Drink a steamy mug of mulled spiced apple cider, or hot apple cider, made in minutes with just 3 ingredients. The dreamy spicy fragrance of fall and winter will fill your kitchen with this straightforward recipe, whether you make one mug in the microwave, or a potful on the stove for family and friends.
Mulled spiced apple cider, also called hot apple cider, is steamy with many classic spices giving it a wonderful depth of flavor. This hot spicy drink is perfect for fall and winter celebrations. Whether crafting a single mug in the microwave or simmering a pot on the stove for the family or a party, your kitchen will be filled with an amazingly spicy aroma.
Begin with this easy recipe for mulled apple cider, starting with a base of plain apple juice or apple cider. This versatile concoction is perfect for festive occasions. If you like this drink, you might want to try my other festive drink recipes such as hot ginger tea, pumpkin spice latte, mini hot chocolate bombs, and the larger homemade hot chocolate balls.
Try it alongside treats like my cinnamon apple cake, pumpkin spice cake, or my spicy hermit cookies.
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Why You'll Love These
Simple preparation: Enjoy a single mug of hot apple cider made in microwave or create a larger batch on the stove.
Spicy scents: The harmonious blend of apple and cinnamon spices will fill your kitchen.
Customizable: Adjust sweetness with date paste, maple syrup or introduce lemon to reduce the sweetness.
Versatile: Non-alcoholic or easily transformable into a delightful cocktail by adding an ounce of rum or bourbon or add wine to make mulled wine.
Ingredients
Apple juice. Or use apple cider. Be sure to use either with only apples as ingredients, no added sugar or other additives.
Orange slices. Use orange slices that are cut, not peeled sections so your drink has access to the juice directly. Or use orange juice.
Ginger root. Peel a small bit of fresh ginger root and cut into a few large chunks.
Anise. Use the whole star spice.
Cloves. Use a few whole cloves.
See the recipe card at the bottom for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Step by Step Instructions
For more detail, visit the complete and printable recipe at the bottom of this post, but here are general steps.
Make One Cup in Microwave
Step 1: Pour apple juice or apple cider, spices, and fruit into a jar. Microwave for 1 minute uncovered. Let it sit for 10 minutes to mull the flavors.
Step 2: Pour the warm apple juice through a fine mesh strainer into a mug. Discard the spices. Heat the mug again, then serve with a cinnamon stick, and an apple or orange slice.
Make a Potful using Stove
Step 1: Pour apple juice or apple cider into a large pot, add fruit and spices and heat to simmer. Turn off heat, and cover and allow it to mull for 20 minutes.
Step 2: Pour the warm apple juice through a fine mesh strainer. Discard the spices and reheat the drink in the pot by turning it up to reach simmer again. Drink right away by pouring out into mugs and serve with a garnish.
Recipe Tips
Choose to use whole spices to ensure a smooth-textured cider as ground spices will turn your apple cider gritty.
Fine-tune the sweetness with lemon juice.
Add your mulling spices to a fabric bag or use mulling tea bags for convenience.
Try using your slow cooker. To use a crockpot or slow cooker, put all ingredients into the slow cooker, covered on low for about 4 hours.
Storage
Refrigerate your hot apple cider for up to 3 days; note that mulled apple cider doesn't retain its mulling flavor when frozen.
Variation
Elevate your mulled spiced apple cider flavor by incorporating peppercorns, allspice berries, or cardamom pods. For an added kick, experiment with rum, brandy, or bourbon to transform it into a spirited cocktail.
FAQS
Mulled cider is apple juice or apple cider heated with spices and fruits. Mulling takes place once the heated drink is allowed so sit and let the flavors become absorbed.
Taste your apple cider before making the recipe. If they taste slightly sour, add a tablespoon of maple syrup to the mixture. Apple juice is unlikely to have this issue.
Desserts spiced with ginger and other fall spices go well. That means these old fashioned hermit cookies, vegan gingerbread man cookies, candied ginger, and my spicy pumpkin bread.
More Holiday Drinks
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📖 Recipe
Mulled Spiced Apple Cider (hot apple cider)
Equipment
- mug 8 ounce
- pot 4 quarts+
- slow cooker or crock pot 6 quart
Ingredients
One mug
- 1 cup apple juice or apple cider
- 1 orange slice
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 star anise
- 2 whole cloves
- 1 slice ginger root
1 gallon
- 1 gallon apple juice or apple cider
- 1-2 orange, sliced in wedges
- 3 cinnamon sticks
- 3 star anise
- 1 teaspoon whole cloves
- ½ inch ginger root, sliced thin
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Instructions
Make One Cup
- Pour apple juice or apple cider into a heat safe measuring cup. Add in the spices, ginger and orange slices.1 cup apple juice or apple cider, 1 orange slice, 1 cinnamon stick, 1 star anise, 2 whole cloves, 1 slice ginger root
- Heat the cup uncovered in the microwave for 1 minute. Remove it, give it a stir, and let it sit for 10 minutes or longer to mull the flavors.
- Pour the liquid through a fine mesh strainer into a mug. Discard the spices. Heat the mug in the microwave another minute so the drink is steamy. Serve with a cinnamon stick, and an apple or orange slice.
Make a Gallon
- Pour apple juice or apple cider into a deep pot, and turn the heat on to medium. Add in the spices, ginger and orange slices.1 gallon apple juice or apple cider, 1-2 orange, sliced in wedges, 3 cinnamon sticks, 3 star anise, 1 teaspoon whole cloves, ½ inch ginger root, sliced thin
- Do not cover. Give it a stir, and as soon as the mixture begins to bubble, remove the pot off the stove, cover and allow it to mull for 20 minutes.
- Pour the liquid through a fine mesh strainer. Discard the spices and reheat the drink in the pot by turning it up to reach simmer again. Drink right away by pouring out into mugs and serve with a cinnamon stick and apple or orange slice in each mug.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
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