Imagine the sweet aroma of simmering apple wedges, cinnamon sticks and whole cloves fills the room making it feel warm and cozy all season long. Our Spiked Apple Cider is about to be your new favorite fall drink. Serve it with a generous pour of your favorite whiskey or a splash of bourbon for the perfect fall cocktail.
Having fresh apple cider is a seasonal staple in our home, I often make a double batch of a non-spiked version to use for our fall cocktail menu.
Jump to:
- Why You Will Love This Spiked Apple Cider Recipe
- Ingredients
- Substitutions and Variations
- How to Make Our Spiked Apple Cider
- More Cocktail Recipes You Will Love
- How to Store Leftover Spiked Apple Cider Recipe
- What to Serve with Spiked Apple Cider
- Top Tips
- Frequently Asked Questions about our Spiked Apple Cider Recipe
- More Recipes You Will Love
- Spiked Apple Cider
This hot cider recipe is an incredible recipe for a chilly day, but it also works great as the base for my Apple Cider Mimosa and Apple Cider Sangria.
Why You Will Love This Spiked Apple Cider Recipe
- Perfect for Fall and Holiday Parties: Serve straight from the Crockpot and let guests help themselves.
- Warm and Comforting: Packed with real fruit and whole spices for a depth of flavor.
- Smells Amazing: The whole house smells like the fall season.
- Easy to Prep & Make: Just chop, toss, simmer and strain; the slow cooker does all the work.
- Make it Kid-Friendly: Omit the whiskey for a non-alcoholic version everyone can enjoy.
Ingredients
This cozy cocktail comes together with just a handful of ingredients found at every local grocery store.
See the recipe card below for the exact quantities of each ingredient.
- Royal Gala Apples: A sweet but mild-flavored apple.
- Whole Cloves: Paired with cinnamon sticks only increases that warmth.
- Allspice Berries: This adds a peppery flavor.
- Star Anise: This offers a sweet, light licorice flavor.
For this easy recipe, you'll want to have on hand a 3-quart slow cooker, fine strainer (or a cheesecloth), measuring cups and spoons and a potato masher.
Substitutions and Variations
Love this hot apple cider cocktail but want to make it your own? Here are some helpful alternatives.
- Sweetener Swap: Swap brown sugar for maple syrup or honey.
- Change Up your Apples: Try Gala for balance, or mix it up with Honeycrisp, Fuji or McIntosh for extra flavor.
- Rum: Dark rum brings a warm, spiced sweetness in place of whiskey.
- Ground Spices: If you only have ground spices they work well, but you will need significantly less.
- Make it Cold: Pour over ice to enjoy a crisp, cold take on this cozy drink.
How to Make Our Spiked Apple Cider
All you need are the ingredients, a slow cooker and some time to let this delicious beverage come together.
Place quartered gala apples and orange slices in the Crock pot. Add in all remaining ingredients and cover with 4 cups of water.
Cook on HIGH for 3 hours and lightly stir after 1 ½ hours.
Using a potato masher, squish some pulp out of the fruits. Strain everything into a bowl or large measuring cup (note: you may need to do this a few times to get the finer particles).
Pour the juices back into the crockpot to keep warm until serving.
When ready to serve, add in the alcohol of your choice (for this recipe we used Fireball cinnamon whiskey).
Hint: Use a fine mesh strainer or cheesecloth for the clearest cider.
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How to Store Leftover Spiked Apple Cider Recipe
Our Crockpot apple cider is best enjoyed warm and cozy, but you can serve it in a few different ways to fit the occasion.
- Glass: Heatproof mugs are perfect for serving it hot.
- Garnishes: Add cinnamon sticks, apple slices, orange slices, star anise or even a caramel drizzle.
- Refrigerator: Store leftovers in an airtight container or sealed pitcher for up to 3-4 days.
- Reheating: Warm gently on the stove over low heat. Avoid boiling so the alcohol doesn’t cook off.
What to Serve with Spiked Apple Cider
Cider pairs perfectly with any fall flavor, making it a versatile drink to serve alongside both sweet and savory recipes.
- Sweet Fall Desserts: Chewy ginger molasses cookies, pumpkin banana bread, pumpkin pie using sweetened condensed milk, apple pie à la mode and Crockpot cinnamon roll casserole.
- Savory Seasonal Recipes: Herb butter turkey, Instant Pot pumpkin soup or pumpkin carrot soup.
Top Tips
A few simple tricks will help you make the best spiked apple cider, whether you’re serving it hot for a cozy night in or cold for a refreshing twist.
- Taste Before Serving: Add more sugar or whiskey depending on your crowd.
- Keep it Warm: Return the strained cider to the crockpot on low or warm until ready to serve.
- Batch Ahead: Make the cider base earlier in the day, then spike it with alcohol just before serving.
- Quality Matters: Choose fresh, high-quality apples. Avoid bruised or overripe ones for the best cider flavor.
Frequently Asked Questions about our Spiked Apple Cider Recipe
Got questions about making or serving spiked apple cider? Here are the answers to the most common ones.
We highly recommend that you use fresh apples for this recipe, as it brings out the best flavors.
We enjoy the added cinnamon flavor in the Fireball whiskey but you can use your favourite bourbon or rum if preferred!
You do not have to wait for it to cool completely, but the warmer it is the more the alcohol will dissipate. We suggest adding it right before serving.
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Spiked Apple Cider
Equipment
- Crockpot/ Slow Cooker
- Strainer/Cheesecloth
- Potato Masher
- Measuring Cups and Spoons
Ingredients
- 3 royal gala apples quartered
- 1 orange sliced
- ¼ cup dark brown sugar lightly packed
- 3 cinnamon sticks
- ½ - 1 teaspoon whole cloves
- ½ teaspoon whole all-spice
- 1 star anise
- 4 cups water
- 1 cup Fireball Cinnamon Whiskey
Instructions
- Place quartered gala apples and orange slices in the Crock pot. Add in all remaining ingredients and cover with 4 cups of water.
- Cook on HIGH for 3 hours and lightly stir after 1 ½ hours.
- Using a potato masher, squish some pulp out of the fruits. Strain everything into a bowl or large measuring cup (note: you may need to do this a few times to get the finer particles).
- Pour the juices back into the crockpot to keep warm until serving.
- When ready to serve, add in the alcohol of your choice (for this recipe we used Fireball cinnamon whiskey).
Notes
- Use a fine mesh strainer or cheesecloth for the clearest cider.
- Taste before serving and add more sugar or whiskey depending on your crowd.
- Return the strained cider to the Crockpot on low or warm until ready to serve.
- Make the cider base earlier in the day, then spike it with alcohol just before serving.
- Choose fresh, high-quality apples. Avoid bruised or overripe ones for the best cider flavor.
Nutrition
Tried this recipe? Leave a star rating and comment below. I’d love to hear how it turned out for you!
Ryan says
Thanks for this one eva. Im keeping a pot on all winter. Delicious
Eva Filer says
So glad you like it. It's a big one over here too! We just omit the fireball until we're ready for some extra heat! 🙂
Amy says
love this recipe, perfect for the holidays! Easy to make, whole house smells like heaven and everyone raves about it!
Eva Filer says
Oh thank you so much for letting us know that everyone enjoys it, Amy!
SC says
I have made this recipe twice now, and you’re right, without the alcohol is it still the best apple cider I have ever had!
Eva Filer says
That is awesome. It is great to know that people do try the suggestions we make! So happy you enjoyed it.
Sara says
Literally tastes like autumn. The smell is amazing too!! Made it for a Canadian Thanksgiving feast and it paired so well with the turkey that I also used your recipe for! Everyone thoroughly enjoyed it and it made me look like quite the chef. Thank you!!
Eva Filer says
We love when a simple recipe has a big impact! Thanks for your feedback. We hope you will stick around and try more recipes.
Emma says
Made this cider for thanksgiving. Everyone loved it
Eva Filer says
It is great to hear that you all enjoyed it Emma!
Emily says
Made this cider for thanksgiving. Everyone loved it
Eva Filer says
That is so great to hear, Emily!
Diane says
This was a hit with the family his thanksgiving weekend. I did one for the kids too! Thanks Eva
Eva Filer says
You're welcome! Glad you enjoyed it.
Cathy says
This apple cider recipe is amazing! It's perfect for this type of weather and so easy to make! I made up 2 batches this holiday weekend, one for the adults and then one without alcohol for the kids. It was a hit with everyone!
Eva Filer says
Love hearing this, that is a great idea! I love making it this time of year as well. It is nice to have on a cold evening.
Nicole says
This apple cider was sooo yummy and super easy to make in the crockpot!
Eva Filer says
We are so glad to hear you liked this Nicole! It is so delicious and the house smells lovely while it is cooking too!