My Mamma's Hot Apple Cider (No Sugar Added)

Growing up we would always host a huge Christmas party at my house every December. I remember helping my mom prepare weeks in advance, baking every kind of cookie you can fathom, cutting vegetables for platters, and having a huge pot of simmering cider on the stove top.

I have always been a fan of hot apple cider, it's one of those drinks I only enjoy during the holidays. I particularly love my mom's recipe because there is no added sugar, which is surprisingly hard to find in a cider recipe. This drink is not only easy to make but it allows the natural sweetness of the apple to shine annnd it will make your house smell awesome!

My Mamma's Apple Cider

makes 2 quarts

1 large orange
4 cinnamon sticks
1/4 cup whole cloves
1 tsp lemon juice
2 quarts (8 cups) organic unsweetened apple juice
cheesecloth or cloth bags

Directions:

1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Insert cloves (about 1/2 inches apart) into orange, place in shallow baking pan and bake for 30 min.

2.Once orange is baked, pierce with knife in several places. In a large sauce pan combine apple juice, lemon juice, cinnamon sticks (in cheesecloth) and baked orange. Simmer covered for about 30 min. (the longer you simmer the more prominent the spices become) Remove orange and sticks and drain using a fine mesh strainer if needed.

3.Serve in a heatproof punch bowl, can serve cold or mix with club soda for sparkling cider.