Confession: I bought a half-gallon of fresh apple cider two days ago, and it was devoured within 24 hours. Mostly by me. Today I bought two gallons of fresh apple cider and hid one in a secret spot. Please don't tell on me.
There is nothing as crisp and refreshing in autumn as fresh apple cider, so today I'm sharing three fun recipes to kick up this autumn treat to tasty new levels. One cold recipe, two hot, and all three delicious! Replace your regular morning coffee with a cup of Creamy Caramel Apple Cider for a great start to your day; create an Apple Cider Float with your favorite ice cream; and finally, Hot Apple Wassail warms you from the inside out with fresh sliced fruit and a hint of rum.
Creamy Caramel Apple Cider
8 ounces apple cider 1-3 tablespoons caramel coffee creamer
Directions Warm apple cider on stovetop or microwave to desired temperature. Stir in caramel creamer and serve immediately. Serve with fresh donuts.
Apple Cider Float
fresh apple cider
cinnamon or butterscotch ice cream
Directions
Using a cookie dough scoop or melon baller, scoop several balls of ice cream into a glass. Top with cold apple cider and serve immediately. HINT: Blend in a blender for a delicious Apple Cider Freeze!
Hot Cider Wassail
6 cups fresh apple cider 2 cups cranberry juice 1/2 cup orange juice 3 tablespoons sugar 3 cinnamon sticks 15 whole cloves 1 orange, sliced (with peel) 1 apple, cored and sliced 1 teaspoon rum flavoring (or 1 cup rum)
Directions In a large pot, combine apple cider, cranberry juice, orange juice, cinnamon sticks, and cloves over medium heat. Bring to a rolling boil, then reduce heat to low to simmer for about 10 minutes (and up to 30 minutes). Wash and slice orange and apple, placing one or two slices of each into glasses. Remove pot from heat and stir in rum flavoring or rum. Pour over orange and apple slices and serve hot. HINT: If you don't like the taste or look of the orange pulp in cooking, strain wassail through a cheesecloth when serving.