Enjoy making this homemade Instant Pot apple cider, the ultimate cozy fall drink, packed with real fruits and natural flavors! Whether warm or chilled, it’s sure to become a family favorite.
Discover how to easily make this cozy and comforting homemade apple cider in an Instant Pot! Watch the simple step-by-step video and enjoy a delicious drink perfect for fall or winter evenings, holiday parties, or a quiet moment with a good book. This Instant Pot apple cider is the perfect blend of sweet and tart, thanks to the combination of apples, lemon, and a hint of warm spices like cinnamon, star anise, and cloves. It’s a cozy fall drink that will warm your heart with every sip.
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Whether hosting a holiday gathering or looking for a refreshing summer twist by serving it chilled, this cider fits every occasion. And yes, it’s way better than store-bought sugary apple drinks or sodas! Let’s dive straight into the recipe for this homemade apple cider made in the Instant Pot!
Ingredients required
Red and green apples: For this cider, I always prefer a combination of red and green, with more red apples. Today, I have taken four or five red apples and two green granny smith varieties. I have tried and tested this cider with gala and honey crisp apples, and while both are good, I highly recommend honey crisp for this drink.
Lemon: Both lemon zest and juice are used for added depth of flavor. If you prefer, substitute lemon zest with orange zest or juice for a sweeter citrus touch.
Ginger and Spices: Fresh ginger, cinnamon sticks, star anise, cloves, and whole peppercorns lend a warm and spiced flavor to this apple cider.
Sugar: Brown sugar is traditional, but raw white sugar, cane sugar, or light and dark brown sugar all work well. Adjust to your taste!
Please check the recipe card for detailed measurements and recipe notes for alternate ingredients.
Instant Pot Beverages
Yes, while you can make curries, rice, and soups in Instant Pot, you can make beverages too. I have used my Instant Pot to make this cider. If you are wondering what other beverages you can make in Instant Pot, check out my horchata boba, dum chai, and raspberry green tea.
How to Make Apple Cider in an Instant Pot
- Prepare the Apples: Core and chop the apples into cubes, discarding the seeds.
- Add Ingredients: Place the chopped apples, spices, grated ginger, and lemon zest into the Instant Pot. Break cinnamon sticks into smaller pieces if needed. Add water until the fruits are fully covered.
- Pressure Cook: Seal the Instant Pot and cook on high for 18 minutes. Once done, allow the pressure to release naturally.
- Mash and Strain: Open the Instant Pot and let the mixture cool slightly. Use a potato masher to mash the cooked apples. Strain the mixture through a fine mesh sieve, pressing the solids to extract all the juice.
- Finish and Serve: Stir in fresh lemon juice and adjust sweetness with sugar if needed. Serve warm for a cozy fall/winter vibe, or chill it for a refreshing summer drink.
Watch me make apple cider
Dietary Notes and Storage Tips
This Instant Pot apple cider is:
- Non-alcoholic, vegan, nut-free, and gluten-free
- Ensure you use vegan-friendly sugar if needed.
- To store, let the cider cool completely and refrigerate it in an airtight container for up to a week. You can also freeze it for longer storage. When reheating, warm it gently without bringing it to a boil.
Recipe Notes
- Adjust the quantity of apples based on size; 7 to 8 apples work well for this recipe.
- Experiment with honey, maple syrup, coconut, or palm sugar sweeteners. If using honey or maple syrup, add them before serving for the best results.
- If you’re missing some spices, substitute with all-spice or pumpkin pie spice.
- Feel free to tweak the sugar and spice levels to suit your taste.
More apple recipes
I have quite a few apple recipes right from baked apple chips to oreo apple milk shake and these bakes below. Do check them out.
PS: If you try this apple cider, please don’t forget to comment and rate this recipe. If you have any questions, please leave a comment, and I will get to it A.S.A.P. Make sure to follow me on my Pinterest for more healthy and delicious ideas! Follow me on Instagram or join my Facebook Group for more gardening and recipe updates! You can also sign-up for my newsletter for weekly updates.
📖 Recipe
Instant Pot Apple Cider
Ingredients
Measurement Details: 1 cup=240ml; 1 tbsp = 15ml; 1tsp = 5ml;
- 5 red apples or 6
- 2 green apples
- 3 inch cinnamon
- 3 star anise
- 5 cloves
- 6 whole pepper
- 1 inch fresh ginger
- 2 tsp lemon zest
- ¼ cup sugar
- 8 cups of water
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
Instructions
- Prepare the Apples: Core and chop the apples into cubes, discarding the seeds.
- Add Ingredients: Place the chopped apples, spices, grated ginger, and lemon zest into the Instant Pot. Break cinnamon sticks into smaller pieces if needed. Add water until the fruits are fully covered.
- Pressure Cook: Seal the Instant Pot and cook on high for 18 minutes. Once done, allow the pressure to release naturally.
- Mash and Strain: Open the Instant Pot and let the mixture cool slightly. Use a potato masher to mash the cooked apples. Strain the mixture through a fine mesh sieve, pressing the solids to extract all the juice.
- Finish and Serve: Stir in fresh lemon juice and adjust sweetness with sugar if needed. Serve warm for a cozy fall/winter vibe, or chill it for a refreshing summer drink.
Video
Notes
- Adjust the quantity of apples based on size; 7 to 8 apples work well for this recipe.
- Experiment with honey, maple syrup, coconut, or palm sugar sweeteners. If using honey or maple syrup, add them before serving for the best results.
- If you’re missing some spices, substitute with all-spice or pumpkin pie spice.
- Feel free to tweak the sugar and spice levels to suit your taste.
Nutrition
I am not a nutritionist. The nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. It varies depending upon the product types or brands.
A beautiful non alcoholic beverage just ideal for winter parties
Thanks Anusha.