How to Make Your Own Homemade Apple Cider

I think we all can agree that there is nothing better at this time of the year than homemade hot apple cider.  You come in out of the cold, cozy up with a loved one, and enjoy a nice, hot cup of apple cider.

But I can do one better for you – in this post, I can show you just how easy it is to make fresh, homemade apple cider. 

No more powdered mixes or weak store-bought cider for you!

I LOVE THIS HOMEMADE APPLE CIDER!!

Absolutely love it!!

I made a TON of homemade apple cider this fall and tried canning some so that we’d have enough to sip on during the winter as well.  Unfortunately, we only have two jars left.  So I guess I will be canning more next year….and buying apples to make homemade apple cider for the holidays.

Homemade apple cider is an easy way to use up excess apples

See, my husband gets apples from a coworker.  And they are the best apples I’ve ever eaten. But no one can ever remember what they are called!

And my mom also has apples in her yard, so I get apples every fall from her too.

At my old (old) house, we had two apple trees. And they were just starting to produce when we moved (we had the twins, and needed a bigger house…)

I was so sad.

My oldest felt bad for me.  (I must’ve complained a lot.) So he bought me an apple tree for Mother’s Day!  I was so excited!  He told me it was no problem – he was investing in his future!  LOL!!  Crazy kid.  He said he is going to buy me an apple tree every year for Mother’s Day until I have a nice little orchard. 

I hope he plans on giving me the grandkids to pick all of those apples!  🤣🤣

A couple of years ago, I didn’t have the time I needed to cook up all of the apples I had been receiving from people. The twins were little and it was just too hard. 

So I was snooping around on Pinterest one day and stumbled across this homemade apple cider recipe.  It was so easy!  I didn’t have to peel all of these apples!  So I decided to give it a try.

We didn’t like it the first couple of times I tried it.  Or, I should say, I liked it, but my family did not.  It didn’t take long to figure out why – they weren’t fond of the oranges. 

Also, we like a thicker apple cider than what this recipe provides. 

So, after monkeying around with it for a couple of falls, I think I finally got it just right for my family!!

Fire ball and apple cider

But, because you can always make good things even better, I like to add a little Fire Ball Whiskey to the adult cider!  The whiskey gives it an extra shot of cinnamon and of course, turns it into a hard cider.  It actually dulls the sweetness a bit, which is exactly the way I like it.

Delish!

How to make homemade apple cider

*Takes about four hours to prepare and cook

Ingredients:

12 large apples or 24 small ones

4 cinnamon sticks

1 tablespoon ground cloves

1 teaspoon of allspice

1 teaspoon of nutmeg

2 quarts of water

1 cup of brown sugar

Directions

Wash and core the apples.  Cut them in halves or quarters, depending on how big they are.  Place them in a large pot.  Pour 2 quarts of water on top.  (*Note:  for a thinner apple cider, use 16 cups of water.)

Add the spices. Cover the kettle and bring the water to a boil.  Reduce the heat to low or simmer, and simmer the apples for three hours, stirring occasionally.

Place a fine-mesh strainer over another large kettle and, using a soup ladle, gently ladle apples onto the mesh strainer.  Use a potato masher to mash the apples, releasing the juice into the kettle below. 

Repeat this process until all apples have been mashed.  Discard the remains of the mashed apples (the peelings and any other big chunks).

Add one cup of brown sugar to the cider.  If you like a sweeter cider, you may increase this; or decrease it for a tangier cider.

Enjoy!

If you choose to do so, you can add a shot of your favorite liquor to your coffee cup.  I like to use Fire Ball Whisky because it adds more cinnamon to the cider, but you can also use Ever Clear or any other favorites.

The apple cider will keep for about one week in the fridge.

How to can apple cider

Wash six quart jars, rings, and lids in warm, soapy water.  Place the lids in a small kettle, cover with water, and bring to a boil for ten minutes.  Fill the quart jars to the bottom of the neck with hot apple cider.  Place a lid on top of each jar and screw the rings tightly around the jar. 

Place the hot jars in a canner or pressure cooker and cover the jars with water. The water level should be two to three inches above the tops of the jars.  Cover the canner or pressure cooker and bring the water to a boil.

Process (boil the water) for ten minutes.  Turn the burner off and allow the canner to sit for a few minutes before removing the lid.  Then, after you remove the lid, allow the canner to sit for five more minutes before removing the jars.

Allow the jars to cool on the counter.  Once they are cool, wipe them down with a clean cloth, label them with the contents and the date, and store them in a cool, dark place.

Homemade apple cider goes great with the holidays

I worked hard to get this recipe up for you – just in time for Thanksgiving!   Wow your family and friends this year by serving fresh, homemade apple cider!  Keep it warm and ready to serve all day!  Place the cider in a crockpot or slow cooker and set it to low or keep warm. 

Fresh cider will be ready for all to enjoy at a moment’s notice!

Or, decorate the mason jars with pretty Christmas labels and give homemade apple cider as gifts!

If you are looking for more apple recipes, why not give my crockpot apple sauce recipe a try?  This recipe is so easy to do!  You don’t have to core or peel the apples!  Just place the whole apple in the crockpot and let it cook all day!  Your house will smell intoxicating!

Supplies you may need to purchase:

*The following are affiliate links. That means if you decide to purchase these supplies, Making Mommas will receive a small commission. This will not affect your price at all. For my full disclosure, click here.

At the end of the day…

It isn’t about what we make, is it, momma? At the end of the day, it is about creating memories with our children. Sure, this apple cider is easy and delicious, but it’s not about that! It’s about the smile on your child’s face when you toss those apples into the pot. ☺️