maple apple pear cider

One of my favorite things to do in the fall is curl up in a sweater with a mug of hot apple cider. Even better is sipping cider while sitting on my parents screened porch in the early morning, wrapped in a blanket to keep warm, but still feeling the crisp air around us. This maple apple pear cider is even more satisfying than the store-bought version and brings the best cozy feeling as it simmers away, emitting it’s delicious spiced scent.

Apple cider brings back so many good fall memories from different stages of my life. Growing up, my dad would wait for my siblings and me at the bus stop with a warm mug of hot apple cider to sip as we walked home from the corner. As a little kid it was always so exciting to hop off the school bus into the chilly weather and have a warm hug and a steaming mug of cider at the ready. It wasn’t a long walk, but had time to we sip cider together, crunch the leaves on the sidewalk, and excitedly talk about our school days. If only that was how we ended each day now ;)

More recently, Will and I have made it a tradition to go apple picking and get apple cider slushies or apple cider doughnuts at the orchard. While the apple cider comes in different forms, it is still the same quintessential flavor that I crave this time of the year. Making this maple apple pear cider brings back those nostalgic memories, but also creates new ones in the life stage we are in right now. I love to throw this together on a Saturday morning or Sunday before church and have the wonderful cider scents greet me when I get home later in the day, and bubbling maple apple cider for me to enjoy throughout the week.

Whether it brings nostalgia or new memories, I hope this maple apple cider fills your home with spices and makes a fall day even cozier.

Maple Apple Pear Cider
5 apples, halved and quartered
5 pears, halved and quartered
1 orange, quartered
¼ – ½ cup maple syrup
2 teaspoons whole allspice
2 teaspoons whole cloves
4-6 cinnamon sticks
water

Place all of the fruit and spices in a crockpot with ¼ cup of maple syrup. Fill the crockpot with water, leaving about 2-3 inches of space from the top. Gently stir everything to mix the maple syrup around. Cover with the lid and cook on low for 6-7 hours or high for 4-5 hours. After a few hours, crush the fruit with a slotted spoon or potato masher.

If you would rather make this on the stove, follow the same instructions for the ingredients, then put everything in a large stock or soup pot. Boil the cider uncovered for an hour, stirring frequently to prevent the fruit from burning. After the first hour, cover and simmer for 2 to 3 more hours. Crush the fruit with a slotted spoon or potato masher and stir occasionally.

Taste and add more maple syrup or spices to your preference.

Let the cider cool slightly then strain all of the fruit and spices through cheesecloth or fine mesh sieve into a large bowl. Squeeze all of the liquid from the cheesecloth/sieve. Store in the fridge and serve cold or warm!

You will have a lot of cooked fruit leftover. For a bonus recipe, throw the apples and pears in your food processor for some applesauce (or apple/pearsauce)!