Honey Apple Cider Recipe
This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy.
This hot apple cider is such a wonderful Fall recipe. Apples are everywhere, they’re inexpensive, crisp and delicious. You can use any variety of apples for this. They don’t have to be fancy.
They can even be imperfect and discounted for all we care. Get the cheapest ones for cider. Your house will smell like the most luscious Fall candle on the planet, and you get to drink the end result. Double score! Keep this cozy drink in mind for your holiday celebrations!
Ingredients for Homemade Apple Cider:
4 lbs apples, assorted variety (about 8 medium apples)
1 medium orange
4 small/ 3 medium cinnamon sticks
1 whole nutmeg
1 Tbsp whole cloves
1/2 cup honey, plus more to taste (we used 3/4 cup total).
10 to 11 cups water.
Yields: 1/2 Gallon
How To Make Honey Apple Cider:
1. Roughly chop your apples. We used our awesome apple slicer which cored and sliced them easily. No need to peel apples. Place apples in a large soup pot. Slice your orange and add it to the pot, again, no need to peel the skin.
2. Add spices: 3-4 cinnamon sticks, 1 whole nutmeg, 1 Tbsp whole cloves.
3. Drizzle the top with honey, then pour in 11 cups water to cover your fruit. Note: If your pot doesn’t fit 11 cups water, you can add remaining water in later. Your mixture will just be more concentrated and you can dilute it down with more boiling hot water after it’s finished.
4. Bring the pot to a boil over high heat (now lean over and savor this amazing aroma; it’ll make your head spin a little), then reduce heat to medium and lightly boil uncovered for 1 hour.
Reduce heat to medium/low, cover and simmer another 2 hours. The juice should begin to turn amber in color when it’s finished. Add more honey and hot water to taste. The flavor should be sweet and spicy and way better than the packaged mystery powder.
5. Strain your cider through a fine mesh colander or through a cheese cloth placed over a regular colander. Squeeze out as much juice as you can and discard the fruit pulp and spices. Serve hot. This apple cider refrigerates well and is really easy to heat up on the stove top or in the microwave.
Credits: Inspiration and adaptations from: Katie of chaosinthekitchen.com and Gimmesomeoven.com
Honey Apple Cider Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 lbs apples assorted variety (about 8 medium apples)
- 1 medium orange
- 4 small/ 3 medium cinnamon sticks
- 1 whole nutmeg
- 1 Tbsp whole cloves
- 1/2 cup honey plus more to taste (we used 3/4 cup total).
- 10 to 11 cups water
Instructions
-
Roughly chop your apples. We used our awesome apple slicer which cored and sliced them easily. No need to peel apples. Place them in a large soup pot. Slice your orange and add it to the pot, again, no need to peel the skin.
-
Add spices: 3-4 cinnamon sticks, 1 whole nutmeg, 1 Tbsp whole cloves.
-
Drizzle the top with honey, then pour in 11 cups water to cover your fruit.
-
Note: If your pot doesn't fit 11 cups water, you can add remaining water in later. Your mixture will just be more concentrated and you can dilute it down with more boiling hot water after it's finished.
-
Bring the pot to a boil over high heat (now lean over and savor this amazing aroma; it'll make your head spin), then reduce heat to medium and lightly boil uncovered for 1 hour. Reduce heat to medium/low, cover and simmer another 2 hours. The juice should begin to turn amber in color when it's finished. Add more honey and hot water to taste. The flavor should be sweet and spicy.
-
Strain your cider through a fine mesh colander or through a cheese cloth placed over a regular colander. Squeeze out as much juice as you can and discard the fruit pulp and spices. Serve hot. This apple cider refrigerates well and is really easy to re-heat on the stove top or in the microwave.
Natasha Kravchuk
Winter Kissel Recipe 
Easy Apple Turnovers (VIDEO) 
Baked Apples Recipe 
Apple Tart Recipe (Apple Rose Tart) 
Apple Pie Recipe with the Best Filling (VIDEO) 
Apple Banana Muffins 
Hi! I'm Natasha Kravchuk. Here you'll find delicious, trusted recipes with easy step-by-step photos and videos. 
I love people who shares healthy recipe with others and inspire them to eat healthy. I am going to try this recipe myself. Thanks for sharing this with us.
You’re welcome Shayne! I’m so glad you discovered our blog & thank you for that thoughtful comment.
I made this apple cider today and it turned out soo delicious! My house smelled amazing especially that it is the season. Thank you for this recipe, definitely will be making it again
You’re welcome, Jen! Thank you so much for sharing that with me.
Hi, can I use sugar instead of the honey. If yes, would it be the same amount?
Thank you
Hi Sandra, as a general rule, for every 1 cup of sugar, substitute 1/2 to 2/3 cup honey. I would start with 1/2 cup of sugar and then add more adjusting to taste.
I drink tea every morning. I wonder how long would it stay in the fridge and if I could reheat a cup every morning in place of my teas.
Hi Marie, I think this would be fine if refrigerated for 5 to 7 days. I haven’t kept it longer than that so I can’t speak to that.
Hello Natasha! I haven’t tried the recipe yet, I’m going to this weekend. I was curious though, would it be okay to poke the cloves into the orange? Its something my father has always done when warming up store bought apple cider. I don’t have a strainer so I was hoping this would be fine. Thank you for your time!
I love that idea!! Yes, I don’t see why not! Thank you for sharing 🙂
Hi
Can I serve it cold???
Hi Jeena, we always have it warm, but I think that would work – I don’t see why not 🙂
Hi, Natasha, do you think using a slow cooker would work for this recipe?
Hi Luda, I think that would work to use a slow cooker. You might tone down the spices or add them to taste since it may become overpowering the longer it sits in the slow cooker.
Natasha, looks amazing! Thank you soooo much for sharing this awsome rcepies with us. It`s just pleasure to cooking with you recepies.
Have just one question, how much ml in your cup? Thank you for response:)
I’m so happy to hear that. Thank you!! 🙂 our 1 cup is 240ml
Nice and healthy juice.. Try to make it with organic fruits.. It will become more healthy.
If I wanted to use ground spices instead of whole, how much would you suggest I use?
I haven’t tried it with ground spices so I don’t want to guess. I’d say to add them to taste so you don’t overwhelm the cider with too much of any single spice.
Congratulations on your selection as Foodista’s Drink Blog of the Day!
I would to personally invite you to share your gorgeous food photos with us over at Food Foto Gallery . com – In September alone, we had 28,239 visitors to the site & there’s no complicated approval process like the big guys. Any photos related to food (that are not watermarked & of reasonable quality) are accepted & get posted automatically. Being a food blogger, myself, we also share our daily faves on social media, giving exposure to fellow foodies whenever we can.
Let me know if you have any questions and hope to see you at the site … Cj 🙂
Thank you so much :). I saw the feature and it was pretty exciting! I’ll let my husband know about your site. Thanks for the tip.
Natasha,
Do you know how long it can keep in the refrigerator? I am planning to make it for my baby shower, and thought it would be nice to make 2 portions of it, maybe a week or 2 ahead. Do you think 2 weeks is pushing it a little?
I think two might be pushing it a little. I probably wouldn’t push it past a week and a half. Congrats on the baby!! 🙂
Thanks! Sounds good, I’ll probably make one batch the Sunday before, and another batch on one weeknight, the same week of the shower. Can’t wait!! I love this apple cider, and have been craving it for a while already. 🙂
I hope you LOVE it! Your house will smell amazing 🙂
you welcome
I love all of your recipe, I tried doing soft cookies and is turned out AMAZING and you are the best baker in the whole world.
Oh Emily you are too sweet 🙂 I’m so glad you loved the cookies 🙂
Where did you purchase the whole nutmeg? I’ve been looking for it and can’t find it.
I bought it at Fred Mayer store.
Muaaah. Honey & Apple sounds divine. I will be making these today! They sound delish!
Let me know how it turns out :).
Perfect use for all the apple we have stashed from the orchard. Cant wait to make it for our next holiday party. I bet it makes the house smell amazing:)
It totally makes the whole house smell amazing! You have an orchard? I bet its beautiful. There’s something wonderful about being surrounded by fruit trees.
Sounds like an awesome combination. I’ll have to give it a try. It’s especially beautiful and perfect for this time of year.
I couldn’t resist it either (obviously lol). It is such a cozy drink 🙂
what food do you drink this with? just wondering. it looks great btw.
We just enjoyed it instead of tea in the evenings for three nights in a row. It was a nice Fall treat 🙂 If I was pairing it with anything, I’d choose desert or maybe a croissant 🙂
Can I use ground instead of whole cloves and nutmeg or does it alter the taste?
I think you could but add it to taste and you probably won’t need as much. I’d still recommend the whole ones. If you use ground, you’ll want to strain the juice really well.
Wow this looks amazing! Now I gotta go shop for the ingredients!
It tastes amazing as well :).
This looks soo good! Love the photos as well.
Thank you! 🙂 I just checked out your blog; this is right up your alley! Allspiceandnutmeg.com 😉
Love the photo, Natasha!
Thank you Olena :), it tastes as good as it looks.
Perfect for this weather 😉 love it !!!
It was quite a treat for the cozy Fall weather. We sipped on it for a few days. I love that it reheats really well.
Great recipe! I loooove apple cider!!!
We enjoyed every sip of it :).