Spiked Hot Apple Cider - Easy Mulled Apple Cider Recipe! (2024)
By:Krista
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37 Comments
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Rating★★★★★ 5 from 9 votes
This easy recipe for Spiked Hot Apple Cider is perfect for Thanksgiving and Christmas! Made with cinnamon sticks, star anise, clove, allspice, fresh oranges and a spiced rum to warm you right up!
Looking for a kid friendly hot apple cider recipe? My Crockpot Hot Apple Cider is easy and delicious!
Oh my goodness you guys. I feel like this past week I could barely keep my eyes open. Even right now as I’m typing they are burning and tired.
Now, I know that I have a 10 month old, so I’m still in that “tired mom” phase. But I feel like I make myself rest. Although, last week was a crazy week so maybe I didn’t rest in the way my body needed. I literally feel like I could go to bed at 8pm tonight and be perfectly fine with it.
The last time I went through this I found out I had a big vitamin b12 deficiency and that I was slightly anemic. Sheesh. The doctors remedy … I had to get a shot of B12 vitamin in my butt and had to start taking sublingual iron pills. Hoping that’s not the case this time.
Ok. Moving on.
Around the holidays my mom was known for her Apple Cider. She would start it in the morning, throw in her spices and citrus and let it cook on the stove all day. By the time company was over the hot apple cider was ready and believe me when I say it was gone by the end of the night. When I think holidays and family, this drink comes to mind.
NOW… when my mom would make it, she made the kid friendly version. (a.k.a. no daddy juice — err liquor) and I have that recipe on my site here –> Crock Pot Apple Cider.
MY FAVORITE FESTIVE & UNIQUE GLASSWARE
But this version is for the mommy’s and daddy’s and trust me when I say, it’ll warm you right up!
Let’s start with a few basic things.
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What is Mulled Hot Apple Cider?
It is apple cider that is flavored with citrus and spices. It’s simmered on the stove or in a crock pot for a couple hours to let all the flavor combine so it has a “spiced” taste to it – that’s where the “mulled” comes in. Typically mulled cider is served warm and is freakin delicious!
How Do You Make Mulled Hot Apple Cider?
Add apple juice, cinnamon stick, star anise, cloves, allspice and ginger to a large saucepan.
Bring to a boil and let simmer for 2-3 hours.
To make it “spiked” add in rum, brandy or bourbon and simmer an additional 10 minutes.
Easy peasy! Literally you throw everything into the hot tub and forget about it. That’s part of the reason I love this recipe so much.
Well, that and the flavor is amazing! You taste the star anise, the cinnamon and cloves and of course the rum warms your tummy right up! It’s a must make this time of year! Comforting and delicious! Nothing better than that. Oh and this recipe makes enough for 16, so it’s a great party co*cktail!
5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 9 reviews
Author:Krista
Prep Time:5 minutes
Cook Time:3 hours
Total Time:3 hours 5 minutes
Yield:16 1x
Category:Drinks
Method:stove
Cuisine:american
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Description
This easy recipe for Spiked Hot Apple Cider is perfect for Thanksgiving and Christmas! Made with cinnamon sticks, star anise, clove, allspice, fresh oranges and a spiced rum to warm you right up!
Ingredients
Scale
1 gallon unfiltered apple juice or apple cider
1 large orange, cut into 1/4” slices
3 cinnamon sticks
4 star anise
1 tablespoon whole cloves
1 tablespoon whole allspice
1” ginger root, sliced
1 1/2 cups spiced rum (I used Captain Morgan)
Instructions
To a large 10 qt dutch oven, add apple juice, orange slices, cinnamon sticks, star anise, whole cloves, whole allspice and ginger root. (If you have a spice ball, add clove and allspice to that. It’s easier cleanup after wards.
Bring mixture to a boil. Reduce to simmer and cover for 2-3 hours.
Add rum to the apple cider mixture.
Remove fruit and spices from the pot.
Serve!
(optional: garnish with orange slices, apple slices or spices)
Notes
This recipe can be made in a Crock Pot as well. Add all the ingredients (except rum) to the crock pot. Turn Crock Pot to LOW and cook for 2-3 hours. Add rum and serve.
Bourbon, brandy, or even a dark aged rum have enough oomph to stand up to the sweet flavors of the spices and apple cider. As to when to add in the booze, it's best to wait until the mulling spices have flavored everything first.
Mulled apple cider is unfiltered apple juice that's been heated and flavored with mulling spices such as cinnamon, cloves, and allspice; and fruits like oranges, lemons, and apples. I'll also add a little dark rum if it's just us grown ups enjoying a round of apple cider co*cktails!
Creamy cheeses like brie and camembert, sharp cheddar, and blue cheeses are excellent choices to pair with spiked cider. They complement the cider drinks flavors.
You need just a touch of acidity to balance out the sugar and give it a well-balanced flavour. Note: You can use tart ciders, but just make sure to add more sugar.
Apple cider is apple juice that has not been filtered and still contains all the apple pieces, pulp, and sediment. It is the raw, purer version of apple juice. To make an alcoholic cider, yeast is added which converts the sugar into alcohol. Simple right? Hard cider is the adult version of apple cider.
The juice in a cider kit is pasteurized, so no sulfites are needed prior to starting fermentation. Fermentation should take about a week. You can then transfer the cider to a keg or bottle it. Let it mature for two more weeks, and it should be ready to drink.
If you don't add any sugar to the cider, it will yield hard cider that is approximately 6.0 – 6.5% ABV, which is already a bit higher than most store-bought hard cider. If you want to increase the alcohol content, you will need to add sugar prior to fermentation.
Approximately 20 pounds of apples for each gallon of juice. (Depending on how much juice is in apples and how they are processed. Juice if not pressing from apples.
Hot mulled cider is apple cider infused with fall/holiday spices like cinnamon and cloves. The warm, spiced, cozy flavor is a favorite for many during the fall and holiday season. You can also use pressed apple juice instead of apple cider.
Very little alcohol will cook off. The boiling point of ethanol is 79C - you should WARM mulled wine and certainly not bring it anywhere near close to 79C.
I prefer bourbon but whiskey or a dark rum with caramel flavors would also work wonderfully. What kind of bourbon goes in spiked apple cider? I used Makers Mark for this recipe which is one of my favorite bourbon brands. However, other brands I also recommend Four Roses or Woodford Reserve as other great options.
Shelf limits can be up to two years, but according to Angry Orchard, one of the most popular cider brands, their cider has a shelf life for up to 12 months. Though alcohol technically does not 'go bad,' the flavor profile of the alcohol will change the longer the alcohol sits there.
Whiskey or bourbon also pairs well with fall and winter warming spices that are often found in hot apple cider recipes like cinnamon and cloves. Dark rum is another dark liquor that is also a popular choice for spiking apple cider and could certainly be used in this recipe in lieu of whiskey or bourbon.
Introduction: My name is Dan Stracke, I am a homely, gleaming, glamorous, inquisitive, homely, gorgeous, light person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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