Apple Cider

This hot apple cider is made from whole apples and is enhanced with oranges and cinnamon. The sweetness of the apples and warm spices will fill your home with the aroma of fall as it simmers.

This recipe is perfect for all types of apples, especially ones that are bruised or blemished. You can adjust the sweetness of the cider using sugar, honey or maple syrup. The amount of sweetener needed will depend on the natural sweetness of the apples used. Remember it’s always better to add more sweetness later, than to over do it in the beginning. Let the natural flavor of the apples shine.

About the Farmer

Prairie Birthday Farm – Kearney, Missouri

Linda Hazel of Prairie Birthday Farm has dedicated her life and her work to honoring and restoring the native prairie at her home and farm in Kearney, Missouri. The unique name Prairie Birthday Farm celebrates the the birth of the many wild plant species that bud and bloom on the reconstructed prairie from April to September.

For this recipe, I was lucky enough to use apples from the 27 year old Bramley apple tree that stands tall and proud near the entrance of the farmstead. To learn more about the Prairie Birthday Farm visit https://www.prairiebirthdayfarm.com.

Linda Hazel of Prairie Birthday Farm with her 27 year old Bramley Apple tree.
Apple Cider
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Apple Cider

Recipe by Nadine MossCourse: BeverageDifficulty: Very Easy
Servings

16

servings
Prep time

15

minutes
Cooking time

2

hours 

This sweet, tart and lightly spiced hot apple cider is the perfect fall beverage.

Ingredients

  • 3 lbs apples

  • 1 orange

  • 2 cinnamon sticks (add additional spices like clove, anise, cardamom as desired)

  • 1/2 cup – 2/3 cup sweetener of choice: sugarm honey or maple syrup

Directions

  • Wash apples and orange and chop into quarters. No need to remove the peels, seeds, cores or stems.
  • Place apple and orange chunks in a large stock pot. Cover with water until the fruit is fully submerged with 1 inch of water over the top.
  • Add cinnamon sticks and optional spices to the pot.
  • Bring the liquid to a boil and then reduce to a simmer.
  • Let the liquid simmer for 2 hours, or until the fruit is very tender and the liquid has started to reduce.
  • Remove any large chunks of fruit and then strain into a large bowl or pitcher using a colander.
  • Strain the liquid again through a fine mesh strainer.
  • Once the cider is strained for the second time, add the sweetener of your choice (sugar, honey or maple syrup). The amount of sweetener needed will depend on the natural sweetness of the apples. Start with 1 tablespoon of sweetener per cup of cider and adjust as needed.
  • Reheat before enjoying. Store remaining cider in the fridge for up to 10 days.

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