Slow Cooker Pear Cider
2 Comments Oct 24, 2023
Updated Jun 05, 2024
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If you’re looking for a delicious seasonal beverage to serve at your next holiday party, you’ll want to make a batch (or two) of this Slow Cooker Pear Cider. Made with fresh pears, apple cider, maple syrup, and tasty warm spices, this cider is quick and easy to make.
Cider is the perfect beverage to serve alongside your favorite holiday dish like my Slow Cooker Stuffing and Slow Cooker Brown Sugar Ham.
Table of Contents
Why this recipe works
Capturing the flavors of the season – especially the fall and winter – isn’t that difficult, but making something that everyone will love isn’t always easy. I love this particular recipe because it uses so many natural ingredients from fresh pears to ginger root and whole nutmeg. If you are looking for an apple version, try my Slow Cooker Apple Cider Recipe!
There’s also no prep work beyond cutting the pears. Everything else is tossed in as-is and slow cooked to tasty perfection. I highly doubt you’ll have any leftovers, so get ready to make multiple batches to keep the cider on the table.
Recipe Ingredients
- Pears: You’ll need about 5-6 pears that will be sliced before adding to the crockpot. If you have extra pears, try my slow cooker poached pears!
- Apple Cider: This is where the cider flavor comes from, you can use apple juice in a pinch.
- Spices: Cinnamon sticks, star anise, fresh ginger root, whole nutmeg, and cloves come together for the best spice combination, making this a tangy warm beverage. These are similar flavors to my Pumpkin Spice Lattes recipe!
- Other Ingredients: Orange flavor, vanilla extract, maple syrup, and water add the finishing touches to this delicious warm pear-flavored cider.
Step-by-Step Directions
Step One – Prepare the pears by slicing them lengthwise. Then, the apple cider, sliced pears, orange flavor, vanilla extract, cinnamon sticks, star anise, fresh ginger root, nutmeg, cloves, maple syrup, and two cups of water.
Step Two – Cover the crock pot and cook on LOW heat for about 4-5 hours. This slow cooking allows the flavors to meld and the pears to soften and infuse their flavor into the cider.
Step Three – Place a medium-sized strainer over a large bowl and use a big spoon to strain the cider.
Step Four – Serve by ladling the spiced pear cider into mugs or glasses and garnish if preferred. Enjoy!
How to Serve
- This delicious cider can be served as-is by pouring it into a glass or mug.
- You can garnish it with an extra star anise, a cinnamon stick, or by placing an orange or pear slice on the rim. Also, whipped cream is to die for on cider!
- It also tastes great with a rosemary sprig added just before drinking.
- You can also keep it in the crockpot. Just be sure to turn it to the KEEP WARM setting.
- Serve the cider along side pumpkin bread or banana bread!
Recipe FAQs
If you lost a lot of liquid to evaporation during cooking, add more warm water or cider.
I prefer to use the cheesecloth method. You’ll place the cheesecloth over a large bowl, pull the corners of the cheesecloth up and around the pulp, and squeeze out any excess liquid into the bowl.
Yes, you can use various pear varieties to make pear cider in the slow cooker. Common choices include Bartlett, Bosc, Anjou, or any ripe pears you prefer. Different pear varieties may slightly alter the flavor of the cider, so feel free to experiment to find the taste you like best. Just make sure the pears are ripe for the best flavor.
Absolutely. You can adjust the sweetness of your slow cooker pear cider to your preference. If you find the cider isn’t sweet enough, you can add more maple syrup or another sweetener of your choice. Conversely, if you want a less sweet cider, reduce the amount of sweetener you add. Taste and adjust as needed during the cooking process or before serving to achieve your desired level of sweetness.
I do not recommend that for this recipe. You want the flavors to marry together without having a burnt flavor. Cooking it on LOW ensures that everything cooks together evenly.
Pour any remaining cider into mason jars and keep in the fridge for up to a week. This is a beverage that can be served warm or cold.
More Slow Cooker Cider Recipes
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Slow Cooker Pear Cider
Ingredients
- 5-6 pears, sliced
- 1 liter apple cider, (about 4.5 cups)
- ½ tsp. orange extract
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 2 star anise, plus more for garnish
- 1 inch fresh ginger root, sliced
- 1 whole nutmeg
- ½ tsp. cloves
- ¼ cup maple syrup, you can also use brown sugar or coconut sugar
- 2 cups water
Instructions
- Prepare the pears by slicing them.
Combine ingredients in slow cooker:
- In a small, 2-3 quart slow cooker, combine the apple cider, sliced pears, orange flavor, vanilla extract, cinnamon sticks, star anise, fresh ginger root, nutmeg, cloves, maple syrup and two cups of water.
Slow Cook:
- Cover the slow cooker and cook on low heat for about 4-5 hours. This slow cooking allows the flavors to meld and the pears to soften and infuse their flavor into the cider.
Strain the Cider:
- Place a medium-sized strainer lined with cheesecloth over a large bowl and strain the cider.
- Pull the corners of the cheesecloth up and around the pulp, squeezing out any excess liquid into the bowl.
Serve:
- Return the cider to the slow cooker and set to warm. If you lost a lot of liquid to evaporation during cooking, add more warm water. When ready to serve, ladle the spiced pear cider into mugs or glasses. Garnish each serving with a cinnamon stick, anise and a sprig of rosemary. You can also garnish with a thin slice of fresh pear and a piece of candied ginger.
Sarah’s Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition info is auto-generated. This information is an estimate; if you are on a special diet, please use your own calculations.
Looks delicious, but…what can I use instead of 1″ ginger ROOT and 1 WHOLE nutmeg? Powdered spices? What amounts, please
I would do 1/4 tsp. dried ginger and a 1/2 teaspoon of nutmeg. You can always add more after it heats up if you feel it needs it.