What says fall more than a warm glass of homemade apple cider? This drink makes your house smell amazing. My mom said, “Realtors should really use this recipe when they want to sell a house. It smells so cozy!”
You do need a couple of hours to make homemade cider but it’s mostly all inactive time. Just quarter apples and an orange, cover the fruit with water, and let simmer with brown sugar, cinnamon sticks, and some freshly grated nutmeg. Then all you have to do is strain it and serve!
You can use a potato masher to mash the fruit up at the two hour mark if you prefer, but I just used a slotted wooden spoon to mash the cooked apples against the side of the pot, releasing their juices into the liquid. Yum!
This isn’t nearly as sweet as store-bought apple cider and has much more depth of flavor. It’s the perfect balance of sweet and tart! You can enjoy this cider warm or cold. It’s perfectly good straight out of the fridge. It would also be delicious with bourbon for a cozy fall cocktail.
Homemade Apple Cider
6 red apples (such as gala)
4 green apples (such as Granny Smith)
1 orange
1/2 cup brown sugar
4-6 cinnamon sticks
1 whole nutmeg
Optional: apple slices, cinnamon stick for garnish
- Quarter apples and orange. Place in a large stock pot and add enough water to cover by at least two inches. Add sugar and cinnamon sticks and give it a stir. Grate a bit of nutmeg over the pot and give it a stir.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for two hours. Use a wooden spoon to gently mash the apples the apples agains the side of the pot. Let simmer for another hour.
- Remove from heat and strain through a fine mesh sieve. Serve immediately with additional cinnamon sticks and apple slices for garnish. Refrigerate leftovers for up to five days.
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