Homemade AppleCider has got it all - tangy Granny Smiths, sweet Galas, snappy Honeycrisps, and a perfect mix of orange, cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla, and brown sugar to spice things up. You're going to love this warm beverage!
10mediumapplesunpeeled, but cored (4 Granny smith, 3 Gala or Fuji, 3 Honeycrisp)
1largeorange,peeled
10cupswater(filtered preferred)
3teaspoonscinnamon,separated
¼teaspoonnutmeg
⅛teaspoonfine sea salt
½light brown sugar,up to 1 full cup, gently packed
2tablespoonslemon juice
1tablespoonvanilla extract
Instructions
PREP: Wash the apples thoroughly and cut apples off the core, discard all cores. There's no need to peel the apples. Peel the orange carefully, making sure to remove all the white pith, as it can impart a bitter flavor.
START CIDER: In a very large stockpot, combine the prepared apples and orange. Add 10 cups of water. Stir in 2 teaspoons of the cinnamon, the nutmeg, and the sea salt. Place the pot over high heat and bring the mixture to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to low and cover the pot with a lid. Allow the mixture to simmer gently for 2 hours.
MASH FRUIT: After 2 hours, remove the lid. Using a potato masher or a wooden spoon, mash the fruit by pressing it against the sides of the pot. Continue simmering the mashed fruit mixture for an additional hour, uncovered.
STRAIN: Turn off the heat. Place a fine mesh sieve over a large bowl. Carefully ladle the fruit mixture into the sieve. Press the solids to extract as much liquid as possible. Discard the solids.
FINISH CIDER: Pour the strained liquid back into the pot. Stir in the remaining 1 tsp of cinnamon, the brown sugar (start with ½ cup and add more to reach your desired sweetness, up to 1 cup -- we like it best at ¾ cup), the vanilla extract, and lemon juice. Heat the mixture over medium heat just until warm to ensure the sugar is fully dissolved and the flavors are well combined.
ENJOY: Taste the cider and adjust the sweetness and spices if necessary. Serve the cider warm for a cozy beverage. Store any leftovers in the refrigerator and reheat before serving.
Notes
Serving for a crowd: Ideal for parties or holiday gatherings, you can easily scale this cider up. Just double or triple the batch and keep it toasty in a large slow cooker on the 'WARM' setting. Have some cups handy for serving.Storage:
Refrigerate: Keep cider in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week.
Reheat: Warm it up on the stovetop on low heat or in the microwave.
Freeze: Pour into ice cube trays and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge or use straight from the freezer in smoothies or beverages.