Mulled apple cider
Fresh apple cider gently simmered with cinnamon sticks, cloves and orange slices until warm and fragrant. A cozy holiday drink, with an optional spiked version.
- Prep
- 3 min
- Cook
- 15 min
- Serves
- 4
- Per serve
- 140 kcal
Ingredients
Method
Slice the orange into rounds. Push the cloves into the peel of 2 of the slices so they're easy to fish out later.
Put the cider, all the orange slices, cinnamon sticks and star anise in a saucepan over medium heat and bring up to a gentle simmer, until steaming with small bubbles at the edge.
Turn the heat to low and let it barely simmer, uncovered, so the spices infuse. Don't let it boil hard or the cider turns flat and bitter.
Taste and stir in the brown sugar or maple syrup if it needs it. Strain into a heatproof pitcher, or ladle straight into mugs, leaving the spices behind.
For the spiked version, stir the bourbon or rum into the strained cider off the heat just before serving, or add about 2 tbsp to each mug. Serve each with a cinnamon stick or one of the simmered orange slices.
Tips
- Use American-style apple cider (unfiltered apple juice), not hard cider. Clear apple juice works but tastes thinner.
- Leftovers keep in the fridge for 3 days; reheat gently on the stovetop or in the microwave.
- Add the alcohol off the heat so it doesn't cook off, and keep a pot unspiked for kids and drivers.
