Hot Cranberry Orange Cider

Hot cranberry orange cider is a delicious hot punch that is perfect for holiday parties in the Fall and Winter.

Hot cranberry orange cider

I love cranberries. I get so excited when I see them finally appear in our grocery store. Once Fall hits, I make a wide variety of cranberry foods. From cranberry-orange muffins to white chocolate and cranberry cookies, I love making things with cranberry. I’ve had this recipe for a few years and I’ve grown to love it. This recipe actually calls for cranberry juice which you can get year-round. However, I love to add a few whole cranberries to the punch when I serve it. We’ll get into all that later, but for now, let me tell you about this easy punch recipe.

We love entertaining around Christmas time. In fact, for the last seven years, I’ve been hosting Christmas for our family. I always set up an awesome hot chocolate bar that family and friends rave about! You can see my post on how to set up your own hot chocolate bar. I even have the best slow cooker hot chocolate recipe that you’ll ever try! Be sure to check those out before you leave.

How to Make Hot Cranberry Orange Cider

When I found this recipe years ago, it came with specific instructions to make over the stove. That is how I am going to share the recipe today, However, you can make the entire recipe in the slow cooker (e.g. crockpot) if you like. This recipe calls for several things, frozen concentrate and cinnamon imperials. Don’t know what those are? Cinnamon hard candy. Kind of like starlight mints except they are cinnamon flavored. You can find them at your local grocery store in the candy section.

This recipe calls for no actual sugar or cinnamon. Instead, it uses the sugar in the candies to sweeten the tart drink. The recipe instructions direct you to melt down the cinnamon candy by boiling it with the cranberry fruit cocktail which essentially turns the candies into a cinnamon syrup. Yes, the candies will still melt if done in the crockpot, but it will take a while. Until they are fully melted they can be a choking hazard, if someone doesn’t realize they are in there and they go for a cup before they are dissolved. Trust me, this can happen, even with adults. So I’d still recommend that you dissolve them on the stove. Then if desired you can transfer over to a crockpot afterward. I normally do just that, so the punch can stay warm as guests serve themselves. The recipe also calls for whole cloves, so you want to make sure you strain those out before serving. The stovetop method ensures your punch is ready in 30 minutes.

Cloves

Serving Hot Cranberry Cider

When you serve it, you can serve it directly in your crockpot. I recommend providing a ladle and spoon rest so avoid your countertop or surface from getting sticky from the ladle. If you don’t want to serve it in a crockpot and want a more classy look, they sell chafing punch bowls on Amazon. They are way more sophisticated than crockpots for your holiday parties.

By the way, if you are using a crockpot, allow me to introduce you to my best friend. A couple of years ago I discovered the slow cooker liners and they are awesome. I don’t typically buy disposable stuff, but these are awesome especially around the holidays. During the holidays my crockpots are used almost on a daily basis. The only thing I hate about using them is all the soaking and scrubbing in between uses. This totally eliminates the need for both. Just take and toss when you are done and then wash your crockpot without the elbow grease.

When I serve it, I often serve it in my old depression glass punch bowl or in cute Santa mugs. These Santa mugs (below) are from Pottery Barn. They are exactly like my mother’s vintage ones in her kitchen. You can also put it in Mason jar mugs. Another favorite of mine. I serve the punch with whole cranberries which I put in the punch while being warmed and I garnish with a cinnamon stick.

hot cranberry orange cider
santa mugs

Hot Cranberry Orange Cider

Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Course Drinks
Servings 24

Ingredients
  

  • 64 fl oz Cranberry Juice Cocktail
  • 2 Cups Water
  • ½ Cup Cinnamon Imperials (candy)
  • 12 Whole Cloves
  • ½ Cup Frozen orange juice concentrate
  • ½ Cup Frozen lemonade juice concentrate

Instructions
 

  • Combine cranberry juice, water, cloves, and cinnamon candy into a large stockpot.
  • Boil mixture until candies are fully dissolved. Reduce heat to low.
  • Add lemonade and orange concentrates. Remove cloves.
  • Transfer to a crockpot or heatproof serving bowl. Keep heat on low. Serve with heatproof mugs or punch cups. Garnish with cinnamon and whole cranberries if desired.
Keyword citrus, cranberry, holiday, holiday party, holiday punch, lemon dressing, orange, punch
Vintage Green Punch Bowl

Slow cooker Pork Carnitas

Tired of your boring roast? Try this recipe for Mexican pulled pork (pork roast) – slow cooker pork carnitas.

slow cooker pork carnitas

Yummy pork carnitas – it is one of my favorite Mexican dishes. I particularly love them too because there is always enough leftovers for another meal and any night I can get out of cooking is a happy accident! Carnitas literally translates to “little meats.” But if you’ve ever wondered what it is, it’s basically just Mexican pulled pork.

Ingredients

Making Slow cooker Pork Carnitas

Here in Texas, because of the large Hispanic demographic, it’s super easy to find pork perfectly trimmed for carnitas. But don’t fret, all you need is pork shoulder or pork butt roast. Normally it weighs about 2-4 pounds. Some of that will cook down due to the high fat marbling. You will place it whole in the slow cooker, no water needed.

Juice your orange. You can substitute with store bought orange juice. About a half cup to a cup is fine. Pour over your meat. Add your spices and chopped onion.

Now to add your jalapeño If you want it more on the mild side, I recommend deveining the jalapeño. To do this, chop off the top of the pepper. Slice the pepper in half while on it’s side. Pull out all of the seeds and thinly slice the vein of the pepper off and discard both. Then chop your jalapeño as normal. Don’t be afraid to use a whole jalapeño. The pepper heat reduces a lot as it cooks.

Pro tip: Use gloves to stop the pepper oils from getting in your hand, Remember, never touch your face or sensitive areas while handling peppers.

Juice of One orange
Slow cooker pork carnitas

Serving and Storing

Your pork roast will cook on low for about 8 hours. You’ll know it’s ready when you can pull apart the meat with a fork. That’s right. Pork carnitas should be melt-in-your-mouth, fork tender when they are done.

Personally, my favorite way to serve pork carnitas is in soft tacos. There is nothing quite like warm, homemade flour tortilla tacos. I love topping them with cilantro and onion. I prefer to serve them with traditional spanish rice (yup, I have a recipe for that too) and charro beans. During the summer, I’ll often switch it up for a side of Mexican street corn. So yummy!

Store slowcooker pork carnitas in the fridge for 3 days in an air tight container.

Slow cooker Pork Carnitas

Mexican pulled pork with fresh onion, jalapeño, and orange flavors.
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 8 hours
Course Main Course
Cuisine Mexican
Servings 8

Ingredients
  

  • 2-3 Pounds Pork butt or Pork Shoulder
  • 1 Large Orange Juiced
  • 1 Large Fresh Jalapeno Deveined, deseeded, and chopped
  • 1 Small White Onion Chopped
  • Salt. Pepper to taste
  • 2 Tbsp Ground Cumin

Instructions
 

  • Place pork butt or pork shoulder whole in crock pot.
  • Juice one large and orange and pour over pork. May substitute ½ cup to 1 cup of store bought orange juice.
  • Season with salt, pepper, and cumin. Scatter chopped onions.
  • Prepare jalapeño by cutting the top off and slicing lengthwise. Remove seeds. Cut out the pepper vein and discard. Chop remaining pepper and scatter in crockpot.
  • Cook on low for 8 hours.
Keyword carnitas, crockpot, crockpot recipes, mexican main dish, mexican recipes, pork, pork roast, pork tacos, pulled pork, slow cooker, tacos

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Cajun Bean Soup

This easy slow cooker Cajun Bean Soup is delicious on cold days. A blend of 15 different beans it has diced country ham and andouille sausage.

Cajun Bean Soup

There is just something about cold wintery days that make me want a hot, steaming bowl of soup! Come on, I know I’m not the only one. So today, I’m sharing my recipe for Cajun Bean Soup. Admittedly, it’s my own take on Cajun Bean Soup.

My husband is a professed “bean hater.” For someone like me who is Hispanic, the thought is incomprehensible! Haha. But this soup wins my husband over every time. It’s full of juicy ham and sausage which adds a lot of flavor to every bite!

How to Make Cajun Bean Soup

I add ham and andouille to the mix. If you’ve never had andouille, it’s delicious Cajun double smoked sausage. It is originally from France and was brought over to the New World by French immigrants. Today, it is a staple in Creole cooking.

Jump to Recipe

Hurst’s HamBeens 15 Bean Soup includes the following beans:

  • Northern
  • Pinto
  • Lima
  • Blackeye
  • Garbanzo
  • Baby Lima
  • Green Split
  • Kidney
  • Cranberry
  • Small white
  • Pink
  • Small Red
  • Yellow Split
  • Lentil
  • Navy
  • White Kidney
  • Black
  • Yellow Eye
Cajun Bean Soup

If you aren’t accustomed to cooking with dry beans, they can take a very long time to cook. Typically, if you are stove-top cooking them, you either soak them overnight or slowly cook them for many hours on low heat. I highly recommend using a slow cooker. It makes life a lot easier. Additionally, you could probably use an Insta-pot or Pressure Cooker, though cooking times vary.

Serving & Storing

Once cooked, bean soup is hardy, especially if you add meat. I love to serve Cajun Bean Soup with either sweet cornbread or buttermilk biscuits. Hey, I’m from the South! We love our scratch breads.

I have found that bean soup stores well in an air tight container for 2 days in the fridge. After that, I would discard any left overs.

Cajun Bean Soup

This easy slow cooker Cajun Bean Soup is delicious on cold days. A blend of 15 different beans it has diced country ham and andouille sausage.
Course Main Course
Servings 8

Ingredients
  

  • 32 oz Chicken Broth
  • 2 cups water warm
  • 16 oz Cubed Ham
  • 1 Tbsp Lemon Juice
  • 1 Tbsp Cajun Seasoning
  • 1-2 Cloves Garlic Minced
  • 14 oz Andouille Sausage Sliced
  • 16 oz Hurst’s HamBeens 15 Bean Soup

Instructions
 

  • On a low setting, add 2 cups of warm water and the chicken broth
  • Slice sausage and ham, add to slow cooker 
  • Add 1 package of Hurst’s HamBeens 15-Bean Soup. No need to soak if you’re using a crockpot.
  • Add garlic, lemon juice and cajun seasoning. Give a quick stir and let it cook on low for 7-8 hours.
Keyword andouille, beans, crockpot, ham, jimmy dean sausage, kidney beans, pinto beans, slowcooker, soup, split pea, white beans

The Best Crockpot Hot Chocolate

I’m making you a promise. This is the best Crockpot Hot Chocolate you’ll ever make. It’s super rich, chocolatey, and creamy. Best of all, it stays hot in the crockpot so guests can serve themselves all night!

Crockpot Hot Chocolate

Christmas isn’t Christmas without hot chocolate. Today I’m sharing one of my most favorite recipes. I make this all the time during the holidays. Sometimes just for us, but mostly, I make it for parties and get-togethers. It never fails. Someone always asks for the recipe. It’s that good. I promise that this is the last hot chocolate recipe you’ll ever use. This Crockpot Hot Chocolate is very rich because it’s made with milk and heavy whipping cream. Semi-sweet chocolate chips are melted into the hot milk and it’s sweetened with condensed milk. The result is steaming cup of chocolatey goodness.

Later this week, I’ll be sharing how I set up a Crockpot hot chocolate bar to entertain your guests (Sshh….it also gets them to serve themselves – don’t tell anyone). I’ll show you how to set up toppings so that it is a fun, entertaining activity that gives your guests something to do. Here is a preview to my Hot Chocolate Bar Printable available for sale on Etsy and in my blog store.

 

 

Crockpot Hot Chocolate

The best hot chocolate you'll ever make, this easy recipe is made in the crockpot - perfect for entertaining or crowds. 
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 5 minutes
Course Dessert, Drinks
Servings 12 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 1 Condensed Milk 14 oz can
  • 1 1/2 Cups Heavy Whipping Cream
  • 2 Cups Semi-sweet Chocolate Chips
  • 6 Cups Milk
  • 1 Tbsp Vanilla Extract

Instructions
 

  • Combine all ingredients in to a slow cooker. 
  • Heat slow cooker on low setting. Cover and let chocolate melt.
  • Stir frequently until chocolate chips and condensed milk are fully incorporated. Allow 2 hours to reach full temperature
Keyword chocolate, crockpot, entertaining, hot chocolate, slowcooker

Slowcooker Pumpkin Spice Latte

It’s fall, y’all! It’s pumpkin spice season and I’m sharing my favorite, natural, super easy slowcooker pumpkin spice latte.

pumpkin spice latte

I have a confession, for years as soon as it was September, I headed over to Starbucks for a pumpkin latte. Living in Texas, we don’t have much of a Fall here, but that doesn’t stop me from enjoying all things Autumn (Check out my Fall Bucket List here). I love them so much that I decided to try making them at home. Today I’m sharing one of my most favorite recipes of all time. Slowcooker Pumpkin Spice Latte.

I’m not always a huge fan of pumpkin spice stuff. I mean, seriously, can we all agree that pumpkin spice tortilla chips have gone too far? So when I say I love this pumpkin spice recipe, you can trust me. It is perfect for crisp autumn mornings in your PJs or you can even take it with you in a thermos for a hike. Personally, I love making a decaf version for evenings by the fire or outdoor bonfire.

Ingredients

To make this recipe, you’ll start by brewing a strong carafe of your favorite coffee. If you want really good coffee, consider grinding your own beans. and using bottled water to brew your coffee. Using quality ingredients, is what really makes a good cup of coffee.

My favorite thing about this recipe is that it calls for canned pumpkin. I discovered this recipe many years ago and I wasn’t a huge fan of pumpkin spice because I had always had it with artificial flavoring. This recipe uses natural canned pumpkin so it isn’t overpowering. Just a lovely, subtle taste of pumpkin. I also prefer using cinnamon sticks to ground cinnamon. If you use ground spices, it floats upward and then accumulates on the top of your coffee, so keep ground spices to a minimum.

For this recipe, I prefer using whole milk even though I’m a typically 2% girl. I think the texture just seems to be better. If you’d like it richer, you may use half and half. If you are serving for a dinner party or if you plan on having several cups of it, you can always brew decaffeinated coffee or do half-caff. Its perfect for dinner parties and Thanksgiving so coffee is always ready with dessert.

Slowcooker Pumpkin Spice latte

Serving & Storing

This pumpkin latte is divine. I make it for all occasions, but it’s especially good for entertaining. You can certainly make it over a stove, but I love doing it in a slow cooker. Guests can serve themselves. Best of all, because you are making it in a slow cooker, it stays hot. Did I mention the house smells delicious too?  The aroma of cinnamon is just lovely in the house when this is in the slow cooker. While we are discussing coffee, if you are looking for a great coffee maker, you need to look into the NINJA Coffee Bar. It is awesome. It brews six different sizes including a full carafe and multiple single-serve sizes. It also has a milk frother and has a cold brew setting. I bought it to replace a Keurig that died after less than a year of owning and I’ll never look back!

I love serving it in beautiful mugs with whipped cream, pumpkin pie spice on top, and a cinnamon stick, but you can make it as fancy or as casual as you want. I will add that I have found this does not store well. So I recommend making a fresh batch instead of warming up again.

Slowcooker Pumpkin Spice Latte

This recipe is great for everyday entertaining. It’s a simple fall recipe you make ahead of time for a crowd. It combines hot coffee and milk with fresh pumpkin and fall spices. 
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 15 minutes
Course Drinks
Servings 10

Ingredients
  

  • 12 Cups Coffee Hot, Strongly Brewed
  • 6 Cups Whole Milk or Half and Half
  • 3 Cinnamon Sticks
  • 1 Tbsp Pumpkin Pie Spice
  • 2 Tbsp Vanilla Extract
  • 1 Cup Granulated Sugar
  • 1 Cup Pumpkin Puree Canned

Instructions
 

  • Add milk and vanilla to warm crockpot 
  • Add strongly brewed coffee ( I use a French press to control the strength)
  • Add sugar, stirring well
  • Add pumpkin puree and stir frequently until fully incorporated
  • Cover and cook on high. It reaches peak temperature within 2 hours. 
  • (Optional) Serve with whipped cream, pumpkin pie spice and cinnamon stick

Notes

Notes: For a sugar-free option, Splenda does well in lieu of sugar. For late night serving, you can use decaffeinated coffee. 
Keyword autumn, coffee for a crowd, crockpot, drinks, entertaining, fall, latte, pumpkin, slowcooker, spice

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Slowcooker Pumpkin Spice Latte first appeared on My Beautiful Mess

slow cooker pumpkin spice latte