Spiked Mulled Cider

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We have found your new favorite easy holiday cocktail! Our Spiked Mulled Cider is the perfect way to warm up this winter.

Apple cider gently spiced with a little kick of brandy will become your go-to winter cocktail recipe for any occasion!

When I lived in New York many years ago, my parents came to visit over the holidays. It was their first visit there, so naturally, we tried to pack in plenty of sightseeing. However, some days were bitterly cold, and I distinctly remember warming up with a cup of warm apple cider in the cafe by the lake in Central Park. It was exactly what we all needed.

While that time we didn’t opt for a spiked version, we have since adapted! Spiked mulled cider makes such a comforting, simple winter cocktail that’s perfect for enjoying yourself on a cold winter’s night, or sharing with others at a party. It’s easy to scale the recipe up or down to meet your needs, and you can change the spirit you use to suit your tastes as well!

Ingredients for Spiked Apple Cider

• apple cider or unfiltered apple juice
• cinnamon sticks
• star anise
• cloves
• orange peel
• brandy or apple brandy, rum, spiced rum

How to Make Spiked Mulled Cider

1. Place all of the ingredients except the rum in a small pan and warm over low heat.
2. Gently bring to almost a simmer and warm for approx 30 minutes without boiling.
3. Strain off the spices and orange peel.
4. Add 1 oz of brandy in the bottom of 4 glasses
5. Top each cocktail with warm cider.
6. Serve warm.

How to Make Slow Cooker Mulled Cider

You can also prepare our spiked cider in the slow cooker!

1. Place all ingredients in a slow cooker and warm on low for approximately 2 – 4 hours.
2. Strain off the spices and orange peel.
3. Place the spiked cider back in the crockpot on low.
4. Serve the crockpot mulled cider as by adding the brandy in the bottom of the glasses and topping it with the mulled cider.

 Spiked Mulled Cider Recipe Tips:

• Make it in the slow cooker: You can make this simple cocktail recipe in the slow cooker.
• Don’t rush it: the flavors from the spices need time to evolve, so let them have it.
• Use whole spices: use a few different whole spices for your mulled cider spices rather than a ready-made blend. Whole spices save you getting bits of spice residue in your drink and each spice adds a different flavor that you can adjust to taste.
• Quality apple juice: use a good apple juice as a base. Our Spiked Mulled Cider is all about the apple, so try to get an unfiltered apple cider/juice as a base. Try to avoid juice from concentrate, it’s just not the same.
• Spike it with your favorites: spike it with a spirit that pairs well with apples such as brandy, apple brandy, rum, or spiced rum.

This Spiked Mulled Cider is the perfect winter cocktail recipe to warm you through and through!

📌 Save this Spiked Mulled Cider on Pinterest for later!

Try more favorite Holiday Cocktail Recipes:

• Caramel apple sangria
• Bourbon flip cocktail
• Warm pomegranate punch
• Warm spiced cranberry cocktail

And try more Easy Christmas Dinner Ideas!

Spiked Mulled Cider

Isabel Laessig

This spiked mulled apple cider is full of warming spice flavor with a little bit of a kick – the perfect winter cocktail to warm you through and through!

4.50 from 12 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 5 mins

Cook Time 30 mins

Total Time 35 mins

Course Drinks

Cuisine American

Servings 4

Calories 180 kcal

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 4 cups apple cider or unfiltered apple juice
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 1 star anise
• 4 whole cloves
• 4 strips orange peel
• 4 oz brandy or apple brandy, rum, spiced rum

Cooking Conversions

See our Cooking Conversions Chart for help converting measurements!

Instructions

 

• Put all of the ingredients except the rum in a small pan and warm over a low heat. Gently bring to almost a simmer and warm for approx 30 minutes without boiling.
• Put 1 oz of brandy in the bottom of 4 glasses and top each up with the warm cider, straining off the spices and orange peel as you go. Serve warm.

Notes

Slow Cooker: You can also prepare this in the slow cooker. Instead of putting everything apart from the rum in a pot, place all ingredients in a slow cooker and warm on low for approximately 2 – 4 hours. Then serve as above, putting the brandy in the bottom of the glasses as you serve.

Don’t rush it: the flavors from the spices need time to evolve, so let them have it.

Whole Spices: use a few different whole spices rather than a ready-made blend. Whole spices save you getting bits of spice residue in your drink and each spice adds a different flavor which you can adjust to taste.

Apple Juice: use a good apple juice as a base. Our Spiked Mulled Cider is all about the apple, so try to get an unfiltered apple cider/juice as a base. Try to avoid juice from concentrate, it’s just not the same.

Spike it:  with a spirit that pairs well with apples such as brandy, apple brandy, rum, or spiced rum.

Nutrition

Calories: 180kcalCarbohydrates: 28gSodium: 10mgPotassium: 238mgFiber: 1gSugar: 22gVitamin C: 3.5mgCalcium: 36mgIron: 0.5mg

Keyword Holiday Cocktail, Spiked Cider, Spiked Mulled Cider, Winter Cocktail Recipe

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