Old Fashioned Hot Apple Cider Recipe

This Old Fashioned Hot Apple Cider Recipe is a family favorite, especially during the fall and winter. It’s the perfect blend of sweet apples and warm spices, creating a cozy moment with every sip.

A Family Heirloom

In the corner of our shop sits a precious heirloom, passed down from my husband’s parents. It’s a hand-crank antique cider press from 1872, which they bought early in their marriage from a retiring apple farmer. I remember my mother-in-law once mentioned my seemingly reserved father-in-law being “giddy” the day they got the cider press. This piece of history was stored in their barn and brought out once a year for family cider-making.

Making apple cider as a child, is a bittersweet memory for my husband as he is highly allergic to hay, and the apple pressing was done under the hay loft with alfalfa and barn dust floating in the air. 

When we finally moved the press to our house, Joel spent hours meticulously cleaning and oiling the wood, checking the gears, bolts, and original timber frame for rot and rust.

With only few minor repairs, the press was ready for its new home and with it, a new generation of memories to be made… minus the alfalfa.

The New Generation

I’m not sure why but it seems like finding “community” in today’s culture can be really difficult. Have you found this to be true too, or is it just me?

I’m not even talking about finding a “kindred spirit”… just finding people who want to hang out for the sake of human interaction and getting to know each other beyond surface level.

Building lasting relationships is something that we want our kids to know the value of. We have seen the value of those deep relationships in our lives that have been essential in developing character and faith. This idea reaches from family to close friends & mentors, and to our community.

Creating Opportunities for Community

With the goal of creating that community in mind, each fall for the last 6 years or so, we’ve tried to include family, friends, and/or neighbors in the cider making process.

We’ve tried to make it a fun event… a chance to go a little deeper with those that we do know and a no pressure environment to meet those that we don’t. Complete with yard games, music, treats and we even made homemade doughnuts one year. And of course, ample opportunities for everyone to crank out their own apple cider to take home.

This last year though, we weren’t sure our annual event was going to happen. With trying to put the garden to bed, finishing the seasons canning, attempting to get back in the groove of our homeschool routine, and sports practices starting again, I was experiencing some serious burnout!

It was a rough end to the summer season AND we had a poor apple harvest…. I didn’t have the bandwidth it required to source the extra apples we needed for a cider party. It was a bummer, but I had to let something go.

900 Pounds of Blessings

Then one evening while at a meeting, another homeschooling mama mentioned that her husband had bought 900 pounds of apples (yes, I said 900 POUNDS).

They had already made apple sauce, apple pies and dried apples and she wasn’t sure what they were going to do with the rest… which was still quite a lot. I was excited to offer up the idea of a soup and cider party with our two families, at our house.

The day was a success! Even with chilly temperatures and drizzling rain, we had a wonderful time chatting, working hard, and making some memories.

We pressed over 15 gallons of apple cider and ended the day sharing a crock pot of soup, some bread, and of course our freshly pressed Old Fashioned Apple Cider. It was the perfect opportunity to deepen connections with another family in our community.

What Kind of Apples Make the Best Cider

When making apple cider, apple sauce, and even apple pie, it is said that a mix of different varieties of apples makes the best finished product. And over the years, I’ve found this to be absolutely true.

You typically want to include a variety of what are called sharps & sweets when it comes to apple varieties. Some of our favorites include Gala, Granny Smith, Fuji, and Honey Crisp.

Apple Cider vs Apple Juice

Over the years, every time we have one of these apple cider parties, someone asks, “What is the difference between apple cider and apple juice?”

Apple juice is pasteurized (heated and cooked) with the pulp filtered out and makes for a sweeter juice that becomes shelf-stable when canned. Apple cider, on the other hand, is raw (unpasteurized) and has bits of apple or sediment in it.

Raw apple cider is not shelf stable and has a bit of a bite when it’s first pressed with a tangier flavor. But give it a day or so and that tanginess will mellow out. Just don’t go much longer than that though or it will begin to ferment, especially if not refrigerated. Some people enjoy the fermented flavor, but keep in mind that you’ll want to release the pressure in the container every day if you’re going for a fizzier (or more spirited) beverage. Otherwise, you’ll have a mess on your hands.

Mulled Cider

You may have heard of hot cider also being called Mulled Cider, this refers to specific spices being simmered or “mulled” into the apple liquid. Mulling spices have been used for thousands of years to infuse flavor in not only juices but wines as well, supposedly dating back to ancient Greek and Roman times.

It was also thought that these spices could heal ailments, which wasn’t necessarily wrong, especially if you research the healing properties of Ceylon cinnamon. And I would venture to guess there’s probably got to be some sort of healing power to the soul when you find peace at the end of a chaotic day in a hot cup of old-world apple comfort.

How to Make Old-Fashioned Hot Apple Cider

With the cold weather upon us, this yummy hot brew is a great treat for the kids after chores and hopefully soon, some neighborhood sledding parties.

Speaking of parties, this can also become a delicious holiday libation for grown-up events… just add a favorite bourbon or brandy for something a bit “saucier”.

So, how do you make this Old-Fashioned Hot Apple Cider recipe? With just a few VERY simple steps. In fact, it can be done in a crockpot, on the stovetop, or even on a woodstove top for true old-fashioned authenticity.

What you Will Need

• 1 heavy-bottomed pot or a crockpot
• Spoon to stir it

MULLING SPICE RECIPES

• 1 Cinnamon stick (up to 3 if you really like cinnamon flavor)
• 1 teaspoon Whole Cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon ground All Spice
• A pinch of ground nutmeg or freshly grated

OTHER INGREDIENTS

• 1 Gallon Apple Cider (16 cups) – fresh or store-bought
• 1 small, sliced orange (optional)
• 1/4 Cup Brown Sugar (optional)
• Caramel Sauce (optional – but highly advised!)

DIRECTIONS:

1. Place all ingredients (except caramel sauce) in a heavy bottomed pot or crockpot.

2. Stovetop:

• While stirring gently, bring the liquid to a simmer until sugar is dissolved
• Let simmer on low for 30-45 minutes or longer for a stronger spiced flavor or less time if you just can’t wait – stirring occasionally

Crockpot: Cook on low for 3 hours.

• Place on high for 1 hour or Low for 3hrs
• stirring occasionally

3. Strain out spices

4. Pour liquid happiness into mug and ENJOY.

Yields: 16 cups / Serving size: 8oz cups