Artificial Flavors Free Hot Honey-Cinnamon Apple Cider
Warm, spiced, and deeply comforting, this hot apple cider is the kind of drink that makes a cold afternoon feel like a celebration. Fresh apple cider gets gently simmered with whole cloves, sliced ginger, and Ceylon cinnamon sticks — real, whole ingredients that fill your kitchen with an incredible aroma before the first sip is even poured. Ceylon cinnamon is worth seeking out here; it has a softer, more floral warmth than the common cassia variety, and it shows up twice in this recipe for layered depth. Honey sweetens everything naturally, and you can dial it up or back depending on your taste, which means no relying on flavored syrups or packaged drink mixes that sneak in synthetic additives. The whole process is straightforward — warm, steep, strain, and serve — and the result is a beautifully clear, golden mug of cider that tastes genuinely homemade. Garnish with fresh apple slices and a cinnamon stick if you want to make it feel a little special, or just pour it straight into your favorite mug and enjoy it as-is.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
- 4 cups fresh apple cider (not apple juice)
- 2 ceylon cinnamon sticks
- 1-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and thinly sliced
- 4 whole cloves
- 3 tbsp honey, plus more to taste
- ¼ tsp ground ceylon cinnamon
For serving
- 1 medium apple, cored and thinly sliced, for serving (optional)
- 4 ceylon cinnamon sticks, for serving (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Combine the apple cider, Ceylon cinnamon sticks, sliced ginger, and whole cloves in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Warm, stirring occasionally, until the cider just begins to steam and small bubbles form around the edges, about 8–10 minutes — do not let it boil.
- 2
Reduce the heat to low and stir in the honey and ground Ceylon cinnamon. Continue to heat gently for 10 minutes, until the cider is fragrant and the honey is fully dissolved.
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