Here is the most delicious recipe for a homemade from scratch Apple Cider that is made in a Crock-Pot. With a handful of ingredients, you can then have 100% control over ingredients and taste.
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Published November 25, 2022
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Why make homemade cider?
Living in Wisconsin, with snow falling outside, our kids were desperate for a warm drink. With no apple juice or hot cocoa, we were so excited to have a recipe for homemade apple cider that can be made in a Crock-Pot.
Apple seeds can be harmful to eat
Did you know that apple seeds contain Cyanide?
While I was making this recipe for Crock-Pot Apple Cider, my husband was shocked when I put the entire apple into the Crock-Pot. Cut up, of course.
However, once he saw what I was making, we had to then figure out and teach the kids about Cyanide. It is always a teachable time, especially when cooking.
Apple seeds contain a trace amount of Cyanide. However, apple seed skins are tough enough to survive the digestive juices of the human body. To have any Cyanide to be harmful, the seeds would need to be crushed to release the toxin.
To have enough Cyanide to kill an adult, you would need more than 20 apples’ worth of seeds crushed to collect enough to potentially be high enough.
Milligrams per apple seed
The amount of Cyanide for adult toxicity would be 0.5-3.5 milligrams per kilogram of body weight. Additionally, the average apple contains 5-8 seeds, and each seed containing 1-4 milligrams of amygdalin. With the human body being able to naturally digest small amounts of Cyanide, it would take 150 to several thousands of crushed apple seeds to be enough to cause Cyanide toxicity.
According to USA Today, apple seeds do contain Cyanide, but NOT enough to kill someone. Check out the full article below.
Cost breakdown for this recipe
6-Quart Crock-Pot has 192 ounces. This recipe for Apple Cider in a Crock-Pot was $6.75.
Each Quart of homemade Apple Cider was then $1.12.
In comparison, if you were to buy the same amount of pre-made cider, it would cost around $15.00.
8 Apples $4.00
1 Orange $0.32
1 Lemon $0.39
3/4 cup cranberries $0.50
4 Tbsp honey $0.30
2-4 cinnamon sticks $1.00
1 tsp Whole Cloves $0.25
52 fl oz
Recipe
Ingredients
8 Apples
1 Orange
1 Lemon
3/4 cup cranberries
4 Tbsp honey
2-4 cinnamon sticks
1 tsp Whole Cloves
Water
Directions
1. Firstly, wash all of the fruit in a sink colander.
2. On a cutting board, cut the apples into slices and then place them into the Crock-pot.
To make it easy, use an apple slicer.
3. Cut the lemon in half and then place it into the Crock-Pot.
4. Then cut the orange in half and place it into the Crock-Pot with the apples.
5. Measure and wash the cranberries, then add the cranberries to the Crock-Pot with the rest of the fruit.
6. Measure and then add the cinnamon into the pot.
We did not have cinnamon sticks and using ground cinnamon was just the same.
7. Add the whole cloves to the fruit in the Crock-Pot.
If you do not have whole cloves, ground cloves work well as a replacement.
8. Then measure and add the honey to the Crock-Pot.
To offset the taste and tartness of the cranberries, more honey is better than less.
You can also choose to add any sweetener that you have on-hand. For example, you can use sugar, stevia, maple syrup or honey to make Crock-Pot Apple Cider.
9. Fill the bowl of the Crock-Pot with water to within 1-inch below of the rim.
10. Cover and then set the temperature at Low for 6-8 hours or High for 4-6 hours.
Stir the ingredients in the Crock-Pot occasionally while it cooks.
11. Use a potato masher to mash all of the fruit in the bowl of the Crock-Pot.
12. Then, cover and cook the Apple Cider for an additional hour.
13. Strain the fruit out of the liquid into a bowl, then taste and add more honey if needed for sweetness.
Finally, serve and enjoy!
~Monica
Crock-Pot Apple Cider Recipe
Ingredients for Crock-Pot Apple Cider
8 Apples
1 Orange
1 Lemon
3/4 cup cranberries
4 Tbsp honey
2-4 cinnamon sticks
1 tsp Whole Cloves
Water
Directions for Crock-Pot Apple Cider
1. Firstly, wash all of the fruit in a sink colander.
2. On a cutting board, cut the apples into slices and then place them into the Crock-pot.
3. Cut the lemon in half and then place it into the Crock-Pot.
4. Then cut the orange in half and place it into the Crock-Pot with the apples.
5. Add the cranberries to the Crock-Pot.
6. Measure and then add the cinnamon into the pot.
7. Add the cloves to the fruit in the Crock-Pot.
8. Then measure and add the honey to the Crock-Pot.
9. Fill the bowl of the Crock-Pot with water to within 1-inch below of the rim.
10. Set the temperature at Low for 6-8 hours or High for 4-6 hours.
11. Use a potato masher to mash all of the fruit in the bowl of the Crock-Pot.
12. Then, cook the Apple Cider for an additional hour.
13. Strain the fruit out of the liquid into a bowl, then taste and add more honey if needed for sweetness.
Finally, serve and enjoy!
~Monica
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