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Homemade hot apple cider in a clear glass mug sitting on a gray marble surface.
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5 from 3 votes

Homemade Hot Apple Cider Recipe

Homemade hot apple cider is the ultimate cold-weather beverage made with apples, oranges, cinnamon sticks, cloves, and maple syrup. This easy-to-make spiced cider recipe is a warm, comforting drink that the whole family can enjoy!
Prep Time10 mins
Cook Time2 hrs 30 mins
Total Time2 hrs 40 mins
Course: Beverage
Cuisine: American
Servings: 10 servings
Calories: 142kcal
Author: Ashley Boyd

Ingredients

  • 10 large apples I used 4 Honeycrisp, 4 Gala, and 2 Granny Smith
  • 2 oranges
  • 16 cups water
  • ¼ cup light brown sugar or dark brown sugar, optional
  • ¼ cup pure maple syrup optional
  • 6 cinnamon sticks
  • 1 tablespoon whole cloves
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract optional
  • Apple slices and cinnamon sticks for serving

Instructions

  • Wash the apples and oranges and slice them into quarters. Place the fruit in a 7-quart Dutch oven or large stockpot.
  • Add the water, brown sugar, maple syrup, cinnamon sticks, and cloves to the pot and give everything a good stir with a wooden spoon. Bring the cider to a boil over medium-high heat.
  • Once the apple cider reaches a boil, lower the heat to low and simmer the cider, covered, for at least 2 hours. After about 2 hours, smash the apples with a potato masher or the back of a wooden spoon and continue to simmer the cider for another 30 minutes. Stir in the vanilla extract.
  • Carefully strain the cider through a fine mesh sieve. Ladle warm apple cider into mugs and garnish with apple slices and cinnamon sticks.

Notes

  • Feel free to use any variety of apples you prefer for this homemade apple cider.
  • Omit the maple syrup and brown sugar if you are avoiding added sugar. The apples are plenty sweet on their own.
  • Leftover apple cider can be cooled to room temperature, transferred to an airtight container, and stored in the refrigerator for up to 10 days.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cup | Calories: 142kcal | Carbohydrates: 38g | Protein: 0.7g | Fat: 0.5g | Sodium: 5mg | Potassium: 335mg | Fiber: 4.5g | Sugar: 35g | Calcium: 28mg | Iron: 1mg