Recipe Overview
Why you’ll love it: Mulled apple cider is the quintessential warm and cozy fall drink! Infused with cinnamon, orange, cloves, and fresh ginger, this is an easy recipe that takes store-bought apple cider to the next level.
How long it takes: 40 minutes
Equipment you’ll need: large saucepan or Dutch oven, fine mesh strainer
Servings: 8 (1 cup each)
Fall In A Cup
Every Halloween, we fill insulated cups with mulled apple cider before we head out trick-or-treating. There is nothing better than wandering around the neighborhood in the cold, watching the kids run from house to house, with a warm cup in your hands. A little shot of somethin’ somethin’ is optional.
But it’s not just for Halloween. It’s perfect for every fall gathering, and your house will smell absolutely incredible while it simmers, which might just be the best part.
What makes it special:
- Warm, cozy flavor: Cinnamon, cloves, fresh ginger, and sliced oranges are a classic combination that’s warm and comforting without being overly spiced.
- Easy to make: This is a very easy recipe! You’ll love it because you can get the mulled cider started ahead of time and simply keep it warm until you’re ready to serve it.
- Perfect for entertaining: You’re going to want to make a big batch for holiday parties, fall gatherings, and to warm up after trick-or-treating! Check out my instructions for keeping it warm in the slow cooker.
Ingredient Notes
You’ll find the full ingredient list in the recipe card, but here are some notes about what you’ll need.
- Apple cider: Be sure to use fresh apple cider, not apple cider vinegar, apple juice, or hard apple cider, which contains alcohol. You’ll find fresh apple cider at orchards or in the refrigerated section of the grocery store.
- Orange: While some recipes call for lemon, I think it’s too tart and bright for mulled cider; slices of orange add a more subtle brightness and citrus flavor. Don’t peel the orange! The aromatic oils in the peeling add so much flavor.
- Cinnamon sticks: Whole cinnamon sticks infuse the cider with cozy flavor. The advantage of cinnamon sticks over ground cinnamon is that the apple cider doesn’t need to be stirred to redistribute the spices before serving. Ground cinnamon also tends to make mulled cider look a bit murky.
- Whole cloves: A little goes a long way with this potent spice; however, whole cloves add a more subtle flavor than ground cloves.
- Fresh ginger: Sliced ginger root gives the mulled apple cider a nice warmth. Look for fresh ginger in the produce section of your grocery store. (Ginger root is a bit of a misnomer; the “root” is actually a rhizome!)
How to Make Mulled Apple Cider
Prep the ginger. Peel the fresh ginger and use a sharp knife to slice it into thin rounds. The edge of a spoon is my favorite tool for peeling ginger—just scrape it down the sides and the skin will come right off. A vegetable peeler works well, too.
Combine ingredients. Pour the apple cider into a large saucepan or Dutch oven. Add the orange slices, cinnamon sticks, whole cloves, and sliced ginger.
Recipe Tip
Bundle the spices. Tie the cinnamon sticks, cloves, and ginger in a piece of cheesecloth or place them in a tea infuser for easy removal.
Simmer gently. Bring the cider to a gentle simmer over medium heat. Reduce the heat to low and let it simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, allowing the spices and citrus to infuse the cider.
Strain and serve. Remove the orange slices, ginger, and whole spices using a fine mesh strainer, or leave some of them in the pot for a festive presentation. Serve warm in mugs.
Variation Ideas
- Make it in the slow cooker. Add the ingredients to your slow cooker and cook on Low for 2 to 3 hours, or High for 1 to 1 ½ hours. Switch to the Warm setting for serving. If you’re making a double batch, a slow cooker works especially well.
- Garnish with fresh fruit. Thin apple slices or a handful of fresh cranberries are a nice touch if you’re making mulled cider for a party. Add the fresh fruit to each cup rather than throwing them into the pot. You don’t want the fresh fruit to get mushy while the mulled cider simmers.
- Sweeten it up. Apple cider can vary in sweetness. Stir in 2 to 3 tablespoons of maple syrup or brown sugar if you think it needs it.
- Make it boozy. Add a splash of bourbon, apple brandy, dark rum, or spiced rum to mugs, then ladle in the mulled cider. Fireball cinnamon whiskey is another popular choice.
What to Serve With Mulled Apple Cider
Fall brunch favorites: Serve mulled cider alongside crescent roll cinnamon rolls, apple cider muffins or apple cinnamon muffins, apple pancakes, and other fall recipes. Sliced apples with creamy apple dip are nice for brunch, too. Sweet and salty candied bacon would fit right into this menu, as well as spiced pecans.
Cozy desserts: Pair with homemade pumpkin pie, apple crisp, or pear crisp. Cinnamon-laced snickerdoodle cookies go hand in hand with mulled apple cider (or try snickerdoodle bars for an easier option!). Spicy gingersnaps would echo the cinnamon, cloves, and ginger in the mulled cider.
Refrigerate: Strain out the spices and sliced fruit before storing mulled cider. Once the cider is cool, refrigerate it in a covered container or bottle for up to 4 days.
Reheat: Warm the cider gently on the stovetop over low heat or microwave individual mugs until hot. Don’t let it come to a boil, which can affect the flavor. Chilled mulled cider is actually pretty tasty, too! Use it to make an apple cider mule or an apple cider mocktail.
More Cozy Drink Recipes
Mulled Apple Cider
Ingredients
- 8 cups apple cider (see note)
- 1 orange (sliced into rounds)
- fresh ginger root (about a 1-inch piece)
- 4 cinnamon sticks
- 1 teaspoon whole cloves
Instructions
- Wash the orange and thinly slice it, including the peel. Peel the fresh ginger with the edge of a spoon or vegetable peeler. With a sharp knife, cut it into ¼-inch thick slices.1 orange, fresh ginger root
- Pour apple cider into a large pot, and add orange slices, sliced ginger, cinnamon sticks, and cloves. If you prefer, tie the spices in a small piece of cheesecloth, or use a tea infuser to hold them, so you don't have to strain them out later.8 cups apple cider , 4 cinnamon sticks, 1 teaspoon whole cloves
- Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat. Reduce heat to low and let cider simmer for 15 to 20 minutes. Keep warm until ready to serve.
- Strain out the spices and orange slices, or leave them in for presentation. Serve warm. To garnish the mulled cider, I like to add a few fresh cranberries or thin apple slices to individual mugs right before serving.
Notes
- Apple cider: Be sure to use regular apple cider, NOT apple cider vinegar or hard apple cider which contains alcohol. Look for apple cider at orchards or in the refrigerated section of the grocery store.
- Adjust sweetness: Cider can vary in flavor and sweetness. If you want to make your mulled cider sweeter, stir in 2 to 3 tablespoons of maple syrup or brown sugar.
- Using a slow cooker: Add apple cider, orange slices, cinnamon sticks, cloves, and ginger to a slow cooker. Cover and cook on Low for 2 to 3 hours, or on High for 1 to 1½ hours until hot. Strain out the spices and orange slices or leave them in for presentation. Switch to the Warm setting for serving.
- Make a double batch: This works especially well if you’re using a crockpot. Buy a gallon of apple cider and double the other ingredients. Allow a little extra time to heat the cider.
- Mulled cider cocktail: Add desired amount of bourbon, apple brandy, dark rum, or spiced rum to mugs, then ladle in the mulled cider. Fireball cinnamon whiskey is another popular choice.
- Storage: If you have mulled cider left over, strain it, cool to room temperature, and refrigerate in a covered container for up to 4 days. Reheat it in the microwave or on the stovetop, or enjoy it chilled.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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