And add just a little rum or bourbon for a spiked apple cider that’ll warm you up even more! Because outside of North America, cider is generally alcoholic “hard” cider, and what’s called cider in the US and Canada is just apple juice in most other places. The first time I had cider in the US, I was sorely disappointed that it wasn’t the fermented, bubbly, sweet cider drink I was familiar with! This freshly pressed apple juice is (usually) pasteurized or treated before being sold in stores, but there are places that sell “raw” untreated cider. I prefer pasteurized apple cider because of the risk of food borne pathogens otherwise. Apple cider that we make at home (with a slow juicer) is consumed within days, so we don’t always pasteurize it, but this can also be pasteurized too if you like. Apple juice is clearer because it has been clarified to remove the sediment. This is what I call “filtered apple juice”.
Mulled cider
What I’m making here is hot mulled cider! When a drink is “mulled”, it means that is has been gently heated, with added warm spices and flavors to infuse the drink. It’s also usually served warm as hot cider. Whether you call it hot spiced apple cider or spiced mulled apple cider, or even spiked apple cider, these beverages are heated with mulling spices (spices that add warmth and heat). Orange – The peel and flesh are used. While you can add an entire (or half) of an orange on its own, I remove the peel and add it separately, and then remove the pith (the white stuff), and just add the orange WITHOUT the pith. The pith can add bitterness to the cider. To add more flavor AND color, you can also use blood orange if they are in season. Lemon peel – Optional, but adds a lovely citrusy flavor. Mulling spices (whole spices, and not ground, unless specified)
Cinnamon – Non-negotiable (unless you’re allergic to cinnamon!). I use Ceylon cinnamon sticks that have a sweeter, more floral flavor. Whole cloves All spice Nutmeg – I use a piece of nutmeg, but you can also use ground if that’s easier. Cardamom – Optional, but I love the flavor it adds. Star anise – Optional. I don’t always like the flavor of star anise, so I don’t add it here. But if you like licorice, then star anise would be perfect in your cider! Peppercorns – Optional. I wanted to add a little heat to the drink as well, and peppercorns are perfect for this! I use both black pepper and pink peppercorn, but black peppercorn is more than enough. If you’re sensitive to spicy heat, then leave it out. Ginger – Optional, but recommended. Another spice that adds a little spicy heat that I personally adore!
Maple syrup – For sweetening. I do like my apple cider a little sweet, so just a touch of maple syrup can help. But, you can leave it out if you don’t want added sugar. I prefer using maple syrup over brown sugar, but brown sugar can be used as well. I add the sweetener right at the end, so I can decide whether I want to sweeten the mulled cider or not. Rum, bourbon or any whiskey – To make spiked apple cider. This is also optional. I do prefer gold rum, and bourbon whiskey is a close second. You can also add Canadian whiskey, Irish whiskey, or any whiskey you like! Don’t use the expensive stuff though – those deserve to be enjoyed neat or on the rocks! I use,
Cinnamon Cloves All spice Nutmeg Cardamom Peppercorns Ginger Orange zest Lemon zest
To find out what flavor each of these spices add to your hot spiced cider, check out the section on “how to choose your mulling spices” below to decide which ones you want to use. In addition to these spices and flavors, I also add orange (without the pith) and blood orange because it’s currently in season and I love blood oranges. Check out my “variations” section below to see what other flavors you can add to your own version. These spices can be placed in a spice ball or cheese cloth pouch so that it’s easy to remove later (images 1 – 3). Or you can just add all the spices and strain them out at the end.
Step two – Heat the cider
Add the fresh apple cider along with the cinnamon sticks, other mulling spices, citrus peels, and orange segments into a medium-sized pot (image 4). Heat over medium high heat, and heat while stirring to warm up the apple cider. As soon as the apple cider starts to boil, lower the heat so that the cider is barely simmering. Cover the pot (image 5) and let it barely simmer for about 20 minutes minimum, or up to 40 minutes (but make sure the cider is not evaporating too much).
Slow cooker instructions
Place the same ingredients in your slow cooker or crockpot. Cover and set the heat setting to low. Let it cook for about 2 hours. Let it cool slightly, so that it’s not too hot to drink. I also like to leave the spices in during this time to infuse more flavor (image 7), but you can also remove the spices too. Use a strainer to remove all the spices while it’s still very warm (image 8). You don’t have to squeeze the softened orange segments, as this will add more orange / citrus flavor. At this stage, you can add the sweetener. I add maple syrup (image 9), and only need to add about 2 – 3 tbsp per 4 cups, for my desired sweetness. Taste and adjust to your taste. Pour the cider into a jug and serve immediately (image 10).
Step four – Prepare the toppings and garnishes
While the cider is cooling, get the toppings and garnishes ready (image 11). This is an optional step, but I personally love adding the garnishes, because I can eat them afterwards. Here are my favorite garnishing ideas and topping options.
Cinnamon sticks (as stirring sticks) Apple slices Orange slices Whipped cream (especially my cinnamon brown sugar whipped cream that pairs perfectly with this spiced apple cider) Caramel sauce (on top of the whipped cream) Raspberries (these add color too!)
Optional – Make spiked mulled apple cider
Yes, of course I added rum to my apple cider here! But I also enjoy drinking spiced apple cider without alcohol often too. For 1 liter / or about 1 quart, I add about 0.5 cup of rum, or up to 3/4 cup for a stronger drink (image 9). If you add rum, you may need to add a little extra maple syrup as well, but this is optional. The combination of whipped cream and spiced apple cider makes this drink taste like an apple creamsicle! Like a cross between apple pie and ice cream!
The two most important spices to use are cinnamon and cloves. The rest is optional, and will depend on what flavors you like. Cinnamon adds an earthy sweetness, and cloves add strong spice and heat, with sweetness and an intense aroma. All spice – Adds a lovely warm, woody, sharp flavor. It’s said to be a combination of cloves, cinnamon, and nutmeg in terms of flavor, but to me it tastes much more than that! It even has a little bit of a smokiness, which is probably the “woody” flavor. Allspice berries are dried little berries that are larger than peppercorn, and if you have cooked with this spice, you’ll know how delicious it is! If you have access to red spicebush, then you can use that instead. The flavor blends in well with cinnamon and nutmeg, so it’s a great addition. Star anise – Sweet, with licorice flavor. I love using this spice in some applications. But because I’m using cloves here that are also sweet and strong, I opted to not add star anise here. But if you like licorice, then I highly recommend adding star anise. But 1 whole star anise goes a long way, so don’t add too much. Nutmeg – Nutty, sweet, and very aromatic! The aroma of nutmeg will always be associated with eggnog for me. But it’ll add the same flavor to other spiced drinks too (like this horchata drink). But because nutmeg can be strong and large amounts can be over-powering (and psychoactive!), just a little will be more than enough. Green cardamom – Peppery, floral, citrus, and a hint of eucalyptus-like flavor. I LOVE cardamom, but the trick is to never bite a cardamom, because the flavor is so strong! Ginger – A lovely fresh, spicy, peppery bite! Plus, ginger pairs so well with cinnamon and all spice! Black peppercorn – Whole black peppercorn is my favorite spice! I LOVE the smell of good quality black peppercorns – woody, herby, piney, citrusy aroma and the smoky heat profile.
I add both pepper and ginger because my husband and I love spicy, and a little heat in our sweet apple cider. The sweetness is balanced beautifully with the warmth from all the other spices, plus the heat from ginger, pepper, and cloves. Simply add some non-alcoholic rum extract or brandy extract. But you can also buy non-alcoholic liquor now too. Brands such as lyre’s and ritual have rum and whiskey that has no alcohol!
Spice variations and spice blends
Besides individual spices, you can also use spice blends! But just know that ground spices can be less potent (unless freshly ground), and it’s harder to filter it out from your apple cider.
Chai spices or masala chai is an excellent spice blend. Especially my own blend of authentic masala chai that has so much flavor! Apple pie spice Pumpkin spice
Fruity, and other flavor variations for apple cider
You don’t have to limit your spiced apple cider to just spices. You can also add other fruity flavors to make the cider more like a spiced fruit punch cider.
Add whole raspberries or strawberries to infuse the berry flavor, and to also add a lovely pink hue. Blood oranges, like I did here, which add a very unique citrus flavor and also add a very light pink hue. Apple and citrus go well together, which is why I love this apple lemonade too. Add pear juice along with the apple cider. Browned butter to add a delicious creamy mouthfeel and buttery flavor – like an apple flavored butterbeer! Add toasted pecans to the cider to simmer, for a lovely nutty flavor.
However, heat up the apple cider until it’s warm before serving. I also recommend only adding the rum (or any alcohol), before serving.
To store leftovers
Leftovers can also be stored in the fridge for up to a week or so. You can absolutely drink it cold as well, but it can also be reheated before drinking. If you make a spiked version, heat the leftover mulled cider only until just warm.
Frequently asked questions
