Slow Cooker Spiced Apple Cider for a Cozy Gathering

3 ingredients and no added sweetener means this cider is one you can pour freely, at a holiday table or on any quiet evening you want the kitchen to smell warm. Cinnamon sticks and whole cloves are the aromatics doing the real work here.

Apple juice carries its own polyphenols, plant compounds studied for their antioxidant role, and because the sweetness comes only from the fruit itself, there is nothing added to manage. Let the slow cooker do the work for about 4 hours while the spices steep.

Let it fill the house while it cooks. A drink that asks almost nothing of you and gives back warmth and scent is its own kind of gathering.

Ingredients

• 8 cups fresh apple juice
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 1 tablespoon whole cloves

Swaps made: none. All three ingredients are elimination-phase compliant.

Method

• Pour the apple juice into the slow cooker and add the cinnamon sticks and whole cloves.
• Cover and cook on high for about 4 hours, until the cider is hot and fragrant.
• Strain out the whole spices, then ladle into cups and serve hot.

Instant Pot variation

Add the apple juice, cinnamon sticks, and whole cloves to the Instant Pot. Use the slow-cook setting on high for about 4 hours, then strain and serve. Time may vary by model (verify). For a faster cup, you can instead seal the lid and pressure cook on high for a few minutes, allow a natural release, then strain (timing untested, verify).

Variations

For a different fruit base, swap in grape or cranberry juice, either fully or as a half-and-half blend with the apple juice. To brighten it, add lemon zest, orange slices, or a few slices of fresh ginger. For a richer caramel cider, stir in homemade caramel, keeping it elimination-phase compliant by making the caramel from compliant ingredients.

*Adapted from a-clean-plate*