Prepare the slow cooker: Place a clean 4-quart (3. 8 L) or larger slow cooker on a stable, heat-resistant surface. Make sure the insert and lid are dry and properly positioned.

There is no need to grease the slow cooker because this is a liquid-based recipe.

Combine the apple cider and pumpkin: Pour the 7 cups (1,680 ml) of unfiltered apple cider into the slow cooker.

Add the 1 cup (245 g) of pure pumpkin puree. Whisk thoroughly until the pumpkin is dispersed throughout the cider.

The mixture should look cloudy and orange-gold, with no large clumps of pumpkin remaining. A few small streaks are fine at this stage.

Add the sweetener and orange juice: Pour in the 1/4 cup (60 ml) of maple syrup and 2 tablespoons (30 ml) of fresh orange juice.

Whisk again until evenly combined: The mixture should remain thin enough to pour easily. It will have slightly more body than regular apple cider, but it should not resemble a pumpkin smoothie.

Add the warming spices: Place the 3 cinnamon sticks and 6 whole cloves — left whole for easy removal — into the cider. Do not crush or grind the cloves; keeping them intact allows you to remove them after cooking.

Sprinkle in the 1/2 teaspoon of ground ginger and 1/4 teaspoon of ground nutmeg.

Stir gently to distribute the ground spices: Small specks of spice may remain visible, which is normal.

Slow cook the cider: Cover the slow cooker with its lid and set it to LOW.

Cook for 2 hours, or until the cider is thoroughly heated and fragrant.

The surface may show gentle movement or a little steam when the lid is lifted. Vigorous boiling is unnecessary and may reduce the cider&x27;s fresh apple flavor.

If the pumpkin settles during cooking, stir the mixture gently to redistribute it.

Remove the whole spices: Turn off the slow cooker once the cider is hot.

Using a slotted spoon or fine-mesh strainer, remove the 3 cinnamon sticks and all 6 whole cloves, which were left whole for easy removal.

Check carefully that no cloves remain in the cider, since biting into a whole clove can be unpleasant.

The cider should smell of apples, cinnamon, and mild pumpkin spice, without an overpowering clove aroma.

Stir in the vanilla: Add the 1 teaspoon (5 ml) of pure vanilla extract to the hot cider.

Stir thoroughly, making sure any pumpkin puree that has settled near the bottom is incorporated again.

Adding vanilla at the end helps preserve its aroma rather than allowing it to fade during prolonged heating.

Check the texture and flavor: Ladle a small amount into a heatproof cup and allow it to cool enough to taste safely.

The cider should taste apple-forward, with gentle pumpkin sweetness, warm spices, and a lightly velvety finish.

If it looks slightly separated, whisk it until the pumpkin is evenly suspended. Some natural settling is expected because pumpkin puree does not fully dissolve.

Serve warm: Ladle the hot cider into heatproof mugs.

If using the optional garnishes, add thin slices from the 1 medium apple (about 180 g) and 1 medium orange (about 130 g) just before serving.

Serve immediately while warm: Stir occasionally if the cider remains in the slow cooker, since the pumpkin may gradually settle.