Easy Homemade Apple Cider (Gluten-Free, Vegan)
Making your own homemade apple cider is so easy with the help of a slow cooker (or cook it on the stovetop if you prefer). Delicious and fragrant, you’ll be making batch after batch of this easy homemade cider during apple season! Totally gluten-free, dairy-free and vegan too.
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It’s Fall, Which Means It’s Apple Season!
With apple season upon us, we’ve been making all things apple – from apple butter, to apple chips, to apple pie filling, and apple galette.. among others.
But fall wouldn’t be complete without a big hot mug of fresh apple cider, especially when sweater weather officially kicks in and you just want to cozy up with warm knits and a hot beverage.
Amazingly Good Homemade Apple Cider!
Who would have thought that making your own apple cider could be so easy?
Using the slow cooker, we’re taking advantage of the abundance of apples this fall to make and drink plenty of homemade apple cider that’s deliciously flavored with whole spices!
Why This Recipe Works:
- Simple Ingredients: The main ingredients required for making this delicious non-alcoholic apple cider are easily available at the local grocery store (nothing fancy required!).
- Easy To Make: Prep time is just 10 minutes, after which you let the slow cooker do the work, then strain before drinking!
- Totally Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free & Vegan: The best part is that this homemade spiced apple cider is naturally 100% gluten-free, dairy-free and vegan too. This means that even those with Celiac disease or gluten or lactose intolerances can enjoy it without issues!
Ingredients You’ll Need:
Here’s a visual overview of the ingredients required for making this easy apple cider recipe.
(For exact measurements, please scroll down to the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.)
Recipe Notes + Substitutions:
- Apples: You can use the type of apples you prefer – (Fuji apples, honeycrisp apples, pink lady apples or granny smith) sweet apples for a sweeter taste, or tart apples if you prefer more acidic taste.
- Orange: Adding an orange gives a little bit of extra tartness to the apple cider, and contrasts well with the sweetness of the sugar.
- Spices: I used whole cinnamon sticks, star anise, cloves, and cardamom pods for creating a beautiful fall flavor in this homemade slow cooker apple cider.
- Sugar: I used white sugar, but cane sugar, light brown sugar or maple syrup will work too. You can also reduce the amount of sugar according to how sweet you prefer your apple cider to be.
- Make Sparkling Apple Cider: For a sparkling cider, combine 2/3 cup of cold apple cider with 1/3 cup of sparkling water.
How to Make Homemade Apple Cider (Step by Step):
1. Wash and Cut Fruits:
Wash the orange and apples, then cut into small pieces – cubes or slices. Remove the seeds from the apples and oranges.
2. Place in Slow Cooker
Place the cut apples and oranges in a 6-quart slow cooker, adding enough water until the water completely covers all of the fruit.
3. Add Sugar and Spices
Add the sugar, cinnamon, anise, cloves and cardamom, mixing well.
4. Cook
Cook in the slow cooker on the high setting for 1 ½ hours or on the low setting for 3 hours.
5. Mash Fruit and Cook Some More
Mash the soft apples and oranges (so the flavor of the juices come out more). Continue cooking for another ½ hour on how or 1 hour on low.
6. Strain Cider
Strain the hot apple cider with a fine mesh strainer or a cheese cloth to get rid of any pulp and other solids (if necessary, strain twice).
(Alternatively, if you want some of the pulp, simply use kitchen tongs to remove the large pieces of apples, oranges and spices).
7. Serve or Store
Serve the strained cider warm or let it cool before storing.
Dish by Dish Tips/Tricks:
- Storing: To store, place the leftover apple cider in a covered glass bottle and store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- No Slow Cooker? (Stovetop Option): If you don’t have a slow cooker, simply place the ingredients in a large stockpot and then bring to a boil before reducing to low and letting the ingredients simmer for 2 hours. Then mash the fruit, before simmering for another 1 hour. Strain to remove all the solids, and enjoy!
- Regulate Sweetness: If you prefer naturally-sweetened apple cider, you can leave out the sugar completely, or use maple syrup for sweetening instead.
Other Gluten-Free Apple Recipes to Make:
- Easy Applesauce (Gluten-Free, Vegan)
- Apple Crumble (Gluten-Free, Vegan)
- Tender Apple Cake (Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free)
- Moist Apple Muffins (Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free)
- Crispy Apple Fritters (Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free)
- Easy Apple Bread (Gluten-Free, Vegan)
Fall Recipes to Enjoy This Season:
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Easy Homemade Apple Cider (Gluten-Free, Vegan)
- Total Time: 2 hours 10 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
Making your own homemade apple cider is so easy with the help of a slow cooker (or cook it on the stovetop if you prefer). Delicious and fragrant, you’ll be making batch after batch of this easy homemade cider during apple season! Totally gluten-free, dairy-free and vegan too.gluten-free, dairy-free and vegan too.
Ingredients
- 6 apples
- 1 orange
- 2–3 cinnamon sticks
- 2–3 star anise
- 3–4 cloves
- 3–4 whole cardamom pods
- 5 tablespoons white sugar
- water
Instructions
- Wash and Cut Fruits: Wash the orange and apples, then cut into small pieces – cubes or slices. Remove the seeds from the apples and oranges.
- Place in Slow Cooker: Place the cut apples and oranges in the slow cooker, adding enough water until the water completely covers all of the fruit.
- Add Sugar and Spices: Add the sugar, cinnamon, anise, cloves and cardamom, mixing well.
- Cook: Cook in the slow cooker on the high setting for 1 ½ hours or on the low setting for 3 hours.
- Mash Fruit and Cook Some More: Mash the soft apples and oranges (so the flavor of the juices really shine). Continue cooking for another ½ hour on how or 1 hour on low.
- Strain Cider: Strain the apple cider twice to get rid of any pulp and other solids. (Alternatively, if you want some of the pulp, simply use kitchen tongs to remove the large pieces of apples, oranges and spices).
- Serve or Store: Serve the apple cider warm or let it cool before storing.
Notes
Apples: You can use the type of apples (Fuji apples, honeycrisp apples, pink lady apples or granny smith) you prefer depending on whether you prefer a sweeter or more tart taste.
Orange: Adding an orange gives a little bit of tartness to the apple cider, and contrasts well with the sweetness of the sugar.
Spices: I used whole cinnamon sticks, star anise, cloves, and cardamom pods for creating a beautiful fall flavor in this homemade slow cooker apple cider.
Sugar: I used white sugar, but cane sugar or light brown sugar will work too.
No Slow Cooker? (Stovetop Option): If you don’t have a slow cooker, simply place the ingredients in a large stockpot and then bring to a boil before reducing to low and letting the ingredients simmer for 2 hours. Then mash the fruit, before simmering for another 1 hour. Strain to remove all the solids, and enjoy!
Storing: To store, place the leftover apple cider in a covered glass bottle and store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 2 hours
- Category: Drinks
- Method: Slow Cooker
- Cuisine: Western
Can I use a canning method to preserve the cider?
Hi Barb, I believe that shouldn’t be an issue!