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A cozy drink for fall and winter

Once the cooler weather arrives, I know it's time to warm the house up with a big pot of hot Mulled Apple Cider. This cozy drink includes classic mulling spices cinnamon, cloves, and star anise along with oranges, apples, and cranberries for a supremely warm and delicious treat that we enjoy from fall all the way through winter.

a large white dutch oven filled with apple cider, sliced apples and oranges, cloves, cinnamon sticks, cranberries, and star anise resting on a green cloth

What types of mulling spices are best to use to make Mulled Cider?

Mulled Apple Cider is best with warm and cozy spices, apples, citrus fruits, and red berries. For this cider recipe, I used the following spices and fruit:

Cinnamon sticks
Cloves
Star anise
Oranges - I used a combination of navel oranges and blood oranges
Apples - These are not strictly necessary as you'll get plenty of apple flavor from the apple cider base, but I added a small granny smith apple to add a bit of extra tartness to the sweet apple cider
Cranberries - I used frozen, but fresh are lovely when they're in season

Garnishing your drink

Once mulled, I like to strain the used spices and fruit out of the apple cider because they don't hold their form very well once cooked and don't make for a pretty drink. When serving the Mulled Apple Cider to guests, I like to set aside additional uncooked spices and fruit to garnish each mug with.

Other mulling spice options:

Nutmeg
Allspice
Cardamom
Peppercorn
Lemon

closeup of slices oranges, cinnamon sticks, cranberries, and star anise, and cider together

sliced blood oranges, navel oranges, cloves, cranberries, star anise, and cinnamon sticks

What kind of apple cider should I choose?

I like to use fresh-pressed apple cider from our local market, but you don't need to seek anything fancy out for this mulled apple cider. Whether you choose a cloudy unfiltered apple cider, which is my preference, or a golden/clear filtered apple cider this recipe should turn out super delicious!

Spiking your Mulled Apple Cider with spirits

This Mulled Apple Cider recipe is also really tasty with a splash of rum, brandy, bourbon, or scotch. If your group is all of age and imbibing you can add the spirits in to taste in the last 10 minutes of mulling. If your group is not all imbibing, it's just as delicious splashed into mugs individually, as desired, after serving -- the latter is how I prefer to serve this so people can choose how much they want to imbibe.

a white dutch oven pot filled with apple cider, sliced oranges, and cinnamon sticks

Can I double this recipe for a larger group?

Yes! This recipe is easily doubled or tripled if you have a large group you're serving. The base recipe makes about 4 average mugs of cider, so if your group is larger or you want to make a larger batch to enjoy again the next day you can certainly increase the size easily. There's even a handy scale for increasing the recipe by 2x or 3x on the recipe card below. You can locate it directly under the INGREDIENTS header to increase the measurements according to your batch size.

Can I use a slow cooker to make this mulled cider or keep it warm?

Yes, you can absolutely use a slow cooker to make this mulled cider or simply keep it warm rather than cooking it on your stovetop. However, because a single batch of the recipe makes 4 servings, I don't bother using a slow cooker unless I'm making a larger batch for a group. For the slow cooker method, add all of the ingredients to your slow cooker and warm on low for 2-4 hours, as needed.

two mugs of mulled apple cider next to a pot of cider resting on a green cloth

a mug of mulled apple cider garnished with orange and apple slices, cranberries, and star anise resting on a light pink dish

What should I serve this Mulled Apple Cider with?

Anytime!

This hot Mulled Apple Cider is seriously tasty whether it's enjoyed with something to pair it with or on its own. I love to serve it on cold fall and winter mornings as much as I love to make it as a cozy warm drink in the evening. It even packs well in a thermos if you want to enjoy it on the go!

a large white dutch oven filled with apple cider resting next to two glass mugs filled with cider on a green cloth

two glass mugs filled with apple cider resting next to a white pot with the same cider

a glass mug filled with mulled apple cider and garnished with cranberries, star anise, apple slices, and a blood orange slice

What tools do I need to make this recipe?

A cutting board
A chef's knife
A large pot or dutch oven
A kitchen scale --OR -- measuring cups (for less precise measurements)
A slotted spoon
A ladle

Are you looking to upgrade to your cooking tools or replenish your pantry? Check out my kitchen tools shop page and pantry staples shop page to find my must-have kitchen tools, pantry items, and other Whip & Wander favorites.

two amber colored glass mugs filled with apple cider next to a white dutch oven filled with mulled cider

Mulled Apple Cider

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Author: Whip & Wander
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 50 minutes
Total Time: 55 minutes
Yield: 4 servings 1x
Category: Drinks & Libations
Method: Stovetop
Cuisine: British

Print Recipe

Description

Ingredients

Scale

54 oz / 1.54 L apple cider (I prefer fresh-pressed unfiltered)
120 g apple, pitted and sliced (I use 1 medium Granny Smith)
56 g (about ½ cup) cranberries, fresh or frozen
270 g orange, sliced (I use 1 medium navel orange and 1 medium blood orange)
2 cinnamon sticks
10 cloves
2 star anise
Optional: (for those of age) rum, brandy, bourbon, or scotch to spike

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Instructions

In a large pot or dutch oven, add the apple cider, apple slices, and cranberries.
Before adding the oranges and spices, I like to press the cloves into the pith of one or two of the navel orange slices (the soft white part between the citrus and the rind). As long as you aren't stirring vigorously, the cloves should stay securely in the pith and this makes it easier to remove them from the pot in the end. Once the cloves are secure, add the oranges and remaining spices to the pot.
On your stove, bring the pot to heat over medium-low until the cider starts to barely bubble, just below a simmer -- You do not want the cider to boil. Lower the heat as needed to keep it just below a simmer for about 45 minutes.
Remove from heat and use a slotted spoon to remove the cooked fruit and spices before serving. When serving the Mulled Apple Cider to guests, I like to set aside additional spices and uncooked fruit to garnish each mug with.

Notes

Nutritional information on Whip & Wander is provided as a courtesy and is approximate only. We cannot guarantee the accuracy of the nutritional information given for any recipe on this site.

Slow Cooker Method (for larger batches) - Prep the fruit and spices as directed above. Instead of warming in a pot over the stove, add all of the ingredients to your slow cooker and warm on low for 2-4 hours, as needed.

Adding optional spirits (for those of age) - Add the spirits in to taste in the last 10 minutes of mulling. If your group is not all imbibing, it's just as delicious splashed into mugs individually, as desired, after serving -- the latter is how I prefer to serve this so people can choose how much they want to imbibe. Rum, brandy, bourbon, or scotch are nice options.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 serving (¼th of recipe)
Calories: 208
Sugar: 52 g
Sodium: 101 mg
Carbohydrates: 52 g