Description
A warm and comforting Slow Cooker Spiced Cranberry Apple Cider with fresh ginger, cloves, cinnamon sticks, and citrus notes. Perfect for parties and cozy gatherings, this cider is infused with seasonal flavors and served with optional garnishes of orange slices and fresh cranberries.
Ingredients
Scale
Juices and Liquids
- 2 quarts unfiltered apple juice or cider
- 1 quart cranberry juice cocktail (100% juice)
Spices and Flavors
- 1 small orange
- 3 inches fresh ginger
- 1 Tbsp cloves
- 1.25 oz bottle cinnamon sticks (5-6 small sticks)
Optional Garnishes
- 1 small orange
- 1 cup fresh cranberries
Instructions
- Combine Juices: Pour the apple juice and cranberry juice cocktail into a 4-6 quart slow cooker, stirring to mix.
- Prepare Spices and Fruit: Slice the orange and peel and slice the fresh ginger into rounds. Place the cloves in a tea baller or tea strainer.
- Add Ingredients to Slow Cooker: Add the orange slices, ginger slices, cloves in the tea strainer, and cinnamon sticks to the slow cooker with the juice mixture.
- Cook Cider: Cover the slow cooker with a lid and cook on low for 6 hours, or on high for 3 hours. This allows the spices and fruit to infuse the cider deeply.
- Keep Warm: Once the cooking time is complete, switch the slow cooker to the warm setting to maintain heat without overcooking the cider during serving.
- Serve: Ladle the cider into mugs and garnish each serving with a half slice of orange and a few fresh cranberries, if desired.
Notes
- If you don’t have a tea baller or tea strainer, you can let the cloves float freely in the cider; they will eventually sink to the bottom and won’t be picked up when serving.
- Use a slow cooker of at least 4-6 quarts to prevent overflow during cooking.
- Fresh ginger adds a spicy warmth; adjust quantity based on preference for spice intensity.
- For a non-alcoholic festive touch, this recipe is ideal, but it can also be spiked with a splash of bourbon or rum if desired.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 120 kcal
- Sugar: 24 g
- Sodium: 10 mg
- Fat: 0 g
- Saturated Fat: 0 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 0 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 0 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
