Slow Cooker Apple Cider Sparklers

It would not be fall without at least one mug of warm and spicy apple cider, would it? 

My Slow Cooker Apple Cider Sparklers are a fun way to celebrate fall with the grown-ups. This drink reminds me of fall sangria. I start with a quart of apple cider and add lots of spice and citrus and then top it off with sparkling wine. You can make this in the slow cooker, let it heat slowly for a few hours and it will be ready when you are. (A nice perk: your house will smell absolutely amazing while this simmers!) If you want to keep this family friendly, simply leave out the sparkling wine. If you like the idea of bubbles, add a splash of club soda. 

Grab a quart of apple cider, (a good excuse to grab a hay ride at the pumpkin patch if you ask me) an orange, two lemons, cinnamon sticks, cloves, nutmeg, ginger, vanilla bean, and brown sugar. And a bottle of sparkling wine if you like.

Pour the cider into the insert of a slow cooker. Using a vegetable peeler, remove the peel of an orange and both lemons. Add them to the pot. Squeeze the juice of the orange and lemons into the cider. Add cinnamon sticks, cloves, nutmeg, vanilla bean and brown sugar. Mix well.

Cook on LOW for 3 hours. Ladle into mugs and top with sparkling wine. Add orange slices, lemon slices, and apple slices for garnish. Spicy, sweet, and festive. It really doesn’t get better than this.