So you grew an apple tree in your Seattle garden, and now you don’t know what to do with all the apples the tree produced. You’ve baked apple pie countless times and gifted your neighbors and friends apples, but there are still loads of apples left.

How about you make apple cider? Not only would you enjoy the warm drink during the cold winter months, but your home would also smell amazing with the sweet fragrance. Here’s an easy apple cider recipe that you can prepare at home.

Is Apple Cider Same as Apple Cider Vinegar?

No, apple cider isn’t the same as apple cider vinegar. Apple cider is a non-alcoholic drink often made from fresh apples, while apple cider vinegar is alcoholic and fermented from apple juice. To be clear, this post is about an easy apple cider recipe – the non-alcoholic drink.

Ingredients for Apple Cider

Here are the ingredients you need to prepare apple cider at home.

• Fresh apples
• Sweetener (sugar or maple syrup)
• Warming spice (cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves or allspice)
• Wooden spoon or masher
• Fine mesh strainer
• Water

Recipe for Apple Cider

These are the steps to follow for this easy apple cider recipe

Step #1: Combine Ingredients

Slice fresh apples into four pieces and place them in a pot. Add cinnamon and other spices of choice. Then, pour in water until it covers the ingredients.

Step #2: Cook Until Soft

Cook uncovered on high heat until the mixture starts to simmer. Then, reduce the heat, cover the pot, and leave to continue to simmer until the apples go soft.

Step #3: Mash Apples

Use a wooden spoon to mash the soft apples to release more flavor. Then, leave the mixture to simmer for some minutes.

Step #4: Strain Mixture

Strain the mixture to remove the solids and drain the liquid apple cider. Remember to press down on the strainer to release any flavor in the solids.

Step 5: Serve or Store

Add a sweetener of your choice, and the apple cider is ready to serve warm or cold. You can also store some bottles in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.