You’re going to love this recipe for Instant Pot Easy Apple Cider! Gone are the days of simmering apple cider in a crockpot or on the stovetop for hours and hours. Now, you can make a large batch of this beloved warm fall beverage in just 30 minutes!
If you have a lot of leftover apples, or your grocery store is running a good sale on them, I highly encourage you to make a batch. There’s just nothing like a steamy mug of apple cider to make you feel extra cozy on a chilly evening.
And while you’re at it, might as well turn a few of the fruits into apple pie danishes. They’re super cute in mini size and super easy to make in the air fryer!
This recipe features two different kinds of apples, fresh oranges, cinnamon, cloves, and a little bit of sugar for sweetness. The result is a perfectly balanced cider that’s fantastic on its own or great for mixing a craft cocktail (or mocktail).
Just be sure to save your orange peels and cinnamon sticks for the perfect garnish!
Cocktail ideas
- Bourbon Apple Cider Cocktail – This one is pretty easy and it’s a warm cocktail perfect for chilly weather. Just add a shot of your favorite bourbon (any will do) to your mug of hot apple cider and garnish it with a cinnamon stick.
- Apple Cider Old Fashioned – Chill 2 ounces of apple cider, then combine it with a splash of angostura bitters and a sugar cube in a glass. Swirl until sugar dissolves, then add ice and a shot of bourbon. Add a sliver of orange peel and a cinnamon stick for garnish.
- Apple Cider Moscow Mule – This is another chilled drink. Pour about 3 ounces of apple cider and 2 ounces of vodka in a shaker with ice. Shake until chilled all the way through. Add to a mug with fresh ice, and top with 2-3 ounces of your favorite ginger beer or ginger ale. Garnish with an orange peel.
Helpful tips
- Choose high-quality apples and sweeter varieties such as gala, Fuji, Honeycrisp, or Pink Lady to eliminate the need for sugar. Use a mix of apples for the best flavor.
- Wash the fruits well especially since we’re keeping the peels on. Rinse under cold running to remove my dirt, debris, or any possible contaminants.
- Feel free to experiment with your favorite spices such as star anise, allspice, cardamom, fresh ginger, or cloves.
- You can swap the sugar with your choice of sweeteners such as brown sugar, honey, maple syrup, agave, or coconut sugar.
- Add other fruits such as cranberries, pears, or lemons.
How to serve
- This easy Instant Pot apple cider can be enjoyed hot or cold. Serve in a cup and garnish with sliced apples and cinnamon sticks.
- Store in a pitcher with a lid and refrigerate for up to 5 days.
- Stored properly, apple cider will keep in the freezer for months. Transfer to an airtight container, leaving about 2 inches of headspace for the apple cider to expand.
Instant Pot Apple Cider
Ingredients
- 4 Gala apples
- 2 Granny Smith apples
- 1 navel orange
- 4 cinnamon sticks
- 4 whole cloves
- 1/2 cup sugar, optional
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 10 cups water
Instructions
- Wash the apples well, core, and slice into wedges.
- Wash the oranges well and slice into quarters.
- Place the sliced fruits in the bottom of the pot.
- Add cinnamon sticks, cloves, sugar, and ground cinnamon.
- Add the water.
- Close and lock the lid, and set the floating valve on the SEALING. Cook on MANUAL for 15 minutes.
- When finished, do a QUICK RELEASE and carefully open lid.
- Mash the apples with a potato masher.
- Set the pot to SAUTE and simmer the cider mixture for about 4 to 6 minutes. Turn off the SAUTE mode.
- Using a fine-mesh sieve, strain the mixture. Transfer the cider to a pitcher and discard the pulp.
- To serve, pour into a cup and garnish with sliced apples and cinnamon sticks. Enjoy hot or cold.
Nutrition
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