Ingredients

• 10-12 medium apples assorted such as Honeycrisp, Gala, Rome, and Granny Smith
• 2 medium navel orange peeled and sectioned
• 4 (3-inch) cinnamon sticks or 2 teaspoons of ground cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon whole cloves or 1 1/2 tablespoon of ground cloves
• 1 gallon of fresh water
• dark brown sugar to taste, optional
• optional garnish: apple slices, orange slices, cinnamon stick

Instructions

1. Wash the apples, core and cut into wedges. Add the apple and orange slices to a stockpot. Place the cinnamon sticks and whole cloves into a small piece of cheesecloth and place into the stockpot or add the ground spices to the top of the fruit. Add the water, enough to cover the fruit plus about 1 inch, and cook on high heat for 30 minutes, stirring often, then reduce the heat for 30 minutes, stirring often, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for 2 hours. Add water as needed to keep fruit covered.
2. Remove the cheesecloth of spices, if using, from the stockpot and mash the fruit with the back of a wooden spoon or with a potato masher as much as possible. Reserve the cooked fruit for another purpose, like apple sauce, or discard.
3. Taste your cider for sweetness and add the brown sugar until you reach the desired sweetness.
4. Serve your homemade apple cider warm or transfer to a heat safe container and refrigerate for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 3 months
5. Store homemade apple cider in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 7 days. Apple cider may need to be shaken or stirred before serving as ingredients may settle.