I love hot, spicy drinks when it’s chilly out! Granted, here in the Phoenix valley in AZ it doesn’t get too chilly, but when it’s been in the one-teens all summer and part of “autumn” a 65 °F day can feel a bit crisp.

I made this ginger cider recipe for my hydrotherapy class so we could get really warmed up inside and out while we used the far infrared sauna to get ready for some spa treatments. It was such a hit that I made it again for Thanksgiving and I will certainly make it AGAIN for Christmas! I must say, I was very pleasantly surprised that my entire family loved this spicy fresh ginger cider! Now I want to share it with you so that you and your family can enjoy it too!

Warming Ginger Cider

Ingredients

• 4 oz fresh ginger root, peeled & chopped
• 3 quarts water
• 1 tbsp cinnamon nibs, or powder, or a few sticks
• 1 tbsp cracked allspice berries, or ground allspice
• 1 tbsp dry ashwaganda root (optional)
• 2 large honeycrisp or Fuji apples, chopped
• 2 large lemons, juiced
• 1 cup honey (or maple syrup if you’re not into honey)
• 1 tbsp stevia glycerite (optional)

Materials

• High powered blender
• Large stock pot
• Fine mesh sieve

Method

1. Peel and chop 4 oz fresh ginger, put in blender with 3 cups of water and blend well.
2. Put that into big pot with 2 quarts of water, 1 tbsp cinnamon nibs, 1 tbsp allspice berries, 1 tbsp ashwaganda root and bring to a boil; turn down heat and simmer for 1-2 hours.
3. Chop 2 big honeycrisp apples and put in blender. Set aside.
4. Juice two big lemons and put that in with the apples.
5. When the ginger mixture is simmered to your delight, blend some of the hot mixture with the apples and lemon juice (just need enough liquid to blend it well).
6. Pour the apple mixture into the big pot with the rest of your ginger mixture.
7. Strain well through a mesh sieve. You may need to do this a couple times.
8. Stir in 1 cup of honey and stevia until well-incorporated with the liquid.
9. Serve piping hot. You can garnish with cinnamon sticks and/or whipped coconut cream. Note that this cider can be chilled and reheated very easily and keeps in the fridge for about a week.