As temperatures become cooler and snuggly sweaters turn into a wardrobe staple, it is definitely time for a visit to your favorite local apple orchard and cider mill. 

Classic recipes for belly warming drinks include Allspiced Apple Cider and Hot Wassail which is a mixture of apple cider and other festive juices.

While spiced apple cider is very popular this time of year and makes an excellent drink to sip by the fire, apple cider is also an excellent ingredient to use in many mouth-watering recipes!

Apple cider is usually made when a blend of apples are cooked into a mash, which is the consistency of applesauce. Then the mash is pressed and cider is the delicious result. apple

Apple cider can be bought unpasteurized from a local cider mill or pasteurized at the grocery store. Unpasteurized cider will ferment quickly, so it must be used within a few weeks after it is purchased.

Throughout the fall, many local orchards hold apple cider festivals, featuring this delectable drink and the wide variety of foods that can be made with it like apple cider donuts and slow cooker apple butter. 

But you don’t have to go to an apple cider festival to enjoy these wonderful treats. You can make them in your own kitchen!

Apple cider can also be used in recipes for sauces to serve with pork and chicken. Add allspiced apple cider to pumpkin, butternut squash, or acorn squash soup to give them a rich and slightly sweet flavor.  For example, toss some cut up squash in a slow cooker with apple cider and cook for a few hours for a delicious side dish.

Scrumptious desserts like spiced apple cider cake and old fashioned apple cider pie also make wonderful use of this delicious ingredient.

Spiced apple cider can also be frozen, so you can enjoy the warmth and comfort it brings even when it is out of season!