Name: Slow Cooker Caramel Spiced Apple Cider
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 3 h
Total time: 3 h 10 min
Yield: 12
Ingredients: ½ gallon apple cider; 1/3 c. brown sugar, packed; 2 T. pumpkin pie spice*; 2 t. real vanilla extract; 3 cinnamon sticks; ¾ c. homemade caramel sauce, divided** (recipe included below); Maple-whipped cream*** (recipe included below); ½ c. heavy cream; 1 c. white sugar; 2 T. water; 4 T. unsalted butter; 1 pint heavy whipped cream; 1-2 T. real maple syrup

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Apple cider is a big part of the fall flavour experience and pairing it with caramel is natural. But you can also introduce another seasonal favourite, pumpkin pie spice, to make something a little different.

Slow Cooker Caramel-Spiced Apple Cider is a type of copycat Starbucks Caramel Apple Spice recipe for making fresh caramel spiced apple cider using a slow cooker. Slow cookers are perfect for cooking pasta, roasts and soups, but they can also be used to make hot drinks like this delicious winter warmer.

What is the Difference Between Apple Juice and Apple Cider?

There’s no real legal standard to what is called apple cider. It can be confusing. As long as you are using 100% pure pressed apple with no additives and minimal filtration, you are going to get the best flavour for your hot drink.

Traditional cider lasts longer than processed or fresh-pressed cider because it contains natural yeasts that continue to ferment it over several days (in some cases). This further breaks down proteins, carbohydrates and other nutrients into small molecules that the body is better able to digest and absorb quickly – sometimes improving how well they assimilate in our bloodstream when compared to regular water.

To call a beverage “cider” means you’re dealing with fermented apple juice. To make it “hard cider” means you have added a second fermentation and your drink has alcohol.

Can you use store-bought ingredients?

The processed caramel syrup and whipped cream are a lot easier to handle but for the real deal you will need to make the homemade versions. So try them even if it just the once for the real experience!

What do you put into pumpkin pie spice?

If you don’t have pumpkin pie spice, you can make your own by combining:

3 T. ground cinnamon
1 T. ground ginger
1 T. ground nutmeg
2 t. ground allspice
2 t. ground cloves

Store in an airtight container once you have used what you need for the cider recipe.

What you need to make Slow Cooker Caramel-Spiced Apple Cider

½ gallon apple cider
1/3 c. brown sugar, packed
2 T. pumpkin pie spice
2 t. real vanilla extract
3 cinnamon sticks

¾ c. homemade caramel sauce, divided (recipe included below)

Maple-whipped cream (recipe included below)

Caramel Sauce:

½ c. heavy cream
1 c. white sugar
2 T. water
4 T. unsalted butter

Maple Whipped Cream:

1 pint heavy whipped cream
1-2 T. real maple syrup

Kitchen equipment

Small saucepan
Oven-safe heavy bottom sauce pan
Large glass bowl
Slow cooker

How to make the recipe

For the Caramel Sauce:

Pre-heat oven to the lowest setting.

Warm the heavy cream in a small saucepan over low heat. (You’ll want to slightly warm the cream to prevent curdling when it is added to the hot liquid).

Add the sugar and water to a heavy-bottomed oven-safe saucepan and stir to combine. Set the spoon aside and do not stir the sugar mixture again. Bring mixture to a boil over medium-high heat. If sugar crystals remain on the sides of the pan, gently brush them back down with a moistened silicon baking brush.

Continue boiling until the mixture turns a nice amber colour. Do not overcook. If the mixture gets too dark at this stage, you will need to start over. If a dark spot forms on one side due to uneven heating, lift the pan and gently swirl until the colour is even again. Return the pan to the burner and reduce heat when the desired colour is achieved.

Uh-oh, too dark – try again!

Ah that’s better!

Slowly whisk in the warmed cream until thoroughly incorporated. Be very careful while doing so because the sugar mixture will be extremely hot and will bubble up when the cooler cream is added.

Remove from heat and add butter. Stir with a clean spoon until butter is totally incorporated into the mixture. Cool the caramel topping and store in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

For the Maple Whipped Cream:

In a large glass bowl, blend 1 pint of heavy whipping cream with a hand or immersion blender until it doubles in size and changes texture. Then, drizzle maple syrup into the bowl and continue blending until the mixture is light and fluffy.

For the Apple Cider:

Add the apple cider, brown sugar, pumpkin pie spice, vanilla, and cinnamon sticks to your slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 3 hours.

After 2.5 hours, stir in ½ cup caramel sauce. Cover and allow the flavours to mingle for the remaining 30 minutes.

Remove and discard cinnamon sticks. To serve, ladle the hot cider into mugs and top with maple whipped cream and drizzle with additional caramel sauce.

Storing the recipe

Keep It Warm: This can stay warm for as long as you need in the crockpot. You could also leave this on the “keep warm” setting during any kind of party or event.

Store any leftover cider in a closed container in the fridge for up to one week. If you have extra cider, consider freezing it. The cider needs two inches of headspace left when sealed in an airtight jar or container with room for expansion because as it freezes, it will expand and be able to stay frozen longer.

Recipe tips

Kid version with whipped cream and a dash of milk, adult version with a splash of maple whiskey.

12 drinks (half pints)