This recipe turned out quite good when I needed some cider and had only the apples and spices. I always buy more apples than I can eat – I’m that way with fruit. So, why not make my own from scratch. This recipe idea comes from one of my Southern magazines and I have adapted it to my taste.
To make apple cider you need a variety of apples 1) sweet (50%) – Fuji, Gala, or Golden Delicious; 2) sharp (35%) – Northern Spy or McIntosh; 3) bitter-sweet, bitter-tart (15%) such as Cortland. These are only examples and what is available in my area of the country.
I compared my homemade cider with cider from a local orchard. Mine had more spices and a darker color and not enough of an apple taste as the one from the orchard. Of course they have professional presses and get more of that apple flavor. You can buy a small press especially if you have your own apple trees.
Homemade Apple Cider
- 8-10 medium sized apples of your choice
- 3 quarts water
- 1/2 to 1 cup of dark brown sugar, firmly packed; I used 3/4 cup (use light brown sugar for less of a molasses flavor and a lighter color of apple cider)
- 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp. ground allspice
- 1/4 tsp. ground cloves
- 1/4 tsp. ground cardamon
Core and quarter the apples and combine with the water in a large saucepan. Add the spices to taste – you can always add more if desired. I added only 1/2 cup brown sugar to begin with and then after the apples cooked for the first hour I tasted the cider and decided to add another 1/4 cup of sugar. Bring to a boil over medium high heat; reduce the heat and cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally, for 1 hour. Adjust any seasonings and/or sugar.
Cover the saucepan and reduce the heat to medium low; simmer for 2 hours stirring every now and then. Remove from the heat and allow to cool completely.
With the back of a spoon, strain the apples through a fine mesh sieve and press on them to get all of the juices. I found it was better to use my All-Clad food mill to press out all of the good juices. Discard the solids and reheat to serve or chill until very cold.
Recipe from cooking with aunt juju http://cookingwithauntjuju.com/2015/10/29/homemade-apple-cider/
The glass of cider on the right is what I made, it is darker in color.
Sharing this Fall beverage with Fiesta Friday.
This sounds really good. My youngest son just loves apple cider! This sounds like it has wonderful flavor!
Thanks – You can make this your own recipe by the apples you use and the spices!
yumm yes that is such a good idea! so nice
I’m a huge apple cider fan, but have never tried making my own. Will have to give this a try. Looks so yummy!
Thanks – it was fun to play around with the apples to get the flavor I wanted. Still need to work on the recipe…
Wow, you are getting rather ambitious Judi? I don’t think I’ve ever tried making apple cider. It looks wonderful!
Thanks – not really! For drinking I need to adjust the recipe but to use in recipes it is great!
Love apple cider, love the recipe.
Thanks – it’s amazing the results you get depending on the apples even between different orchards. A fun recipe to experiment with!
Everybody loves apple cider in my house. We’ve been getting ours from a local farm. It’s never occurred to me that you can make it yourself, duh! I only have half a bushel of apples after all 🙂 and I actually think your darker cider looks better. Seems richer and more flavorful.
Thanks – I use cider a lot in recipes and like a glass when I am eating donuts at an apple orchard LOL! Boiled cider is next…
Is there a difference between apple juice and apple cider? I’ve never really thought about it. I thought maybe there was some fermentation involved, but obviously i have no idea! Looks fabulous!
Cider is perishable and unfermented – needs to be refrigerated at all times. Juice has been pasteurized and filtered, allowing it to have a long shelf life. That’s why you see juice on shelves at the grocery and cider in refrigerated areas.
This is going to be a great drink to make at Thanksgiving! Yum!
Be sure to experiment with the apples and get some of each – of course booze would be good in this too!!!
I thought that too!
Oh home made apple cider – just love this – it sounds so fresh and flavorsome…. can’t wait to give it a try… 🙂
Thanks Chitra – you can make it to your taste – it’s all about the apples and a balance of sweet and tart 🙂
Love apple cider vinegar but never thought of making on my own.. This sounds so simple
This is apple cider you drink, not the vinegar. I am sure vinegar would be easy to make too 🙂
I never thought of making homemade apple cider, but this looks so good! I never really liked the store-bought versions or powder packets and I never wanted to drink it after tasting those varieties, but this… Now this is something that I know I would love!
Thanks so much – have a good balance of apples and spices and you will have your very own apple cider 🙂
Thanks so much for this very useful post. You always end up with so many apples during fall that you don’t quite know what to do with it. This will help me use the apples. Bookmarking it.
This is a great way to use up all those apples that you picked/bought. My next post this morning is boiled cider which is even a better way to use the apples 🙂
I have loads of apples with me right now. Will try out your simple recipe. Thanks for the timely post. 🙂
Thank you – I always seem to have too many apples – boiled cider recipe next 🙂
Thank you for the recipe. Perfect timing for the season! 🙂
You’re welcome Fae – everyone seems to have lots of apples and need ideas to use them up 🙂
I love apple cider! Your recipe looks so good! Thanks for sharing. 🙂
Thanks – there are so many ways to use apple cider in recipes and I will post my boiled cider recipe next 🙂
First, I thought it would be an alcohol-based apple cider, but without even better! We have similar drink in Russian cuisine, it’s called kompot, when you boil different fruits or berries; I haven’t posted it yet and now think that I have to do it asap.. 🙂 Absolutely love your recipe, Juju!!! Thanks for sharing!