Easy Crock Pot Apple Cider from Scratch

Did you know it’s not very hard to make your own apple cider from SCRATCH with your own apples? It takes a bit of time, but crockpot apple cider made from scratch truly can’t be beaten! You will love this recipe!

Making your own crockpot apple cider can be easy! This recipe makes 6 quarts of apple cider, enough to fill 6 pint jars. The added spices can be left out if you want your apple cider plain, or don’t have those spices on hand.

I love autumn for the beautiful colors, cool nights, and of course – apple cider. That’s why I decided to try my hand at making it from scratch! After looking into some recipes online, I decided to create unique recipe that was not only easy but delicious as well.

We have a lovely apple tree in our backyard, and there comes a point where we just have more apples than we know what to do with. Making apple cider is one of our favorites this year. Not only does it make our house smell AMAZING – but it tastes incredible, too.

Most crockpot apple cider recipes have you start with apple juice, but this one has you make it all the way from scratch. Trust me – it is worth the effort!

Can I make this recipe with apple juice?

Using apple juice from the store is often used in many recipes. You could definitely try doing it with this recipe, and you would just omit the apples. However, I haven’t tried this so I can’t make any promises on the results. You may need to adjust the sugar, too, depending on what type of juice you use.

Can I use fresh nutmeg?

Yes, if you would like to use fresh nutmeg you could use a Microplane to shave some off. I just find the powdered kind from the store to be more convenient.

Can I freeze apple cider?

You sure can! A lot of people LOVE to freeze apple cider – you can reheat it for later, or it makes for a tasty slushy. Just freeze it in an airtight container and save it until you are ready to use it!

How long will crock pot apple cider last?

The crockpot apple cider will usually last about a week in the refrigerator.

What are the Best Apples for Apple Cider?

Well, there is quite a bit of debate about this. The consensus seems to be that the best apples for apple cider are those with high tannins and low acidity.

The perfect apple for cider seems to be:

Granny Smith, Winesap, Arkansas Black (a very tart apple), Golden Delicious (somewhat tart), Northern Spy (a tart apple), and Jonathan apples (slightly tart).

If you can’t find those apples, then use whatever mix is available to reach the level of tannins and acidity needed.

Ingredients

• 12 apples, peeled and cored
• 10 cups water
• 1 orange, peeled
• 1 tbsp cloves whole
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 1 teaspoon nutmeg
• 2/3 cup brown sugar 

Instructions

1. Add all the ingredients to a slow cooker.
2. Cover with lid and cook on low for 8-10 hours (overnight is perfect) or on high for 3-4.
3. After everything is cooked and the apples are soft, mash with a potato masher until everything is nice and mushy.
4. Place a regular sized strainer into a large pot and carefully pour the contents of the slow cooker through it. You can smoosh extra juice through with a spoon or the potato masher. This will separate most of the solids from the liquid.
5. Then, pour the contents in the pot back into the slow cooker through a fine strainer. This will catch any bits and pieces that may have snuck through.
6. Keep on warm and serve!

Can I Make this in the Instant Pot?

We haven’t tried this in the Instant Pot, but I’m sure you could! You would just need to adjust the time.

How long does it take to make this recipe?

It doesn’t take long to prepare the ingredients, but it does take 10-12 hours of cooking in the crock pot. I recommend starting it at night. Nothing better than waking up to its amazing aroma!

Can I add alcohol to this recipe?

Yes, you can. Just remember to drink responsibly!

What equipment do I need for this?

For this recipe, you will need a slow cooker, a potato masher, a large strainer, a smaller strainer or cheesecloth and a larger pot.

What are the different strainers you used?

This is the first strainer we used. It caught most of the solids, though not everything.

Which is why for the second strain, we used this:

What slow cooker do you use?

I have a Crockpot brand slow cooker – it doesn’t look like they make it anymore, but this version looks pretty similar.

More Recipes You Might Enjoy:

• Easy Christmas Punch (Non-Alcoholic)
• Easy Caramel Apple Pie Crescents Recipe
• LEGOLAND Granny Apple Fries Recipe
• Easy Baked Stuffed Apples Recipe