20 recipes for cooking with cider
We love cider chilled in summer, mulled for winter and in pint-sized portions all year round. Use the tangy drink in a variety of sweet and savoury recipes
Whether you’re partial to a cloudy cidre Breton, prefer a can of flavoured fizzy stuff, or avoid it like the plague, cider is certainly a drink worth talking about. The large range of products that fall under the umbrella category of cider are incredibly distinct, meaning with a little digging, most people will find something to suit their palate. But, if you’re firmly in the ‘no’ camp, cider can still be enjoyed in cooking – in fact, some people would say it’s the best way to showcase its flavour. Not sure what to match it with? Follow our lead with these winning combinations...
If you've got a glut, try our pear recipes and apple recipes. Looking for cider recommendations? Find out the best cider taste tested, then discover our ways to cook with beer, learn about types of beer and read our vegan beer taste test.
Recipes for cooking with cider
1. Sticky cider onion hot dogs
Cooked in cider, these hot dogs take on an irresistible sweet and sticky flavour that your barbecue guests will love. Now find out our hot dog topping ideas and more hot dog recipes.
2. Chicken, leek & cider pie
Use leftover roast chicken to make a comforting, creamy pie with cider, apples and leeks. Make the most of a shop-bought puff pastry sheet to make assembly a breeze.
3. Cider & onion soup with cheese & apple toasts
Try Tom Kerridge's ingenious twist on French onion soup with cider and crumbly cheese toasts. Apple matchsticks and thyme leaves make an impressive-looking yet easy topping. Now discover our most popular soup recipes.
4. Twice-cooked pork belly with cider sauce
Looking for a budget entertaining option? With just a handful of ingredients you can wow your guests with an impressive dinner party main. Serve with our burnt butter cabbage and crackling potato cake for soaking up the delicious cider gravy.
Next try our crisp cider-braised pork belly.
5. Caramelised apples with cider
Apple and pork make a winning combination when it comes to Sunday lunches. Serve these caramelised apples alongside your roast pork for a delicious upgrade to your meal. Find more Sunday lunch ideas.
6. Spiced apple cider cake
Juicy Bramley apples are brought into the cake batter, along with apple cider, to be a deliciously moist batter. Spices from allspice, nutmeg, cinnamon, ginger and cloves make sure it's a highly flavoured addition to your afternoon tea. Try our best ever apple cake recipes.
7. Slow-cooked pork, cider & sage hotpot
By slowly cooking your pork, not only does it make it more tender, it also allows you to use a cheaper cut of pork. This recipe makes the most of diced pork shoulder alongside leeks, dry cider, parsley, sage and potatoes. Find out more about how to buy cheap cuts of pork and how to cook pork shoulder.
8. Pork, apple & cider casserole
This Normandy-inspired recipe combines pork shoulder or cheeks with smoked bacon lardons, Braeburn apples and dry cider for a Normandy-inspired recipe. Serve with creamy mash and greens.
9. Creamy pork & pear cassoulet
For a simple-to-prep yet flavour-packed weeknight dinner, this cassoulet with pork loin, cider and double cream more than fits the bill. Try more easy midweek meals.
10. Cider-braised cabbage wedges
Dry cider, balsamic vinegar and a mixture of warming herbs and spices make this easy braised cabbage with meltingly soft, caramelised onions. Perfect to serve alongside a roast, try more ways with braised red cabbage.
11. Pork, cider & artichoke stew
When Jerusalem artichokes are at the peak of their seasonal goodness in winter, use them in this pork and cider casserole for a sweet and nutty flavour upgrade. Feeling inspired? Try more Jerusalem artichoke recipes.
12. Chicken & cider fricassée with parsley croûtes
It’s understandable why chicken is the most popular search term across goodfood.com – its versatility and ease of cooking mean it can be teamed with a spectrum of sauces and seasonings. Cider, mustard and herbs are a holy trinity of flavours, now try our cider, mustard & herb chicken.
13. Sticky cider & mustard sausage wheel with box grater salad
We’re huge fans of flavour contrast, and pork and apple might just be one of our favourite combinations. Add this novel recipe to your campsite repertoire – cider, honey and mustard are reduced to a sticky glaze to coat a cartwheel of sausage. Serve with a contrasting rustic slaw and add an extra layer of nighttime insulation with help from a steaming mug of hot caramel malted milk.
14. Roast pork with cider gravy
Gravy sometimes needs a helping hand, and if yours lacks the necessary pizzazz, a glug of booze will usually provide a remedy. Cider sits in the middle ground between light, tangy white wine and rich, deep red, and it goes without saying that it complements roast pork a treat. Next try our herb-studded roast loin of pork with apple & cider.
15. Normandy fish stew
When it comes to gaily sloshing alcohol into savoury dishes, we usually apply a lighter touch when it comes to fruits of the water world. However, firm white fish, such as cod or pollock, has a neutral flavour that, depending on your palate, can require a bolstering from bold accompaniment choices. A fish stew is an ideal canvas for throwing in cider in place of wine, then experimenting with seasoning, herbs and vegetables.
16. Steamed mussels with cider, spring onions & cream
Apply the same principles to cooking with mussels. Try replacing the more traditional white wine in ‘moules mariniere’ with the same amount of cider. Let the alcohol burn off while steaming the shells open. Cream, ailiums and herbs all make sound additions – just make sure you serve plenty of bread to soak up the irresistible cooking liquor. Next try our mussels with red onion, cider and crème fraîche.
17. Rabbit pie
Whether you’re a fan of plump birds like grouse, pheasant and partridge, or prefer dense, iron-rich venison, game is about as meaty as you get. Balance out all that primal flavour with a slightly sweet sauce. Cider has enough of an acidic tang to cut through the buttery meat, while its fruity undertone is just the right side of sweet once reduced during cooking. Next discover our pheasant, leek & bacon pie.
18. Cider-braised cabbage & leek hotpot
Add a new dimension to steamed vegetables by cooking them in cider. Preserve the apple flavour by adding the liquid at the end of the cooking process, allowing the alcohol to cook off slightly but leaving a decent boozy hit. The method can be used for most green leaves – try Savoy, red or white cabbage, curly kale or chard.
19. Cider fondant potatoes
Mastering the fondant potato carries you one step further to being a professional-standard chef. This restaurant favourite is an underrated, but highly decadent, way to serve your spuds. Once you’ve basted your potatoes in a butter glaze, transfer to the oven and add cider to reduce to sticky sauce.
20. Cider roast turkey
Team the classic flavours of Christmas with fruity cider – the drink matches perfectly with warm spices, winter fruit like quince or cranberries and roasted meat. Roast your big bird in a bath of cider – it’ll steam the meat while cooking, plus with help from leeks and carrots, makes a delicious base for gravy. If you’re still hankering for cider after that, try our mulled cider and then discover our twists on classic roast turkey.
Are you a fan of cider and do you ever use it in cooking? We’d like to hear your recipe ideas…
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