Hot Caramel Apple Cider
This warm drink is perfect for a crisp fall day. Now all you need is a pumpkin to carve!
Servings (1 cup) servings
Ingredients
- ½ gallon apple cider 64 ounces, or 8 cups
- ½ cup orange juice freshly squeezed or good quality bottled like Simply Orange
- 1 orange
- 8 cloves
- 2 cinnamon sticks if yours are more than a year old- buy new ones!!
- ¼ teaspoon ground allspice
- ⅓ cup jarred caramel sauce* more to taste if needed
- optional: caramel flavored syrup link in post
- sweetened whipped cream link in post, or from a can is fine!
Instructions
Stovetop Instructions
- Pour 8 cups of apple cider into a large stock pot on the stove pot. Set heat to medium-high. Add orange juice, cinnamon sticks, and allspice.
- Thoroughly wash your orange and then gently stab the whole cloves into it.
- Gently drop the whole orange into the pot. Bring cider to a boil and then reduce heat to a low simmer. Simmer on low for 60 minutes, longer if you wish.
- After you've simmered for an hour, add caramel sauce and stir to combine and dissolve. Add more caramel sauce or caramel syrup to taste if needed.
- When ready to serve, ladle into mugs, top with whipped cream, and give it a drizzle of caramel and a sprinkle of cinnamon.
If you find it hard to do that without destroying the cloves, use a toothpick to poke little hole first and then insert the cloves. If you are doubling the recipe, you can still just use one orange, just double the number of cloves you poke into it.
If you're keeping the pot on the stove for an extended period, keep an eye on the orange. If at any time it splits open, remove it from the pot. If the white pith is exposed it will add a bitter taste to your cider. If you're going to have the pot warming for hours on end, take out the orange.
Slow Cooker Instructions
- Add apple cider, orange juice, cinnamon sticks, allspice, and clove-studded orange to a 4-quart or larger slow cooker.
- Cook on low for 3-4 hours or high for 1½-2 hours, until hot and fragrant.
- Remove orange, cloves, and cinnamon sticks, and add caramel sauce.
- Keep on low or warm setting for serving. When ready to serve, top with sweetened whipped cream, a drizzle of caramel syrup, and a sprinkle of cinnamon.
Keep an eye on that orange! If it splits at any point, remove it from the slow cooker to prevent the bitter white pith from making your cider bitter.
Notes
- Important Note: I made this in a relatively small batch with measurements that are easily doubled to use the whole container of cider.
- Great tip: For a delicious twist, substitute maple syrup for the caramel sauce in this recipe.
Nutrition
Serving: 1cup, Calories: 131kcal, Carbohydrates: 31g, Protein: 1g, Fat: 1g, Saturated Fat: 0.3g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 0.1g, Cholesterol: 1mg, Sodium: 10mg, Potassium: 309mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 26g, Vitamin A: 86IU, Vitamin C: 19mg, Calcium: 40mg, Iron: 0.4mg
Calories: 131kcal
Cost: $5
Did You Make This Recipe?Snap a picture, and hashtag it #ourbestbites. We love to see your creations on our Instagram @ourbestbites!