With Thanksgiving, Christmas, and all the other holiday festivities coming up, I’m sure you are looking for an easy drink to make for your next party or get-together. How about one that tastes great and makes your house smell amazing? This Slow Cooker Cranberry Apple Cider can be thrown together in minutes and is sure to please all your guests.
I have been wanting to make an apple cider in the slow cooker for awhile now. I was brainstorming a way to make it extra special when it came to me: cranberries! Most of the Cranberry Apple Cider recipes I found online combine cranberry juice and apple juice. I wanted this cider to have a strong apple taste with just a hint of cranberry, so I changed it up and created my own recipe.
This cider smells incredible and will make you feel warm and festive when you drink it. It’s perfect for Thanksgiving dinner, a Christmas party or any special occasion this holiday season.
It only takes a few minutes to throw all the ingredients in a slow cooker. Then let it simmer while you get everything else ready for your get together. By the time your guests arrive, the cider will be ready and filing your house with a wonderful aroma.
If you make this cider for a party or large gathering, you may want to at least double the recipe. I made it for a bonfire with some friends and it was gone in a matter of minutes. You can also make it ahead and refrigerate until the day of the party. I mixed everything together a couple days in advance and put it in the fridge. On the day I needed it, I put it in the slow cooker for about 4 hours.
Slow Cooker Cranberry Apple Cider
Ingredients
- 5 cups apple cider
- 1 cup apple juice
- 2 cinnamon sticks, or about 1 tbsp of ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp whole cloves
- 1 tsp nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp allspice
- 1- inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and sliced
- 1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries
- 1 large apple, peeled, cored and sliced
Instructions
- Pour the apple cider and apple juice into a slow cooker. Add the cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg and allspice and stir (the spices won't completely disappear).
- Add the ginger, cranberries and apples and stir.
- Cook on low for 4-7 hours (the longer you cook, the stronger the spices and flavors will get). Serve hot or cold.
Thanksgiving is all about family, friends and delicious food. Luckily, the food blogging community is all about these things as well. To celebrate the holiday, Meghan from Cake ‘n’ Knife and Susannah from Feast + West are hosting Blogsgiving Dinner. There are 20 awesome blogs sharing 52 recipes
The idea is based on the old-fashioned progressive dinner party, in which you’d eat each course at a different guest’s home. Each blogger is bringing one or more dishes to the party on Monday, Wednesday and Friday of this week, so be sure to stop by each one and get some ideas for your own Thanksgiving meal. Be sure to check out today’s recipes for entrees, salads and side dishes.
We’ll be posting to social media with the hashtag #blogsgivingdinner. Hope you can join us!
Here’s the full menu for today!
Dessert
Grandma’s Pecan Pie from The Wetherills Say I Do
Pumpkin Sheet Cake with Pumpkin Cream Cheese Frosting from My Cooking Spot
Gluten-Free Apple Berry Crumble from Twin Stripe
Paleo Pumpkin Pudding from Wit Wisdom Food
Cranberry Almond Coconut Bars from Love & Flour
Torched Marshmallow Pumpkin Pie with Olive & Sinclair Chocolate from The Local Forkful
Poached Pears with Salted Maple Caramel Syrup from Home at Six
Sweet Potato Pie from Think Fruitful
Nutella Pumpkin S’mores Tart from bethcakes
Gluten-Free Acorn Squash Spice Bars from I Cook. I Eat. It’s Life.
Drunken Pecan Pie Bars from The Speckled Palate
Butter Pecan Cupcakes from The Speckled Palate
After-Dinner Drinks
Slow Cooker Cranberry Apple Cider from A Savory Feast
Cranberry Bourbon Granita from Feast + West
Leftovers
Cheesy Potato Croquettes from Hello Little Home
Leftover Stuffed Egg Rolls with Cranberry Dipping Sauce from Cake ‘n’ Knife
Freezer-Friendly Turkey and Rice Casserole from Betty Becca
Stuffed Crescents with Thanksgiving Leftovers from My Cooking Spot
Anna @ The Beauty Section says
Oh yes…making this for sure around the Holidays! Our family LOVES apple cider, Can’t wait to make this!! 🙂
Jenna Brussee says
It’s so easy to throw together! Make a lot of it, mine was gone so fast.
Katie says
I cannot wait to make this!!! Eeee!! 🙂
Jenna Brussee says
It’s so yummy! And perfect for your holiday party.
Meghan B. says
I want to curl up with a big comfy sweater and blanket in front of a roaring fire and drink this… YUM!
Jenna Brussee says
That would be heavenly!
Aiming4Simple says
Cider + Cranberries = A Heavenly Match!
Jenna Brussee says
Yes they are! I like that this cider doesn’t have an overwhelming cranberry flavor, just a hint.
Sarah @ 12 Twenty Seven says
HOLY MOLY this sounds so incredibly good! This might be my contribution to Thanksgiving this year!
Jenna Brussee says
You will love how easy it is to make! Send me pictures!
Mandy says
This looks amazing! I think I might try to make it for my home group potluck
Jenna Brussee says
They will love it! Make sure you make a double batch, mine was gone so fast.
Daisy @ Simplicity Relished says
Ohh my goodness. New weekend recipe– thanks Jenna!
Jenna Brussee says
I hope you like it! Let me know what you think if you try it.
Christy says
This looks simply amazing and pulls double duty for a warm inviting aroma. Sounds perfect for the holidays!
Jenna Brussee says
I love how it accomplishes two things at once! It’s the perfect drink for a holiday party.
Barbara Hoyer says
This is the perfect beverage to serve at a holiday party!
Stopping by from The Sits Girls.
Jenna Brussee says
Thank you! It smells so good too.
Janelle says
This looks absolutely delicious and easy to make! Now to get some cranberries and cinnamon sticks…:) Dropping by from SITS–by the way, love the new(?) blog design!
Jenna Brussee says
I’ve been using cranberries and cinnamon sticks for all sorts of recipes lately. They are so good!
Jenna Brussee says
It is great for a cold night! This cider will definitely put you in a festive mood.
Erin says
Oh my goodness, YUM. I absolutely love apple cider, and adding cranberries to the traditional drink? What a fantastic idea!
Jenna Brussee says
Let me tell you, it is sooooo good with the cranberries! And it smells incredible, too.