Spiced Pear Cider
The following recipe and photography was provided by recipe developer and food photographer, Ashley Durand of Plate & Pen.
Apple cider is great and all, but as we transition from fall to winter, there’s another fresh fruit just begging to be the star of this seasonal drink!
Pears come into season around November, and while I love to snack on them, I think I love drinking them even more!
Believe it or not, cider is actually very easy to make at home. All it requires is a handful of ingredients and a few hours to simmer on the stove! Loaded with fresh pears, citrus, spices and a little apple (for tradition’s sake), this simple cider is best enjoyed while cuddled under a blanket reading a good book or binging your new favorite show!
Sip, sip, hooray for cider season!
Spiced Pear Cider
Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 12 cups water
- 10 pears, halved and ends cut off
- 1 orange, sliced
- 5 Heinen's cinnamon sticks
- 2 tsp. allspice
- 3 star anise
- 1/2 cup Heinen's honey
- 5-6 cloves
- 1 Granny Smith apple, sliced
Instructions
- Add all of the ingredients to a large pot.
- Bring the pot to a boil over medium-high heat.
- Once boiling, cover and simmer on low for an hour.
- Uncover and boil for 2 hours.
- Remove the pot from the heat. Using a masher, mash the boiled mixture so the fruit becomes chunky.
- With a large sifter or cheese cloth, strain cider over the pot.
- Strain a second time to ensure all of the spices and fruit pieces have been removed.
- Serve warm or over ice and garnish with any fresh or dehydrated fruit.
