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Cozy Slow Cooker Apple Cider with Cinnamon Sticks

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A warm, comforting beverage made by slowly simmering fresh apples, citrus, and spices in a slow cooker. This recipe creates a rich, velvety cider that captures the essence of autumn without the effort of stovetop stirring.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 6–8 medium apples (mix of tart like Granny Smith and sweet like Honeycrisp), cored and wedged
  • 4 cups water
  • 3–4 large cinnamon sticks
  • 4–6 whole cloves
  • 1–2 pieces star anise (optional)
  • 1 medium orange, sliced into rounds
  • 1/2 medium lemon, sliced into rounds
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar (or honey/maple syrup)
  • 1 tsp allspice berries (optional)

Instructions

  1. Wash and prep the fruit: Rinse apples, oranges, and lemons. Cut apples into wedges (skin on) and slice citrus into thin rounds.
  2. Add ingredients to slow cooker: Place apple wedges in the pot, top with orange and lemon slices, and pour in water.
  3. Add spices: Add cinnamon sticks, cloves, star anise, and allspice berries. Add brown sugar now or hold off to adjust later.
  4. Cook on low: Cover and set slow cooker to LOW. Simmer gently for 6-8 hours to allow flavors to meld.
  5. Taste and adjust: After 6 hours, taste the cider. Add more sugar if needed, or water if too strong. Stir to dissolve sugar.
  6. Serve: Turn off slow cooker. Remove large fruit pieces and spices if desired. Pour into mugs and garnish with a cinnamon stick or apple slice.

Notes

Do not use ground cinnamon as it makes the cider cloudy. For best flavor, use a mix of tart and sweet apples. If your slow cooker runs hot, stir occasionally to prevent burning. The cider can stay on ‘warm’ for up to 12 hours, but spices may become overpowering. Leftovers can be refrigerated for 5 days or frozen for 3 months.

Nutrition

Keywords: slow cooker apple cider, cinnamon stick cider, autumn drinks, hot apple cider, gluten-free recipes, vegan beverages, cozy fall recipes

Find it online: https://lindabake.com/cozy-slow-cooker-apple-cider-with-cinnamon-sticks/