During autumn and winter, warm beverages seem all the more delicious. Warmed apple cider is one such beverage, and with multiple ways to change it up, no one will get tired of it. Here are some great recipes, and tips on how to make a clever cup out of a fresh apple.
Hot Buttered Cinnamon Cider
2 quarts apple juice or apple cider
12 ounces apricot nectar
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1/3 cup butter
2 tablespoons cinnamon
- In crock pot, combine apple juice, apricot nectar, brown sugar, cinnamon and allspice.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 5 hours.
- Just before serving, heat butter in a small saucepan or microwave.
- Spoon 1/2 tablespoon melted butter into mug or heatproof cup.
- Fill with apple cider mixture.
Hot Caramel Apple Cider
1/2 gallon fresh apple cider
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup caramel ice cream topping
1 cup frozen whipped topping, thawed
- In large saucepan, combine the cider, sugar and caramel topping over medium heat.
- Simmer until hot and well blended, stirring frequently.
- Pour into mugs and top with whipped topping.
Hot Mulled Cider
6 to 8 cups apple cider
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 or 2 (3-inch) cinnamon sticks
8 or 10 whole cloves
8 or 10 whole allspice
Zest of 1 lemon and/or 1 orange, cut into julienne slices
- Combine all ingredients in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves.
- Bring just to the boiling point, then reduce the heat to low.
- Cover and simmer to blend the flavors, about 10 minutes.
- Strain and serve. To eliminate the need to strain out the spices, you can put spices into a small cheesecloth bag.
- Remove spiced bag before serving.
Hot Raspberry Cider
8 cups apple cider or apple juice
1 cup frozen raspberry juice concentrate, thawed
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 cinnamon stick
- Combine all ingredients in saucepan.
- Heat over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until mixture starts to simmer.
- Reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes.
- Remove from heat.
- Remove cinnamon stick.
- Serve warm.
Warm Spiced Cranberry Cider
1 medium navel orange, skin left on, cut into large chunks
3 cups cider
4 cups cranberry juice cocktail
2 sticks cinnamon
2 teaspoons light brown sugar
8 cinnamon sticks for garnish
8 thin orange slices for garnish
- Put orange chunks in a blender, and pulse several times until coarsely chopped, or chop with a knife by hand.
- Place chopped orange, cider, cranberry juice cocktail, 2 cinnamon sticks and brown sugar in a large, heavy saucepan over medium-high heat.
- Cook, stirring often, until hot. Strain mixture and return to saucepan.
- Reheat before serving.
- Cider can also be frozen, defrosted and reheated.
- To serve, pour into mugs or cups and garnish each serving with 1 cinnamon stick and 1 orange slice.
Directions for fresh apple cups
- Choose large fresh apples, one per person.
- Slice off the top of the apple.
- Using a paring knife carefully outline where you’d like the rim of your apple cup to be. Do not make it too thin.
- Use a spoon or melon baller to carefully scoop out the center of your apple until it resembles a cup.
- Be sure there are no knife cuts that go all the way through, as this would cause the cup to leak.
- Once it is hollowed, brush lemon juice on the inside to prevent browning.
- Fill with warm apple cider and garnish with a cinnamon stick.
