As summer’s warmth fades, and the autumn chill comes on strong, warm beverages take center stage. Having a few cider options in your recipe box is an absolute must whether entertaining or just enjoying a day at home with your family. Hot apple cider begins making its appearance in our house in mid-September and reminds us that the holiday season is nearing.
If you’ve never made apple cider from scratch, you’ll be surprised at how easy it can be … especially when using your slow cooker. The hardest part of making
Jumble Joy’s Caramel Apple Cider is washing and quartering the apples. Since the skins will be used to impart flavor, make sure you clean them thoroughly before chopping them, then simply add them to the slow cooker with an orange, eight cups of water, brown sugar, and those omnipresent seasonal spices: nutmeg, cinnamon, and allspice. It only takes 3–4 hours on high, but you might want to cook it on low overnight, so you can enjoy it first thing in the morning. You can also slice the orange to impart more flavor.
When time is not on your side, try the
Spiced Cranberry-Apple Cider recipe from Betty Crocker. The sweet and tart flavors of store-bought bottled juices get a homemade boost from the addition of brown sugar and a
sachet filled with cinnamon sticks and
whole allspice berries. You won’t even need to strain this one! Just put everything in your slow cooker, and let it cook on low for 4–6 hours, then remove the sachet and serve.
Both of these recipes make the most of what you have on hand. Grocery store apples are perfectly suitable, but if you want to do something truly special, take the family out for a day of apple picking, then reward yourself for your labors with a steaming mug of cider. And for those adults among you, feel free to turn your Caramel Apple Cider into a toddy. Now that’s the way to celebrate the season.
Enjoy!
