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.
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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
Print Recipe
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.
Mulled Cider, ABV 6.5% before heating! Our Mulled Cider is a mix of cider, sugar and spices and should be served piping hot. Some may wish to sweeten it further to taste. Chase away those winter sniffs and snuffles.
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!
Fresh apple slices, orange wedges, lemon twists, and even berries make great fruit garnishes for spiked cider and spiked cider co*cktails, adding visual appeal and flavor.
Many alcohols mix well with apple cider. Dark liquors like bourbon (my pick) or dark rum are traditional, but they are by no means the only option. Vodka pairs well with apple cider and is a good light option. You can even let guests each pick their own.
Brown liquors are a traditional pairing with apple cider. It's hard to deny that the warm flavors of whiskey or spiced rum mingle beautifully with the tart sweetness of apple cider. But, if you're looking for a simple way to spike your cider while allowing its natural flavors to shine, you may want to turn to vodka.
At room temperature and without added sugar, 4–5 days. If it's colder, or if you've added more sugar (to boost the alcohol), it could take weeks or even months. Generally, even refrigerated cider will begin fermenting noticeably within a week or two, unless it has preservatives in it to prevent microbial growth.
On average, most hard ciders are 4.5% - 7% alcohol by volume (ABV), while some ciders have an ABV as high as 10% or 12%. Drier ciders usually have a higher ABV because the yeast consumes a majority of the cider's natural sugars.
A constant cool temperature is much better than one that fluctuates. The fermentation time will depend on the room temperature and the initial starting gravity. 5 to 14 days is just a guide. The slower the fermentation the better the cider will taste.
Full-bodied, dry and cloudy ciders that thins out when heated, are often a popular choice to mull. A sweet cider with a strong apple flavour is preferable, but it's also important that there's a hint of acidity to cut through the syrupy richness that too sweet a cider can result in.
Mulled Cider is typically a sweet cider heated with spices and citrus fruits. Mulled means to heat, sweeten, and flavor (a beverage like cider or wine) with spices.
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.
100-proof bourbons seem to be the way to go for cider because Nick Madden, the bar manager at Elixir in San Francisco, tells us his "top choice" for the pairing is Heaven Hill's Bottled-in-Bond 7 year. "This bourbon is one of my personal favorites. It meets all the criteria for pairing with apple cider," he explains.
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.
With the goal of consuming the alcohol, any evaporated alcohol is a small affront to the holiday season. But fear not, hot cider, hot toddy, and mulled wine lovers: Around 85 percent of your beloved alcohol will survive the heating process.
Does the alcohol cook out when making mulled wine? In short, yes, some of the alcohol burns off when boiling mulled wine, but you should only be gently bringing up to the boil and simmering for around 15-30 minutes which isn't enough time to completely remove all alcohol traces.
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