Description
Warm up with this delicious and easy-to-follow mulled cider recipe. Made with simple ingredients, this recipe is perfect for a cozy night in or a festive holiday gathering.
Tip: Mulled Cider is flexible, add more or less of each ingredient, and experiment with different mulled cider spices to make your own creation. Cheers!
Ingredients
- 1 quart (4 cups) apple cider
- 1 cinnamon stick, broken into large pieces (or 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon)
- 3-4 whole cloves
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/8 teaspoon ground ginger (or (3-4) 1/2-inch slices of fresh ginger)
- 1/8 teaspoon ground allspice, or 3-4 whole allspice berries
- Optional: 2 tablespoons honey or brown sugar, to taste if your cider is tart and needs a little sweetener
Optional garnishes:
- 1 navel orange, sliced into 1/4-inch rounds
- 1 small apple, sliced into 1/4-inch rounds
- whole cranberries
- cinnamon sticks
Instructions
- Add all ingredients (except garnishes) in a pot and heat over medium heat, stirring occasionally.
- Once simmering, reduce heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes.
- Turn off the heat and let the spices sit in the hot cider for 10-15 minutes. (We cut the heat and don’t boil it to make sure your cider doesn’t evaporate away, keep it warm as needed.) Add honey, maple, or brown sugar if desired.
- Pour into mugs and garnish with orange or apple slices or a cinnamon stick, if desired. Enjoy!
Notes
This is a base recipe that my family has always enjoyed. I gave you options to use whole spices or ground spices depending on what you have in your kitchen. Adjust all spices to your liking!
If you have the time, you can also keep this warm on the stove for a few hours to let the spices infuse even more. I suggest covering the pot with a lid to trap in the liquid and watching it to make sure your cider doesn’t evaporate away.
You can also combine all ingredients (except garnishes) in a container with a lid and let it sit in the fridge overnight to give the spices a headstart to infuse into the cider. This will yield a stronger, spicier cider if you prefer that.
Here’s a list of commonly used mulling spices for mulled cider
Note: I would not add all of these! Pick 3-4 that you love or have on hand:
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- Cinnamon sticks – Add a warm, sweet, and slightly woody flavor.
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- Whole cloves – Brings a pungent, sweet-spicy aroma.
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- Star anise – Adds a licorice-like, aromatic sweetness.
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- Allspice berries – Contributes a rich, slightly peppery, and clove-like flavor.
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- Nutmeg – Provides a subtle, earthy sweetness when freshly grated. Whole nutmeg is too much for mulled cider, so if you have whole nutmeg, grate in a pinch instead of putting the whole nutmeg in.
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- Orange peel (or slices) – Enhances the cider with a bright, citrusy note.
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- Lemon peel (optional) – Adds a tangy, fresh flavor for balance.
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- Cardamom pods – Introduces a floral, slightly herbal complexity (optional but lovely).
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- Bay leaves – Offers a subtle, herbal earthiness (optional for depth).
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- Ginger (fresh slices or dried) – Adds a gentle, warming spice and slight heat.
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- Vanilla extract – Adds a gourmet flavor for an elegant touch.