Recipes
Slow-Cooker Spiked Apple Cider
October 8, 2026 · 4 min read
Nothing warms up a cool San Antonio night like a mug of spiked apple cider. It fills the house with the smell of fall, it feeds a crowd, and the slow cooker does the work. Here is the easy version, plus what to spike it with.
What you need
Simple pantry ingredients:
- 1 gallon fresh apple cider
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 4 whole cloves
- 2 star anise
- 1 orange, sliced
- Bourbon or spiced rum to taste
How to make it
Set it and forget it:
- Add cider, spices, and orange slices to the slow cooker.
- Cover and cook on low for 2 to 3 hours.
- Ladle into mugs and add 1 to 1.5 oz of bourbon or spiced rum per mug.
- Garnish with a cinnamon stick.
Bourbon or spiced rum?
Bourbon brings warmth and a little oak that plays beautifully with apple. Spiced rum leans sweeter and more festive. Both are great, so pick your mood, or set out a bottle of each and let guests choose.
Make it a party
Keep the slow cooker on warm and let people spike their own mugs. We carry the bourbon and spiced rum to match across our three San Antonio stores, in store or delivered. Please drink responsibly, 21 and up.
Get the bottles delivered
Same-day delivery and curbside pickup from all three stores.
Shop the ingredients
Find the bottles in this post on our shelves.