Lifestyle

Infuse Your Thanksgiving Leftovers: Tincture-Infused Homemade Apple Cider

Published on November 19, 2015 · Last updated July 28, 2020

The holiday season is a great time of the year to whip up some tummy-warming apple cider. Here we’re featuring two recipe variations that incorporate cannabis tinctures for a delectable infused fall or winter treat. The first recipe listed is great for home cooks who want to make a batch of apple cider from scratch, while the second is ideal for people who want to save a little time by infusing pre-made cider.

Related
Cannabis tinctures 101: How to make, consume, and dose them

Recipe for Cannabis-Infused Apple Cider (Made From Scratch)

Ingredients

  • 4-5 Granny Smith apples
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 2 tablespoons cinnamon
  • 1 tablespoons allspice
  • 1 teaspoon whole clove
  • 1/4 cup light brown sugar
  • Pinch grated nutmeg
  • 3-4 drops glycerin cannabis tincture*

Directions

  • Cut apples into quarters (don’t remove peel or seeds).
  • Put your apples into a large pot and fill with enough water to cover the apples.
  • Add sugar, brown sugar, allspice, nutmeg, and cinnamon.
  • Boil on high for one hour. Don’t cover pot. Check frequently.
  • Cover pot and turn down heat and simmer for two hours.
  • Take off heat and let cool.
  • Mash up apples to a pulp.
  • Once cool, pour into strainer over a large bowl. When most of the juice has been strained, put remaining pulp in paper towel or cheese cloth and squeeze over the bowl until no more juice comes out.
  • Add 3-4 drops of tincture and serve.

Serves 3-4

How to Quickly and Easily Infuse Your Favorite Apple Cider

This recipe variation comes from Jeremiah Wilhelm, Leafly’s strain researcher and cold-pressed cider aficionado.

This spiced cider recipe adaptation is easy to fashion and even easier to infuse. While many fall drinks contain a nice shot or two of spirit-warming liquor (like brandy or bourbon), my go-to recipe incorporates cannabis tincture. I prefer Green Revolution’s (formerly Ethos) 5:1 CBD/THC tincture, but you can use your preferred tincture product or make your own at home.

Active Prep Time: 10-15 minutes

Cooking Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: Approximately 35-45 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 teaspoon allspice
  • 2 teaspoons cloves
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar
  • 1 orange
  • 1 gallon fresh apple cider

Equipment Needed

  • Pot (with lid) that can hold a gallon or more of liquid
  • Wooden stirring spoon
  • A large funnel
  • Growler (x2) or other glass bottle or jar with a lid to store/save cider
  • Measuring cup

Directions

  • Pour cider in pot and place stove on medium-high heat
  • Add brown sugar, allspice, nutmeg, and cinnamon stick to mixture. (Fresh nutmeg is best, but powdered works, too.) Stir until incorporated.
  • Puncture one side of your orange with cloves and place that side down in your mixture.
  • Bring mixture to light boil and reduce to simmer. Cover and let cook for 2o minutes undisturbed.
  • Remove from heat. Remove orange, cinnamon stick, and any stray cloves from mixture. Let mixture cool uncovered for at least 20 minutes.
  • Pour tincture into pot and stir well. Let rest and cool a little bit longer for good measure.
  • Stir vigorously once more, then transfer to cups or containers.
  • Enjoy!

Serves 3-4

Note: Dosing homemade edibles can be tricky (click here to learn why), so the best way to test for potency is to start with one portion of a serving, wait one to two hours, then make an informed decision on whether to consume more. Always dose carefully and listen to your body, and never drive under the influence of cannabis.

Check out our other cannabis-infused recipes designed to use up some of your Thanksgiving leftovers!

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Sara Dilley
Sara Dilley
Sara is a photographer and photo editor.
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