Better than the store Homemade Spiced Apple Cider
Fall is in the air! Thoughts of warm drinks, books, and sweaters appear. With the abundance of apples this time of year, let’s make warm apple cider.
Apple cider is one of those items at the grocery store that is just so bad for you that I can’t bring myself to purchase it. Have you ever read the ingredients for Alpine’s Spiced Apple Cider drink mix?
Their Ingredients:
Sugar, Malic Acid, Maltodextrin, Tricalcium Phosphate (Prevents Caking), Apple Juice Solids, Caramel Color, Sodium Citrate (Controls Acidity), Ascorbic Acid, Natural And Artificial Flavors, Spice Extractive.
Absolutely awful, and it has 20 grams of sugar. The American Heart Association recommends no more than 24 grams of added sugar for women and 36 grams for men. 1 mug of this stuff and you have almost maxed out your daily allotted sugar.
Our homemade apple cider only has 5.32 grams of added sugar. It makes the house smell amazing! Plus, you know what everything in it is!
Our Ingredients:
Filtered water, apples, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, pure orange juice, brown sugar, sea salt, and pure vanilla extract.
How to make Homemade Spiced Apple Cider
It takes about 4 – 6 hours to make and makes about 16 cups.
Spiced Apple Cider
Homemade Warm Apple Cider- Excellent for after school, holiday parties, fall cozy reads, and better for you than the stuff in the store.
Ingredients
- 9 medium apples -Peeled and quartered- a variety of Honey Crisp, Golden and Red Delicious, and Granny Smiths
- 1 Tbl Cinnamon
- 1 Tsp Nutmeg
- ¼ Tsp Cloves
- About 20 cups of filtered water- cover the apples/fill an 8qt stock pot
- ¼ C orange Juice
- ¼ C Brown Sugar
- pinch of sea salt
- 1 tsp Vanilla extract
Instructions
- Peel and quarter the apples.
- Place the quartered apples in an 8 qt stock pot and cover with filtered water. Add Cinnamon, Nutmeg, and Cloves. Simmer on low for 3-4 hours.
- Remove cooked apple bits and place them in a food processor. Blend and set aside.
- Strain liquid through a fine mesh strainer. Pour the strained liquid back into the pot. Run the apple sauce through the strainer, pouring all the liquid back into the pot.
- Save apple sauce for eating, baking, or smoothies.
- Add orange juice and brown sugar to the cider. Simmer for 30 – 60 minutes.
- Once done, add vanilla and remove from heat.
- Strain through the strainer once more, pouring it into jars.
- Scrape the strainer rubble into the apple sauce and stir in.
- Serve warm as a delicious fall drink. Add whiskey or bourbon for Mulled Cider. Great for parties and celebrations!
Notes
I used 3 Honey Crisp and 2 of each: Golden Delicious, Red Delicious, and Granny Smith.
If you have chickens, they love the peels and core!
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
16Serving Size:
1 cupAmount Per Serving: Calories: 60Sugar: 5g
Fun Fact: Cider in the United States is juice, and Cider in Europe is alcohol.
Do you have a favorite Fall Beverage? Let us know below!
As always, Thanks for stopping by for some Salty Inspirations!
