Mulled Cider With Cinnamon
Ingredients
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- 8 cups apple cider – unfiltered if possible
- 1 orange – sliced into 0.5-inch rounds
- 1 lemon – wide strips of peel removed with a vegetable peeler (avoid white pith)
- 4 cinnamon stick
- 10 clove – whole
- 8 allspice berry – whole
- 2 star anise pod – whole
Instructions
1. Rinse the orange and lemon. Slice the orange into 0.5-inch rounds. Use a vegetable peeler to remove wide strips of lemon peel, avoiding the white pith; reserve the peeled lemon for another use.
2. Combine the apple cider, orange slices, lemon peel, cinnamon sticks, whole cloves, allspice berries, and star anise pods in a large nonreactive pot.
3. Set over medium heat and warm until steaming with small bubbles just around the edges, 8–10 minutes; do not boil. Reduce heat to low, partially cover, and gently simmer to infuse, about 25 minutes.
4. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a heatproof pitcher, pressing lightly on the solids to extract flavor without forcing through grit. Serve hot in mugs.
5. Keep warm on the stovetop over very low heat or in a slow cooker on the Warm setting. Discard spices and citrus after service.
Mulled cider is a warm, spiced apple drink rooted in Old World mulling traditions and embraced widely in North America wherever fresh apple cider is seasonal. The practice of heating fruit-based beverages with aromatic spices predates modern recipes and was a way to perfume and preserve drinks during colder months. Cinnamon, with its sweet warmth, is the defining backbone in most versions, supported by clove and other whole spices.
In the United States, mulled cider typically means gently heated, unfiltered apple cider as opposed to clear apple juice. Citrus, especially orange, adds brightness that balances cider’s natural sweetness, while whole spices provide depth without clouding the drink. The result is a comforting, nonalcoholic centerpiece for autumn and winter gatherings, equally at home at holiday tables and outdoor markets.