Homemade Apple Cider

I'm a big fan of apple cider.

Growing up, the minute the temperatures outside dipped below freezing (which, in my neck of the woods, is sometimes October), my mom would deliberately set a big stockpot on the stove, fill it with jug after jug of apple cider, add further flavor with spices, and turn the burner on low, just enough so the cider was almost hot, so we kids could come inside from playing in the snow and enjoy a warming cup of cider as our frigid skin melted. The pot would stay on the stove, continually being refilled, until it was getting too warm for that sort of thing - usually when our subzero winter temps started creeping up to the 20s in February or March.

Once the kids were all moved out, the tradition got shortened, with a duration of while we were home for the holidays. Still, colder temperatures tend to awaken a craving for apple cider. Now that I live on my own and I've adopted a real food lifestyle, I wanted a different alternative to the apple cider sold in a jug (made from juice concentrate and additives). With a little bit of research and time in the kitchen, I made an apple cider that definitely satisfies this year's cravings!

Whether or not you have fond memories of guzzling apple cider as a child as if it would turn you into a superhuman version of yourself, making your own apple cider is definitely worth your time. The hardest part is just straining the pulp out of mixture...and if you make your own nut milks, that's easy peasy.

Now, it should be said that this recipe is very adaptable. You can add more or less spices (I like mine very spicy). You can use more apples for a thicker, more apple-y flavor. You can drink it cold or hot.

I mean, it's hardly a recipe when it's that adaptable. In many ways this post is meant to just throw the idea at you so you don't go through cold winter days thinking you can't enjoy some hot apple cider without either spending an insane amount on the store-bought organic stuff or caving and getting the cheap juice concentrate kind.

Anyway, this recipe/idea thing is awesome because as long as you have apples in the house, you don't even have to brave the cold to go to the store. It really doesn't get better than that, I tell ya! Or, you can make a big batch of this and freeze what you won't be using immediately. It does last for a a couple weeks in the fridge.

Okay, enough of me trying to sell you on it. Just make the dang apple cider! Remember to use organic apples, as apples are part of the "Dirty Dozen".

Homemade Apple Cider

• Prep Time: 5 minutes
• Total Time: 15 minutes
• Yield: 6 cups cider (1 quart + 2 cups) 1x

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

• 3 medium-large apples (I used Haralson apples, but you can use your favorite)
• 6 cups water
• 1 Tb cinnamon
• 1 tsp cloves
• 1 tsp nutmeg (omit for AIP)

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Instructions

1. Roughly chop apples or otherwise remove the core.
2. Add everything to a high powered blender and blend about 1-2 minutes It'll turn brown - don't freak out, that's normal. If using a Vitamix, feel free to let it blend for 5-10 minutes or until hot.
3. Strain cider through a nut milk bag or fine mesh strainer lined with cheesecloth.
4. Serve hot or cold. Store in a sealed container in the fridge for up to two weeks.

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Notes

If it tastes too watered down, feel free to add an additional apple or two and blend again. Modify to your liking! I'm sure different varieties of apple might require more or less apples to get the best flavor.

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Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 cup