Kids' Slow Cooker Apple Cider
This is the kids' table's own pot of cider, gently spiced so it's not too strong for little ones. Start it before the turkey comes out and the whole family can help themselves all afternoon.
What you'll need
- 1 gallon (3.8 L) fresh apple cider
- 2 cups (475 ml) orange juice, optional, for a sweeter, brighter cup
- 1 apple, sliced into rounds
- 1 orange, sliced into rounds
- 3 cinnamon sticks
- 6 whole cloves
- 0.25 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 to 2 tablespoons (15-30 g) brown sugar, only if your cider is tart
How to make it
Pour the cider and orange juice into a slow cooker. Push the cloves into two of the orange slices so they're easy to fish out.
Add the fruit, cinnamon and nutmeg.
Cover and cook on low for 2 to 3 hours, or on high for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, until it's steaming.
Taste it and stir in the brown sugar if it needs it. Lift out the clove-studded oranges after 2 hours.
Turn it to warm. For little hands, ladle it into mugs and let it cool a few minutes, or add an ice cube.
Bring everything to a bare simmer in a large pot, then keep it on the lowest heat for 30 minutes.
Glass: Kid mugs or paper cups with sleeves. Garnish: A cinnamon stick, or a thin apple slice cut into a star.
Chef's secrets
Use fresh-pressed cider, not clear apple juice, for body.
Keep it on warm, not low, once it's hot, so mugs are cozy and not scalding.
Grown-ups can spike their own mugs. Keep the pot alcohol-free.
Good to know
Leftovers keep in the fridge for 4 days, and they're also good cold over ice.
It holds on warm for up to 4 hours. Pull the spices after 3 hours.
