Nitrate & Nitrite Free Hot Honey-Cinnamon Apple Cider
Warm, spiced, and deeply comforting, this hot apple cider is the kind of drink that makes a cold evening feel like a celebration. Fresh apple cider gets gently infused with whole cloves, sliced ginger, and Ceylon cinnamon sticks — a softer, more aromatic variety of cinnamon that gives the drink a delicate, almost floral warmth without any harsh bite. Honey steps in as the natural sweetener, dissolving slowly into the cider and letting you dial the sweetness up or down to your exact taste. Every single ingredient here is clean and whole, which matters when you're trying to avoid the preservatives and additives that sneak into so many packaged drinks and flavored mixes. There's no cured fruit, no artificial flavoring, and no mystery syrups — just real produce and pantry staples doing exactly what they're supposed to do. Strained smooth and poured into a mug with a fresh apple slice and a cinnamon stick, it looks as beautiful as it tastes. This is the kind of recipe you'll want on repeat all season long.
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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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