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Easy Slow Cooker Apple Cider with Cinnamon Sticks

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This easy slow cooker apple cider with cinnamon sticks is a warm, comforting drink that fills your home with the scent of autumn. Simply toss apples, oranges, and spices into the slow cooker and let it work its magic.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 10 medium apples (a mix of sweet and tart, like Honeycrisp and Granny Smith), cored and quartered (no need to peel)
  • 1 large orange, washed and sliced into rounds
  • 4 cinnamon sticks
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar, packed
  • 2 tablespoons maple syrup
  • 1 teaspoon whole cloves
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
  • Pinch of salt
  • 8 cups water

Instructions

  1. Prep the fruit: Wash all apples thoroughly. Core and quarter them. Slice the orange into 1/4-inch rounds. Leave the peel on.
  2. Layer the ingredients: Place the apple quarters and orange slices in the slow cooker. Tuck the cinnamon sticks, whole cloves, and spices around the fruit. Sprinkle the brown sugar, maple syrup, and pinch of salt over everything. Pour in the 8 cups of water, making sure the fruit is mostly submerged.
  3. Slow cook: Set your slow cooker to low for 4-6 hours or high for 2-3 hours. Cook until the apples are soft and falling apart, and the liquid is deeply golden and fragrant.
  4. Mash and steep: Use a potato masher or the back of a wooden spoon to mash the apples and oranges right in the slow cooker. Let it sit for 10 minutes to steep.
  5. Strain the cider: Place a fine-mesh strainer over a large bowl or pitcher. Ladle the mixture through the strainer, pressing gently on the solids with a spatula to extract every drop of liquid. Discard the solids. For a super clear cider, strain twice or line the strainer with cheesecloth.
  6. Taste and adjust: Taste the cider. Add more maple syrup or brown sugar for sweetness, or another cinnamon stick for more spice. Let steep for 15 minutes if needed.
  7. Serve warm: Ladle into mugs and garnish with a fresh cinnamon stick or an apple slice. Serve immediately.

Notes

For deeper flavor, toast the cinnamon sticks in a dry skillet for 30 seconds before adding. Don’t skip the mash step—it gives the cider body. The cider gets better after a day in the fridge. For a sugar-free version, omit the brown sugar and maple syrup; the apples provide natural sweetness.

Nutrition

Keywords: slow cooker apple cider, apple cider, cinnamon sticks, fall drink, warm cider, easy apple cider

Find it online: https://dinadishes.com/easy-slow-cooker-apple-cider-with-cinnamon-sticks-50-chars/