Fall in love with this apple pear cider made with fresh fruit and seasonal spices. Make in the crock pot and enjoy all day with the smell of cider brewing in the air!
How on Earth is it nearly November? Somehow it feels like summer was just last week, but Christmas is right around the coroner – my brain doesn’t know what to do this information. We’re in that weird time period where kids are running around decked out in Halloween costumes looking all kinds of cute and ghoulish while retailers are already lining up the dancing Santas. Holiday anarchy, I say! It’s fantastic.
What’ I’ve really been enjoying this time of year is all the fall food that comes along with the season. Not only do I have an excuse to make and eat soup after soup, I feel like I’ve got even more reason to take advantage of the seasonal fruit and do some baking – tis’ the season and all that, right? I’ve got a few ton of treats in mind coming up, but before I get to the baking I’ve been dying to make my own homemade apple pear cider. Homemade cider with our homegrown apples – how lucky am I?
I realized as I was making this that there is a small but distinct difference between cider and juice. Cider is basically freshly picked and pressed fruit (usually apples). It’s more robust in flavor and earthy in flavor. Apple juice is made from apple cider. It goes through extra processing and pasteurization to remove larger particles and solids. Removing the larger bits, gives apple juice a longer shelf life to keep it from fermenting while also giving it more of a clean and crisp flavor. Both of those are different from British cider which is made from apple cider with the addition of yeast that allows it to ferment and become alcoholic.
Who knew there was so much on the topic of juice vs cider?
Either way you’ll be happy you made this. Who needs to go out and buy fall scented candles when you know how to make your own homemade cider. I know cider like this is meant to be served hot, but I actually preferred it cold the day after store in a jar with a few spare apple and orange slices. If you do prefer your cider hard, add a little rum and you’re good to go. Whichever way you have it, you won’t regret it!
Crock Pot Apple Pear Cider
Fall in love with this apple pear cider made with fresh fruit and seasonal spices. Make in the crock pot and enjoy all day with the smell of cider brewing in the air!
Ingredients
- 4 medium pears, , any type
- 4 medium apples, , any type
- 1 orange
- 3 cinnamon sticks
- 2-3 star anise
- 2-3 slices of fresh ginger
- 1 whole nutmeg
- 2 teaspoons whole cloves
- 6 cups or 1.5L filtered water
- 1/3 cup (109 grams) maple syrup (or sweetener of your choice)
Instructions
- Wash the apple, pears, and orange and cut them into quarters. Don't worry about removing the stems, seeds, and peels because you will strain it all out later. Place the fruit in the bottom of your slow cooker along with the cinnamon sticks, star anise, ginger slices, nutmeg and cloves.
- Add the water to the crock pot making sure to leave about 1/2 inch of space at the top of the pot. Cook on high heat for 3-4 hours or on low heat for 6-8 hours.
- An hour before the cider is done cooking, use a potato masher to mash the fruit. Cook for another hour.
- Strain the cider through a fine-mesh strainer or cheese cloth into a clean pitcher or pot. Stir in the maple syrup or your alternative sweetener until it is dissolved and serve hot or wait for it to cool and add ice.
Notes
Use a cheesecloth the strain the cider if you want a smoother, less pulpy drink.
Save the mashed fruit at the end to add to smoothies
Recipe adapted from [GImme Some Oven
Nutrition Information
Serving Size:
g Calories: 123Sodium: 12mgCarbohydrates: 31gFiber: 4gSugar: 22g
Robin says
Just too much cloves for my taste, it’s all you can taste. Would definitely make it again but would half the amount of cloves next time…….
Sarah Nevins says
Fair enough!
Janet says
What kind of rum do you recommend, light or dark?
Sarah Nevins says
Hi Janet! I think dark rum would work well here