1. Core and quarter your apples. Toss them in your crockpot (or a heavy-bottomed pot).
2. Cover the apples with water.
3. Toss in your spices, lemon juice, and maple syrup. Give things a quick stir.
4. Cook on high for 7 hours (or simmer, covered, for ~3 hours in your heavy-bottomed pot). Your kitchen is gonna smell SO good!
5. Place a strainer over a large mixing bowl and pour the contents of your crock pot (/pot) through it.
6. Fish out and set aside the cinnamon sticks. From here you have two options:

Option 1:

1. Leave the cider as is, and toss the pulp and skins. This results in apple cider that looks more like a darker apple juice from the store.

Option 2:

1. Using a spatula, squish as much of the juice and pulp as you can into the bowl. Toss the remaining apple pulp and skins.
2. Using an immersion blender, blend the cider for a minute or so to make the pulp a bit finer. The apple cider will look more uniform when you’re done. If you don’t have an immersion blender, use a regular blender, or simply run the liquid through the strainer again, squishing the pulp through yet again to get a finer version.

Regardless of the option you choose:

1. Taste the cider, and adjust for sweetness with more maple syrup.
2. Store cider in fridge with the cinnamon sticks you set aside earlier. I use 1L mason jars that I picked up from the hardware store.
3. Cider will keep in the fridge for a couple of weeks; if you don’t finish it faster, of course.
4. You can drink the cider cold or warm, but I much much much prefer warm!