Description

A comforting, batch-cooked spiced apple cider made in a slow cooker with caramel sauce and warm spices. This hands-off recipe is perfect for meal prepping and provides a cozy, aromatic drink throughout the week.

Ingredients

Scale

64 ounces (1.9 liters) 100% pure apple juice
2 cups (480ml) water
1 cup (240ml) pourable caramel sauce
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
3–4 large cinnamon sticks
10–12 whole cloves
2 star anise
1 teaspoon ground ginger
½ teaspoon nutmeg
1 orange, sliced into rounds
1 apple, thinly sliced into wedges

Instructions

Wash the apple and orange. Slice the apple into thin wedges (removing the core) and the orange into rounds.
Poke the whole cloves into the orange slices and tuck the star anise into the apple slices to make removal easier.
Pour the apple juice and water into a 6-quart slow cooker.
Add the caramel sauce and vanilla extract, stirring gently to combine.
Add the apple slices, orange slices, cinnamon sticks, cloves, star anise, ground ginger, and nutmeg to the slow cooker.
Stir gently to submerge the fruit as much as possible.
Cover and cook on HIGH for 4 hours or LOW for 6 hours.
Once cooked, turn the slow cooker to WARM. Remove the cinnamon sticks, cloves, star anise, and orange slices.
Place a mesh strainer over a large bowl or pitcher and ladle the cider through to strain out any small bits of fruit or spice.
Taste and adjust sweetness if necessary.
Ladle the hot cider into mason jars or glass containers, leaving headspace if freezing.
Let cool to room temperature before sealing and refrigerating or freezing.

Notes

Do not use cloudy apple juice as it creates a gritty texture. Whole spices are preferred over ground to avoid sludge. The cider freezes well for up to 3 months. If using fresh-pressed juice, consume within 3-4 days or freeze sooner. Do not boil when reheating to preserve flavor.

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 4-6 hours
Category: Beverage
Cuisine: American

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 cup
Calories: 180
Sugar: 38
Carbohydrates: 42

Keywords: slow cooker cider, spiced apple cider, caramel apple cider, batch cooking, meal prep drinks, fall recipes, gluten-free, dairy-free