Mulled Apple Cider is sweet and filled with the aroma and flavor of sweet baking spices that warm you from the inside out.
As the temperatures begin to drop and the leaves start to change, it's the perfect time to indulge in this delicious and heartwarming beverage. With its blend of sweet fresh apples, fragrant spices, and a hint of citrus, this traditional drink is a favorite way to celebrate Fall and Thanksgiving with friends and family. So, grab your favorite mug and get ready to spice up your cider game!
🔍 Quick Look: Mulled Apple Cider
- Ready in: 50 minutes
- Servings: 6
- Calories: ~214 kcal per serving (based on nutrition panel)
- Main Ingredients: Apple cider, dark brown sugar, sliced apple, sliced orange, sweet baking spices
- Elements of Taste: Sweet & Autumn Baking Spices
- Cook Method: Simmer
- Difficulty: Easy, great for beginners and people who like to entertain.
- Why You'll Love It: Mulled cider is made warm and cozy with brown sugar and sweet baking spices. Stovetop or slow cooker option!
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Why You'll Love This Mulled Apple Cider Recipe
- Short Prep: Prep for this recipe takes only 10 minutes.
- Short Simmer: This mulled cider simmers for only 40 minutes instead of many hours.
- It's Non-Alcoholic: But you can easily make individual mugs tipsy. (See my suggestions below in "Variations".
- It Smells Like Cozy Autumn: This hot beverage has long been associated with autumn gatherings and cozy evenings by a bonfire.
- The Recipe Easily Doubles: Expecting to host? This mulled apple cider easily scales up to serve a crowd.
What Is Apple Cider versus Apple Juice?
Apple Cider is juice pressed from apples and is unsweetened and unfiltered, making it cloudy with particles. Apple juice is also juice pressed from apples but is generally filtered to remove the particles and is a clear liquid. Either juice or cider may be pasteurized.
Another option is organic apple juice, which is pressed from organic fruit and can be filtered or unfiltered.
Ingredient Notes
Here's what you need to make Mulled Apple Cider:
- Apple Cider - Traditionally, apple cider is used. But you can also use filtered or unfiltered apple juice.
- Sliced Apple & Orange - Simmering the apple cider with a sliced apple and a sliced orange with the peels brings more flavor with citrus notes to the cider. I like using Honeycrisp, Sugar Bee, Gala, and Granny Smith apples, but you can use any variety of apples.
- Whole Cloves - Cloves are pungent and sweet, which makes all mulled drinks extra delicious.
- Whole Allspice Berries - Allspice is exactly what its name implies. It smells and tastes like all of the sweet baking spices.
- Cinnamon Sticks - Probably the king of sweet spices, cinnamon is used throughout cooking for both sweet and savory dishes. Typical sweet dishes are cinnamon buns, snickerdoodle cookies, eggnog, and mulled cider!
- Star Anise - Star anise is delicious but also a very powerful sweet spice. I use only one, but if you love this flavor feel free to add two or three.
- Dark Brown Sugar - Apple juice is generally sweet, but adding a small amount of dark brown sugar will give the mulled cider a caramel flavor. You can also adjust the sweetness by adding more or less brown sugar and you can also substitute white granulated sugar as a sweetener.
Please see the recipe card for the exact quantities.
Variations
Spike it! Add just 1 ounce of any of the following boozy libations to a mug, then top it off with mulled cider:
- Spiced Rum. Choose your favorite, like Captain Morgan, Sailor Jerry's, or Shipwreck.
- Calvados Brandy. Calvados is distilled from apple cider, so it makes a perfect pairing with Mulled Apple Cider.
- Berentzen Apple Liqueur. Smooth, sweet, with great apple flavor. Add this to brighten the flavor of the cider.
How to Make The Best Mulled Apple Cider
- Combine. To a large 3-quart pot or a large stockpot, add the apple cider, brown sugar, sliced apple, sliced orange, dark brown sugar, cinnamon sticks, whole cloves, allspice berries, and star anise. Stir the mixture with a large wooden spoon.
- Simmer. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to a slow simmer, cover with a lid, and cook for 40 minutes.
- Serve. Ladle into mugs and garnish each with a cinnamon stick and slices of apples and oranges. Serve and enjoy!
My Top Tip
♡ I like to tie up the small loose spices in a cheesecloth bag, called a sachet, more formally known as a "sachet d'épices," or "bag of spices." All you need is a small piece of cheesecloth and a bit of string. This way, I don't have to strain the cider before ladling it into the mugs.
Slow Cooker Mulled Cider
Instead of simmering this Mulled Apple Cider on the stovetop, you can make it in a slow cooker or crock-pot. Simply add all the ingredients to your slow cooker and set it to high for 1 hour. Then, reduce the heat to low and let it cook for 3 to 4 hours.
Place cups and a ladle on a spoon rest near the slow cooker for guests to serve themselves.
Storage, & Reheating Instructions
- Storage: Leftovers can be stored in a sealed airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Reheating: Reheat a single portion in the microwave in small bursts until it is warm. You can reheat larger portions slowly in a pot on the stove.
More Hot Beverages You Will Love
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📖 Recipe
Mulled Apple Cider
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Ingredients
- 2 Quarts Apple Cider or Apple Juice
- ¼ Cup Dark Brown Sugar
- 1 Apple, Sliced ¼" Thick
- ½ Orange, Sliced ¼" Thick
- 6 Cinnamon Sticks
- 1 Tablespoon Whole Cloves
- 1 Tablespoon Whole Allspice Berries
- 1 Star Anise
Garnish:
- Additional Slices of Apple & Orange
Instructions
- Combine. To a large 3-quart pot or a large stockpot, add the apple cider, dark brown sugar, sliced apple, sliced orange, dark brown sugar, cinnamon sticks, whole cloves, allspice berries, and star anise. Stir the mixture with a large wooden spoon.2 Quarts Apple Cider or Apple Juice, ¼ Cup Dark Brown Sugar, 1 Apple, ½ Orange, 6 Cinnamon Sticks, 1 Tablespoon Whole Cloves, 1 Tablespoon Whole Allspice Berries, 1 Star Anise
- Simmer. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to a slow simmer, cover with a lid, and cook for 40 minutes.
- Serve. Ladle into mugs and garnish each with a cinnamon stick and slices of apples and oranges. Serve and enjoy!Additional Slices of Apple & Orange
Notes
Nutrition
Per 1 serving. All nutritional information on this site is an estimate. Your results may vary.
Encharted Cook™ or Jan Nunes shall not be liable for adverse reactions or any other outcome resulting from the use of recipes or recommendations on this website or actions you take as a result.
© 2018-2025 Encharted Cook, Jan Nunes. All rights reserved.
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