Taste Test Tuesday: Apple Cider

MMM...apple cider!  I love apple cider, but it can be expensive to buy at the store, so I thought I'd make my own.  I tried making it both on the stove top and in a Sun Oven.  Both methods worked great, the downside to doing it in a Sun Oven though is the wonderful aroma of the apples simmering wasn't in the house, but left to the Sun Oven.

What is the cost effectiveness of homemade cider?  Walmart is currently selling 1 gallon for 5.98; and 1/2 gallon for 3.98.

For 1 gallon worth of homemade apple cider, about 6 lbs of apples will be needed, plus some sugar, cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice.  I was able to buy the 3 lb bag of apples for $2.50 each, but the normal price is around $3.50.  Using the normal price of 3.50--one gallon of homemade apple cider costs $7 for the apples, plus the sugar and spices (say another 25 to 50 cents total):  so total about 7.25-7.50/gallon.  By getting the apples on sale the price dropped to 5.25 to 5.50.  Add on to this the cheesecloth used and any fuel to heat the cider of course.  Homemade apple cider is so yummy though--fresh tasting--both warm and cold, so I think it was worth it.

So here are the recipes--stovetop method and Sun Oven method.  For both methods, you can adjust the sugar and spices to your own tastes--if you like a sweeter/spicier apple cider and more of the respective ingredient, if you prefer a less spicy/sweet apple cider simply add less.

Making apple cider on the stove is so easy!  And oh does it smell Autumny (a wonderful apple cinnamon smell).

When I made the apple cider, I used two pots and did spill some--oops!  I think in the future I will only use one pot to prevent messes.