Easy Homemade Apple Cider Recipe

Jump to Recipe

This easy homemade apple cider recipe is homemade goodness made on the stovetop with fresh apples, sugar, water, and cinnamon. Serve apple cider cold or hot.

3 bottles of Apple Cider in Pop Top Clear Bottles | EatSimpleFood.com

This easy apple cider recipe is a new Holiday / cold weather tradition for us. We drink it virgin but it is also good cold or warm with a little whiskey.

Apple Cider or Apple Juice?

Traditionally, old fashioned apple cider is made from mechanically pressing apple juice out of apples. It contains some solids that make it cloudy and has little to no sugar. It is also not pasteurized.

This recipe is really a mix of fresh apple cider and apple juice because it uses fresh apples, with as much sugar as you like, and is not pasteurized.

5 apples on a wood cutting board with an apple corer, spice mix bottle, cinnamon stick bottle, and a knife. — *These are apples that have been in my fridge for weeks. One is wrinkly. A couple are soft. Some are bruised. Cut* *out the blemishes and bruises and make apple cider and/or applesauce.*

BONUS - This Is Also An Applesauce Recipe

Even better! Puree the solids after straining the apple cider. Take out the cinnamon sticks and blend it in a food processor or blender.

Kablooey! Now you have homemade applesauce, which freezes very well and makes great holiday gifts because you will have a lot.

One gallon glass jug of fresh apple cider with colorful dish rag and blue bowl of cooked apples in background. — *Use the apples (blue bowl background) from making the cider and puree them up for homemade applesauce.*

What Kind Of Apples Do You Use For Apple Cider?

The natural sweetness of homemade apple cider comes as no surprise from all the delicious in season apples. This apple cider recipe has little added sugar for the amount of juice it makes.

For sweeter apple ciders use Honeycrisp, Gala, Fuji, or Golden Delicious apples.

For tarter apple ciders, try Jonathan, Braeburn, Cameo, or Grannysmith apples.

5 bottles of opened homemade apple cider with a bowl of the apple solids and 2 cinnamon sticks in a strainer in the front. — *Take out the cinnamon sticks and food process the solids leftover from the apple cider and get applesauce. Two recipes for one!*

How to Make Apple Cider

Homemade apple cider is simple and easy to make from fresh apples.

Core and slice five apples and place in large pot.
Cover apples with three inches of water.
Add 6 tablespoon sugar and optional spices like cinnamon sticks (or powder) and/or pumpkin pie spice or ground ginger.
Bring to a boil (stir occasionally), reduce heat to a low simmer, cover, and cook ~ 3 hours.
Strain and bottle. Restrain if necessary.
Enjoy fresh homemade apple cider hot or cold.

5 bottles of opened homemade apple cider on a wood cutting board in front of a window and windowsill.

Homemade Apple Cider Recipe FAQS:

Can any apple be used to make apple cider?

Yup - any apple variety works for making apple cider! But the variety of apples will make up the flavor profile of your apple cider so pick something sweet (Gala, Fuji, Golden or Red Delicious, or Honeycrisp) if you've got a sweet tooth.

Pick a tart or more acidic apple like Granny smith, Braeburn, Jonathon, or MacIntosh if you like to pucker a little more.

How long does homemade apple cider last?

Apple cider lasts couple weeks in the refrigerator. It's got sugar to keep it from going bad but you would know if it was bad because it would be super sour and or fermenty.

Easy Homemade Apple Cider

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

No reviews

Print Recipe

EatSimpleFood.com

This easy homemade apple cider recipe is old fashioned homemade goodness made on the stovetop with fresh apples, sugar, water, and cinnamon. Serve apple cider cold or hot.

Total Time: 3 hours 10 minutes
Yield: ½ gallon 1x

Ingredients

Scale

5 large (~ 2 ½ pounds) apples, cored & cut in 6-8 slices
¼ cup plus 2 tablespoon sugar
2 cinnamon sticks
½ tsp pumpkin pie spice
water to cover by 3 inches

Instructions

Core and slice the apples (leave peel on) and place in large pot and cover with water by 3 inches.
Bring to a boil (covered) and add sugar, cinnamon sticks, and pumpkin pie spice. Reduce heat to a low simmer and cook covered 3 hours.
Strain solids with a fine mesh strainer and remove cinnamon sticks (save the solids to make applesauce if you like).
Restrain if needed.
Enjoy a glass of apple cider cold or warm.

Notes

For sweeter ciders use Honeycrisp, Gala, Fuji, or Golden Delicious. For tarter ciders, try Jonathan, Braeburn, Cameo, or Grannysmith.
Puree the apple solids (not the cinnamon sticks!) after straining and have homemade applesauce, which freezes very well and makes great holiday gifts because you will have a lot.

Author: beckie
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 3 hours
Category: Drink
Method: Stovetop
Cuisine: International
Diet: Comfort Food, Dairy-Free, Gluten Free, Low Fat, Vegan, Vegetarian