Homemade Crock-Pot Apple Cider

• servings: 12 servings
• active time: 10 minutes
• total time: 8 hours 10 minutes

Ingredients

6 quart slow cooker (reduce the amounts for a smaller cooker)

8-10 medium sized apples (I like McIntosh, Golden Delicious, Pink Lady, Honeycrisp, and Braeburn. Do not use Red Delicious. Use a few Granny Smith if you enjoy a slightly tart flavor.)

1 orange

2 cinnamon sticks

0.7g whole cloves

2.3g whole allspice

1 cup sweetener (granulated sugar, brown sugar, honey, maple syrup, or a combo *see note below about sugars)

Directions

Peel the apples (8-10 medium) and discard the peel. Chop into large chunks or use an apple slicer.

Remove the peel from the orange(1) leaving behind the white fibrous pith. The pith will turn the cider bitter.

Place the apple pieces, orange peel, cinnamon sticks (2), whole cloves (½ teaspoon), and whole allspice (1 teaspoon) into the slow cooker.

Fill the slow cooker with enough water to reach the bottom of the top layer of apples. It should be pretty close to the top of the slow cooker.

Turn it on low and put the lid on. Brew on low for 8-12 hours. 12 hours on low is ideal but if you're in a pinch, brew on high for at least 4 hours.

Add the sweetener of your choice (1 cup) and stir to mix together and melt.

Using a potato masher, mash all of the apples in the slow cooker.

If a more clear cider is desired, very carefully strain the cider through a fine mesh sieve or a cheesecloth and pour back into the slow cooker.

Let cool slightly and taste. Add more sweetener if desired. If you'd like a more concentrated flavor, turn the slow cooker to high and boil off some of the water (keeping the lid off). Alternatively, reduce the cider on the stovetop.

Store leftover cider in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.