Serves 10-12

Ingredients

Pumpkin Spice Apple Cider

1 small sugar pumpkin, rinsed and dried (or 1 cup canned pumpkin puree)

6 apples, quartered

3 Simply Organic Cinnamon Sticks

6 Simply Organic Whole Cloves

1 Simply Organic Vanilla Bean, split lengthwise, seeds removed

1 1/2 tsp Simply Organic Pumpkin Spice, divided

1 cup brown sugar

3 quarts water

Directions

Preheat oven to 400˚ F and line a sheet pan with parchment paper. Trim off the stem end of the pumpkin and split it in half lengthwise. Scoop the seeds and save for another use. Sprinkle the pumpkin flesh with 1/2 tsp of pumpkin spice and place cut side down on the prepared sheet pan. Roast for about 30-35 minutes, or until the flesh is very soft.

Scoop the pumpkin flesh into a high powered blender and process until smooth. Add a little water (if necessary) to help the mixture blend. Set aside.

Meanwhile, place the apples, cinnamon sticks, whole cloves, vanilla bean and seeds, remaining pumpkin pie spice, brown sugar and 1 cup of the pumpkin puree (reserve any leftover for another use) into a large heavy bottomed stock pan (make sure it is at least 5.5 quarts) and cover with 3 quarts of water.

Bring the liquid to a boil, then cover and reduce to a simmer. Cook for about 2 hours. Strain the cider into a clean bowl or pitcher and serve hot or chilled.  If desired, rim your serving glasses with a Pumpkin Spice Brown Sugar Rim (recipe below) and serve out of a Pumpkin Keg (how-to below).

Pumpkin Spice Brown Sugar Rim

3 tbsp brown sugar

1 1/2 tbsp Simply Organic Pumpkin Spice

Directions

Combine the brown sugar and pumpkin spice in a small bowl and mix until well combined. Dump the spice mix onto a plate. Wet the rim of your glass, then dip it into the spice mix. Fill with cider and enjoy!

Pumpkin Keg

1 large pumpkin, rinsed and dried

1 pumpkin tapping kit (available here)

apple corer 

How-to

Carve the top of the pumpkin off, then sccop seeds (reserve for another use) and clean up the inside of the pumpkin, removing any stringy flesh. Punch a hole in the pumpkin using an apple corer. Try to find a very flat surface on the pumpkin where you place the hole. Using the tapping kit, screw the tap into the pumpkin. Fill with water to test the seal, then remove water and fill with cider if there are no leaks.