1-First Step: Preparation and Mise en Place Begin by thoroughly washing your apples and oranges. There’s no need to peel the apples unless you prefer a smoother texture keeping the peels on actually enhances both the flavor and nutritional content of your homemade apple cider. Quarter the fruits, leaving seeds and cores intact as they’ll be strained out later. Gather your spices and sweetener so everything is ready to go before you turn on the heat.

2-Second Step: Combine Ingredients in Pot In a large stockpot, combine the quartered apples, oranges, cinnamon sticks, whole cloves, and any optional seasonings you’re using whether that’s allspice, freshly grated nutmeg, or sliced ginger. The spices are what give homemade apple cider its signature warmth, so don’t be shy with them! Make sure your pot is large enough to hold all the ingredients plus water with some room to prevent boiling over.

3-Third Step: Add Water and Heat Mixture Cover the fruit and spice mixture with 16 cups of water, leaving about 1-2 inches of space at the top of the pot to prevent overflowing during cooking. Place the pot over medium-high heat and bring the mixture to a gentle simmer. You’ll start noticing the wonderful aroma after just a few minutes that’s the sign that your homemade apple cider is coming together beautifully!

4-Fourth Step: Initial Simmering Process Once the mixture reaches a simmer, reduce the heat to medium-low and cover the pot with a lid. Let it simmer gently for 2 hours, or until the apples are very soft and falling apart. This slow cooking process allows the flavors to meld together and develop that rich complexity that makes homemade apple cider so special. Check occasionally to ensure the mixture maintains a gentle simmer and doesn’t boil too vigorously.

5-Fifth Step: Mash and Continue Simmering After the initial 2 hours, use a large spoon or potato masher to press the softened apples and oranges against the sides of the pot. This helps release more juice and flavor into the liquid. Cover again and continue simmering for another hour. The longer simmering time intensifies the flavor and creates that perfect balance of sweetness and spice that defines great homemade apple cider.

6-Sixth Step: Strain the Mixture Set a fine-mesh strainer or cheesecloth over a large bowl or another pot. Carefully pour the cooked mixture through the strainer, pressing firmly on the solids with a spoon or spatula to extract as much liquid as possible. Don’t be afraid to press really hard this is where all the delicious flavors come from! Discard the solids or save them for another use (see tips section).

7-Final Step: Sweeten and Serve Return the strained liquid to the pot if you used a separate bowl for straining. Stir in your sweetener of choice brown sugar or maple syrup work wonderfully in homemade apple cider. Start with 1/2 cup, taste, and add more if desired. Gently heat the cider until it’s warm throughout, but don’t let it boil. Serve your delicious homemade apple cider in mugs, garnished with fresh orange slices and cinnamon sticks if you’re feeling fancy!