Fall is around the corner and so is the cooler weather! Warm up after a day playing in those beautiful changing leaves with a hot apple cider bar!
Fall is by far my favorite season! I’m not a warm weather person, and so as those summer months drag on, I long for the days when the leaves change and I can wander the streets of Chicago in a sweater, jeans and boots. Who’s with me??
Last year I made it a goal for myself to find an apple orchard outside of the city and go apple picking. So now I’m envisioning the perfect fall Saturday, complete with apple picking, maybe a hay ride, then coming home to warm up with a hot apple cider bar! A hot apple cider bar is a great way to end the day! I’m partnering with Solo Cup to show you how easy it is to put together this festive cider bar!
What do I need for a hot apple cider bar?
First things first, you’ll need apple cider! Whether you go homemade or store bought, warm up the apple cider with a big crockpot or dutch oven.
A hot beverage dispenser. You can either leave it in the pot or put it into a festive beverage dispenser like this one, this one or this one. Just make sure that the beverage dispenser can handle hot beverages!
Toppings! This is where you could get really creative! Here are some of my favorites for this apple cider bar:
- Cinnamon Sticks
- Caramel squares
- Fresh orange slices or orange peels
- Apple chips
- Torani Flavored syrups (my favorite are bourbon caramel and, what else, pumpkin spice!)
- Caramel sauce
- Whipped cream
- Bourbon or Whiskey (for the adults!)
How should I display my apple cider bar?
Presentation is EVERYTHING! Whether you’re working with a chic bar cart, or a sideboard like I have, get creative with your presentation! I am all about making things look festive and adorable, so I’m going all out this season!
Start with a cute sign! I found this adorable one from Target in the $3 section and I’m obsessed. If you’re not up for going out to the store, there are plenty of free printables out there! Some of my favorites are here, here or here.
Display your toppings! Using clear 9 oz Solo Cups, display your toppings on their own or in a tray like this one. Guests can serve themselves and add their own flavor combinations for the perfect custom fall drink!
Homemade Apple Cider
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 2 hours
- Total Time: 2 hours
- Yield: 10 1x
- Category: Beverages
- Method: Slow cooker
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 10 apples, quartered
- 1/2 cup maple syrup
- 4 cinnamon sticks
- 1 tablespoon ground allspice
- 1 tsp cloves
- 1 orange, quartered
Instructions
- Place apples in a large stockpot and add enough water cover by at least 2 inches. Stir in maple syrup, cinnamon sticks, cloves, and allspice. Bring to a boil. Boil, uncovered, for 1 hour. Cover pot, reduce heat, and simmer for 1 more hour.
- Mash the oranges and apples against the side of the stock pot to release as much flavor as possible. Cover and simmer for another 30 minutes
- Strain apple mixture though a fine mesh sieve. Discard solids. Drain cider again though a cheesecloth lined strainer. Refrigerate until cold.
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Serve and enjoy!
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