Mulled Apple Cider (with Spiked Options)

If you’ve ever had to stop yourself from licking a scented candle, then fragrant (and drinkable) Mulled Apple Cider is the autumn beverage for you. While other fall-flavors may get more press, mulled cider has that tart edge with notes of orange, cinnamon, ginger, and clove that make you feel “fall” all over. It’s sweet, spiced, and oh-so-cozy warm. Want it fuzzy too? We’ve got plenty of tips below for a spiked version.

Far be it from me to desecrate Pumpkin Spice, but before – loooong before – cinnamon, ginger, cloves, allspice, and nutmeg were seasoning lattes, they were used to warm the hearts and souls of “wassailers” in merry old (like, centuries old) England. Seriously, if you’ve got time, deep dive into this delightful tradition, but here’s a recap for those who just want to get to drinking:

Centuries ago, groups of revelers would gather in English orchards in January to “awake the cider apple trees and to scare away evil spirits to ensure a good harvest of fruit in the Autumn,” (source) essentially by singing and dousing the orchard in wassail (i.e. mulled cider).

Over time, the Brits clearly came to their senses and realized they were wasting the wassail on trees, and instead went door to door singing in exchange for sips of the warm, spiced grog. Over even more time, apparently people stopped trading carols for alcoholic beverages, but instead now sing them in exchange for nothing. Which goes to show how little we’ve actually learned from our history.

But, the good news is that you can now make your own mulled apple cider at home, and singing in your neighbors yard is solely dependent on just how much you spike the punch.

Mulled apple cider spices and ingredients

If you ask ten people “in the know,” you’ll probably get ten different combinations for mulling spices. There’s a lot of personal preference built into a mulling recipe, but for cider there are four basic ingredients you’ll want to incorporate:  cinnamon sticks, whole cloves, ginger, and orange slices. From there, you can have fun and customize.

Here’s our list of must-haves for a spice-forward, complex cider:

• Oranges:  if you can get your hands on Valencias, do it. They’re at peak through October and are beautifully balanced between sweet and tart. Navel oranges will also work; avoid smaller citrus like clementines.
• Fresh Ginger Root:  use fresh and slice thinly for the most flavor.
• Brown Sugar:  optional, but a nice complement. You can also use a couple tablespoons of maple syrup.
• Cinnamon Sticks*
• Whole Cloves*
• Whole Allspice Berries*
• Cardamom Pods*
• Star Anise*

*For these spices, it’s important to search out whole spice – dried are fine – and not try to incorporate ground spices. Spices do not dissolve and will upset both the flavor and texture of a mulled beverage. If you can’t find one, it’s better to eliminate than substitute for ground.

Apple Cider, not Juice

It’s important to use cider for this recipe, and definitely not use apple juice. The easiest way to spot the good stuff:  apple cider should appear slightly “cloudy” and usually contains sediment (also known by their scientific name, goobers) at the bottom or floating throughout.

But the best way to ensure you’re getting that raw, unfiltered goodness is to head to the refrigerated section and check the label. If you see any of the following, put it down:

• coloring (specifically, caramel coloring)
• other fruit juices
• any kind of preservatives – pasteurized is ok, but real apple cider has virtually no shelf life and must be refrigerated
• added spice, like cinnamon – better to add your own if you need it (like, for this recipe)
• added sugar – now, this MAY be unavoidable as plenty of companies do add sugar to their cider. Steer clear if you can, but if you can’t, I recommend not adding any more in the recipe.

Buyer beware! Some companies call juice “cider” as an autumnal marketing ploy – always read the fine print to be sure.

Two options to make mulled cider

Both options work equally well. Pick one or the other depending on your stovetop needs – the crockpot is great for parties!

Stovetop Mulled Cider

• Combine the apple cider, oranges, ginger, and whole spices in a large soup pot or dutch oven over medium high heat.
• Bring the liquid to a boil, then reduce to simmer.
• Cover and simmer for at least 30 minutes, and up to 2 hours.
• Optional:  strain the mulled cider from the fruit and spices, and serve warm with garnishes.

Slow Cooker Mulled Cider

• Combine the apple cider, oranges, ginger, and whole spices in your slow cooker/crock pot.
• Seal the slow cooker and program to low for 4 hours.
• Optional:  strain the cider, then return to the slow cooker.
• Program to the “warm” setting.

Tips for making this recipe perfectly

• Simmer, don’t boil, the apple cider (unless you’d like apple cider reduction).
• The longer the mulled cider simmers, the more intense the spices will be.
• If spiking, add the alcohol directly into each mug – the heat from simmering will burn off all the alcohol.
• You can add your spices (ginger, cinnamon, clove, etc.) to a sachet of cheese cloth so they’re not floating free in the cider, but leave the oranges loose so they don’t get crushed.
• Garnish with fresh fruit. Simmering with orange and ginger slices adds great flavor, but the fruit will eventually sink and discolor as the cider simmers. Cut fresh fruit and garnish in the glass.
• Garnish trick:  when we serve cider for parties, we like to garnish the spiked cider with apple slices and the un-spiked cider with orange slices. It’s a easy way to visually identify one from the other quickly!
• Want a more authentic Wassail? Add 1.5 c orange juice and 3/4 c pineapple juice.

My cider is grainy!

This is perfectly normal. The particulates from fresh cider will settle to the bottom of the pot, along with tiny bits of spices as they simmer and fall apart. Stir them back into the cider – they’re delicious. Alternatively, place a few layers of cheesecloth over a fine mesh sieve and strain to remove them.

How to serve mulled cider

Mulled cider can be enjoyed ladled straight from the pot to a mug, but you can also dress it up:

• Top with whipped cream. This is amazing, and basically tastes like liquid apple pie.
• Add freshly shaved nutmeg.
• Add fresh orange slices or thinly sliced apples.

Spiked mulled cider

There are a few liquors to choose from when spiking cider, so I’ll give you my favorite combinations.

• Bourbon and Apple Brandy:  to spike 1 gallon of cider, use 1 cup bourbon and 1/2 c brandy; to spike one drink, use 1/2 oz bourbon and 1/4 oz brandy.
• Spiced Rum:  use 1.5 cups to spike a full batch, or 3/4 oz per drink.
• Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Apple:  this is an apple liqueur infused whiskey, and relatively low in alcohol content; use 2 cups to spike a full batch, or 1 oz per drink.

More fall drinks and cocktails

• Apple Cider Sangria
• Holiday Sangria
• Apple Cider Hot Toddy
• Classic Old Fashioned

Did you make this recipe for mulled apple cider? I’d love to know how it turned out! Leave a comment and a rating below

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