspiration Behind My Slow Cooker Apple Cider Recipe
I love apple cider! I’ll pick warm cider over anything pumpkin spice any day. When I was growing up, my mom started a tradition of going apple picking in the fall.
My brother and I loved it! We would throw on a sweatshirt, grab a bottle of water, and hit the road. As soon as we got there, the festivities began. We’d go from tree to tree picking, eating, and stuffing apples into bags until the sides were bulging.
After picking as many apples as we could, we’d stop by the farm store to pay and pick up a gallon of cider. I could never wait to get home, heat up a mug, and enjoy the sweet taste of cider! It was my favorite part of fall!
Every year, those cherished memories stored in my heart come to the surface when the days cool down. So when I started planning my fall recipe schedule for the blog, I knew I had to develop one for cider!
Why We Love This Cider and So Will You!
- Budget-Friendly: Cider from a local orchard can be so expensive, but buying a single cup at a cafe is even worse. By making this cider at home, you save money.
- Wholesome Ingredients: Each ingredient is wholesome, with no processed sugars added.
- Easy to Make: The steps are simple and easy to follow!
- Makes the House Smell Amazing: While the cider cooks in the slow cooker, it makes your house smell so good!
- Fun Fall Tradition: Making cider at home takes a good part of the day, so it can easily become a fun tradition you can do with your loved ones!
My Tips for Making Apple Cider at Home
- Choose ripe apples with lots of flavor. I love using Pink Lady apples.
- I don’t recommend using sour apples like Granny Smith.
- Use a potato smasher for the best results when smashing the cooked apples.
- Don’t skip the second round of cooking. It adds so much flavor to the cider.
The Best Apples for Slow Cooker Cider
I recommend using ripe, sweet-tart apples. Good examples are Pink Lady apples (my favorite!), Honeycrisp, Braeburn, Golden Delicious, and even McIntosh apples. I do not recommend Granny Smith. They’re too tart.
Ingredients You’ll Need (with notes and substitutions)
Note: Please see the recipe card at the bottom of this blog post for measurements.
- apples: make sure you use a ripe, sweet, slightly tart apple
- ground cinnamon: you can also use cinnamon sticks if you prefer
- raw honey: this gives the cider a delicious perfectly sweetened taste
- lemon juice: you can use orange juice instead from a fresh orange
- water: I recommend using filtered water
Helpful Kitchen Tools for this Recipe
This section contains Amazon affiliate links to items I use and love for this recipe.
How to Make Apple Cider in a Slow Cooker
Note: Please see the recipe card at the bottom of this blog post for the full written recipe.
Rinse apples under running water and pat dry with a kitchen towel.
Core and slice each apple into 12 pieces, leave peels on.
Place apple slices into slow cooker along with cinnamon, honey, and lemon juice.
Fill slow cooker with water just until apples begin to float (about 6-8 cups). Stir to combine.
Add lid and cook on HIGH for 4 hours or LOW for 7-8 hours. Don’t open the lid during cooking.
When apples finish cooking, use a potato masher or a fork to mash cooked apples very well in slow cooker. This is what gives the cider flavor.
Recover slow cooker with lid and cook for an additional 2 hours on HIGH or 4 hours on LOW. This helps bring more flavor out of the apples.
Once finished, strain cider with a fine mesh strainer into a bowl or pitcher. Pressing the mashed apples down into the strainer to extract more flavor. Be sure to do this carefully so the apple pieces don’t go through.
Serve right away, let cool on the counter before refrigerating, or place back in slow cooker to keep warm. Enjoy!
Our Favorite Ways to Serve Crockpot Apple Cider
You can serve apple cider warm (my favorite way) or cold (my husband’s favorite way). Both are delicious! You can also add a cinnamon stick, a sprinkle of ground cinnamon or nutmeg, or a drizzle of caramel sauce over the top.
Storage Instructions
Store completely cooled cider in a glass bowl or pitcher, covered or uncovered. It’ll last about 5 days in the fridge.
Freezing and Thawing Instructions
You can freeze apple cider by storing it in glass, freezer-safe jars. Just make sure you don’t fill them all the way full or else they may burst in the freezer. Leave a few inches from the top if your jar doesn’t have a “freezer line”. It can be frozen up to 3 months.
To thaw, simply place the frozen cider in the fridge overnight.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! For full instructions, see the Freezing and Thawing section above.
You can add oranges and whole spices like cinnamon sticks, allspice, clove and even nutmeg.
Sure, just swap the ground cinnamon for cinnamon sticks.
Of course! It’ll last in the fridge for up to 5 days and in the freezer for 3 months.
More Cozy Fall Drink Recipes
If you’re looking for more cozy drinks made from scratch this fall, try a few of these:
- Spiced Hot Chocolate From Scratch
- Peanut Butter Hot Chocolate From Scratch
- Simple Vanilla Latte From Scratch
- Coconut Hot Chocolate From Scratch
- Chai Tea Latte Recipe With Tea Bag
If you made this recipe, give it a 5-star rating below and share a photo on your social media stories! Be sure to tag @plumbranchhome
Recipe
Slow Cooker Apple Cider From Scratch
Ingredients
- 8 medium-sized apples (my favorite are organic pink lady apples)
- 1 1/2 Tbsp ground cinnamon
- 1/3 cup raw honey
- 1 1/2 tsp lemon juice
- water
Instructions
- Rinse apples under running water and pat dry with a kitchen towel.
- Core and slice each apple into 12 pieces, leave peels on.
- Place apple slices into slow cooker along with cinnamon, honey, and lemon juice.
- Fill slow cooker with water just until apples begin to float (about 6-8 cups). Stir to combine.
- Add lid and cook on HIGH for 4 hours or LOW for 7-8 hours. Don't open the lid during cooking.
- When apples finish cooking, use a potato masher or a fork to mash cooked apples very well in slow cooker. This is what gives the cider flavor.
- Recover slow cooker with lid and cook for an additional 2 hours on HIGH or 4 hours on LOW. This helps bring more flavor out of the apples.
- Once finished, strain cider with a fine mesh strainer into a bowl or pitcher. Pressing the mashed apples down into the strainer to extract more flavor. Be sure to do this carefully so the apple pieces don't go through.
- Serve right away, let cool on the counter before refrigerating, or place back in slow cooker to keep warm. Enjoy!