In our family we have a few steadfast Thanksgiving Day traditions.
Like spending the day with my husband’s family and eating delicious finger foods all morning long before we even get to Thanksgiving dinner, at which point we decide to really eat, after which we’ll have dessert followed by continual grazing until people just start collapsing from delicious exhaustion.
Really. That’s a thing. At least it is on Thanksgiving Day…
Somewhere between the dessert and the grazing everybody starts longing for a good, hot beverage. Coffee is usually my drink of choice, but my children always beg for this hot apple cider.
So let me share a little Thanksgiving Day tradition of ours with you!
Trust me, this could not be any easier to throw together. You can add fruits and juices, but in its simplest form it contains just THREE ingredients. And if hot apple cider isn’t exactly your cup-of-tea, try the iced version! I’ll tell you about that in a minute…
So here you go. You need:
- 1 gallon apple cider
- 1/2 – 1 cup red cinnamon candies
- 1 orange
Pour your cider in a large dutch oven or stockpot. Add 1/2 – 1 cup cinnamon candies.
The more you add, of course, the stronger the cinnamon taste. I usually add in the 2/3 – 3/4 cup range, but stop and taste-test every few minutes to get the perfect flavor for you.
Cut your orange, (you can add lemon, too!) in thin slices and add it to your pot.
Simmer your cider over medium heat for 35 – 40 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the cinnamon candies are melted and your cider is good and hot. Then ladle and serve! (You’ll get around 16 servings. My kids can put this stuff away, so you might need to start with a couple of gallons if you’re serving a crowd!)
And not only is it delicious, it makes the house smell WONDERFUL while it’s simmering!
** This cider can be prepared in a slow cooker, too! Just add ingredients to slow cooker and cook on low for about 2 hours, stirring occasionally, until candies are melted and cider is hot.
For COLD cider:
But maybe you prefer cold drinks to hot ones. If so, allow your cider to cool and then fill a glass half-full with ice and cider. Pour club soda over the top and gently stir. A cold, fizzy cider might be more your cup-of-tea! (Or cider. Whatever.) I promise, it’s delicious!
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So have you started planning for your Thanksgiving meal yet? If so, you might want to start a new apple cider tradition this Thanksgiving Day!
There are certain foods and drinks that are required fare at our Thanksgiving dinners. Does your family have some of the same? Please share in the comments below! I may be on the hunt for some new recipes before it’s over with!
Thanks for sharing … looks delish, cold or hot!
Hope you are enjoying this unseasonably warm autumn.
The weather in the midwest has been fabulous, huh?!
It certainly has NOT felt like November around here! But that's a good thing as far as I'm concerned, although I will admit I'm having a semi-difficult time getting in the Thanksgiving mood. But I have a feeling the cool weather will be upon us soon enough!
My dad loves cider this time of year. I'll try your recipe and see how he likes it. Thanks for sharing!
What's great about this one is that it tastes like you've put a lot of work into it, even though it is the easiest cider ever! Hope you enjoy it!
I like delicious and easy haha. happy fall!
I'm right there with ya! 😉
This is perfect for our Thanksgiving. I can't wait to try it. I love those little cinnamon candies and would of never thought to use them. I love that it's a recipe that everyone can drink. Pinning & sharing. Thanks for joining the Inspiration Spotlight party. Hope to see you again soon. 😉
This cider could NOT be easier, and, trust me, people gulp it up like there's no tomorrow. And thanks so much!
We LOVE cider in this family, but have always make it using the prepackaged mulling spices. This is so easy,that even I could do it. Thanks so much for this. We totally are going to be trying both, the hot and cold, this Thanksgiving! 🙂
Trust me, this one's a breeze to fix and tastes soooo good. We traveled for Thanksgiving last year and for the first time in years I forgot all about making this cider until Thanksgiving night. My children were devastated! I will NOT be making that mistake this year!
Hope you enjoy!
Yum!!! We are so making this 🙂 So glad to have found your blog…a new follower!
So glad to have you! And enjoy your cider!
Oh my goodness, this was sooo tasty and a perfect warm drink for Thanksgiving day. I have a little leftover in my refrigerator and hope to try the cold version, too.
Thank you again and I'll be sharing a link in an upcoming blog post.
Isn't it delicious? And sooo perfect for fall. So glad you enjoyed it. And thanks so much for sharing!