Community Corner

Spiced Caramel Apple Cider: Cooking With Courtney

This homemade 4-ingredient apple cider makes your home smell amazing and can be made on the stove or in a slow cooker. Get the recipe.

Get the full recipe, with additional photos, tips and more at feedthesoulblog.com.
Get the full recipe, with additional photos, tips and more at feedthesoulblog.com. (Courtney Teague/feedthesoulblog.com)

Making spiced apple cider is one of my favorite traditions come fall, winter or holidays. There’s something so comforting and nostalgic about letting a big pot simmer on the stovetop while the mouthwatering smells of apples, and cozy cinnamon and spices waft throughout my home.

I love kicking the warmth up a notch by adding soft caramel candies. They bring a richness and depth to the cider that makes it really something special.

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Nothing beats putting a pot of cider on the stovetop for Halloween, Thanksgiving or the holidays because it just might be the easiest thing you make all day. Dump some stuff in a pot. Forget about it for a while. Come back to absolute sweater weather magic.

This cider recipe requires just 4 ingredients, but is extremely flexible. I like to make mine with cinnamon and star anise (more on this spice below), but you can add or substitute other spices such as cloves or nutmeg if that’s more convenient.

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Skip to the full recipe.


I got the idea for this recipe after trying the iconic caramel apple cider Starbucks drink.

Just a reminder, calories do not count if you’re having dessert or celebrating holidays, lalalalalala I can’t hear you, but it is true.

That being said, if you are inclined to keep an eye on your calorie intake, a 16 oz.-serving of this recipe will run you about 280 calories, compared to 380 calories at Starbucks.

Get the complete recipe post, including ingredients, instructions, tips and more photos, at feedthesoulblog.com.

Read more Cooking with Courtney columns and submissions.

Watch Me Make This

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Patch Wants To Feature Your Recipe!

Whether you're new to cooking or a seasoned veteran (pun intended), we want to feature your recipe as a Cooking with Courtney Reader Recipe of the Week.

Use the form below to share your recipe. (Can't see the form? Click here or email your recipe to courtney.teague@patch.com)


Cooking with Courtney is a weekly series featuring recipes by Patch Editor Courtney Teague. She also features reader recipe submissions in her Reader Recipe of the Week series.

Keep up with her latest recipes on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest and Twitter @feedthesoulblog.

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