Homemade Apple Cider
Fall has officially started. Summer is over and so as the beach season. The crisp air, milder temperature makes it really perfect. Soon the leaves will start changing the color and eventually fall!
Fall means Apple picking season as well. Last weekend, my son and I went for the apple picking. It was so much fun. We talked, laughed and spend some quality time together. There’s something about the apples picked from the tree, that’s not there in the store bought apples. We came home with so many apples. We made Apple Crisp the other day.
Today I made Apple Cider! My entire home is smelling like fall!!
Apple Cider is indeed a fall drink. By using freshly picked apples makes it super delicious. To make the apple cider is really easy. I made it in the instant pot but you can make it in the crockpot or stovetop.
I love how my house smells with all the fall spices and apples as the cider simmers. What a delicious way to start the fall season!
Homemade Apple Cider is made with real ingredients, apples and few fall spices. There are no preservatives or any other additives are added to the cider. It is absolutely delicious and taste so much better than store bought!
Homemade Apple Cider Ingredients:
You need only 5 ingredients to make the truly delicious homemade apple cider. Flavors really shine through the cider as there are only a few ingredients.
- Apples: You can use any variety of apples. I used Granny Smith apples and HoneyCrisp apples. These mix of apples gives a mix of tart and sweet taste.
- Warming Spices: I put ground Cinnamon, Clove and Nutmeg in the cider. You can put the whole spices as well. That would work as well. These spices go very well with anything apples.
- Sugar: I used regular sugar but you can definitely use maple syrup or brown sugar instead. You can even mix the regular sugar and brown sugar.
- Water: This is the base of the cider.
How to Make Homemade Apple Cider
This is a very simple, easy and quick recipe that I made it in the instant pot.
- Place everything in the instant pot. Cut each apple in about 8-10 slices. Add apple slices, ground spices, sugar and water to the inner pot of instant pot.
- Cook for 10 minutes on high pressure. Let it release all the pressure naturally. If you can’t wait for that long, release the remaining pressure after 15 minutes. Open the lid and stir well.
- Mash the apples. Take a ladle or a big spoon and begin mashing up all the apples. They are super soft at this time.
- Strain. Use a fine mesh sieve or cheese cloth to strain the cider. Discard the remaining solids or use it in the smoothies or something else. This shouldn’t take more than 5 minutes.
- Serve Warm. Homemade Apple Cider is ready. Serve it warm and Enjoy!
No instant pot?
- If you want to use crockpot, place everything in it and cook for 6-7 hours on low heat and 3 hours on high heat than follow the remaining steps.
- You can use a large stock pot as well. Place all the ingredients into the stock pot, bring it to simmer for 2 hours. Continue with rest of the steps.
Homemade Apple Cider
Equipment
- Instant Pot
- Strainer
- Potato Masher or a big ladle
Ingredients
- 2 lbs Apples Granny Smith and Honeycrisp
- ½ cup Sugar
- 1½ tsp Cinnamon ground
- ½ tsp Nutmeg ground
- ¼ tsp Clove ground
- 4 cups Water
Instructions
- Cut each apple in about 8-10 slices. Add apple slices, ground spices, sugar and water to the inner pot of instant pot.
- Cook for 10 minutes on high pressure. Let it release all the pressure naturally. If you can't wait for that long, release the remaining pressure after 15 minutes.
- Open the lid and stir well.
- Take a ladle or a big spoon or potato masher and begin mashing up all the apples. They are super soft at this time.
- Place a 48-oz bowl on the counter. Place a large strainer/fine mesh sieve/cheesecloth across this bowl.
- Using a soup ladle, start to transfer the contents of your pressure cooker into the strainer. You don’t want to just lift the inner pot of instant pot and pour all of it at one go, as you have a good mix of apple pulp and liquid and it won’t all go through at once. You could, of course, pour in batches.
- Using the back of the ladle, mash in the apples a bit so you’re getting some good apple pulp into the cider.
- Continue in this fashion until you’ve extracted all the liquid and a good bit of the pulp. Discard the remaining solids or use it in the smoothies or something else. This shouldn't take more than 5 minutes.
- Serve Warm. Homemade Apple Cider is ready. Serve it warm and Enjoy!
I love apple cider and this sounds like a delicious recipe!
I should those glasses make a whole decor… I love that golden color of the cider. Is it possible to make on a stove, please?
I love apple cider, this sounds so good!
I love that you did this in the Instant Pot! I’ll be trying this for sure!
I’m a HUGE fan of apple cider but have never made my own. Can’t wait to try your recipe!
this is the perfect way to welcome fall! we will love enjoying this all season long!
This is a great recipe and I will be serving this up during the holidays!
This sounds delicious, got to give it a go!
CommentI am so loving this homemade cider, so much nicer than store bought.
Homemade apple cider looks delicous