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!
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!
Notes
If your apple cider doesn't have much flavor it could be the type of apple you are using. Each batch of cider will be different even if you use the same variety of apple. It all depends on each individual apple's acidity and makeup.
If you'd like more spice or sweetness you can add a little extra raw honey and/or ground cinnamon to taste.
Please see blog post for all kinds of helpful tips and storage information.
This recipe was developed from scratch in my kitchen by me, Molly LaFontaine, and tested many times by my husband and me to ensure success. Just like all of my recipes on Plum Branch Home. They’re created with purpose, cherished in our own home, and developed with my experiences, trial and error, and skills. NEVER AI (artificial intelligence).
Did you make this recipe?
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