Warming mulled cider has all the flavours of Christmas in a mug. This mulled cider recipe is so easy to make, by just putting everything in a saucepan and letting it heat for 12 minutes. Perfect for serving at a Christmas party. It's sweet, a little spicy and full of winter flavour.
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About this Mulled Cider Recipe
The smell of this alcoholic warm cider is incredible. It's better than any air freshener and it just screams Christmas. This hot mulled cider will warm you up and it's our favourite drink to serve guests when they arrive in from the cold. Even if you don't usually like cider, the flavours in this are just incredible!
This mulled cider has all the flavours that you would associate with Christmas. Cinnamon, cloves, and orange. YUM! It takes just 1 minute to prepare, it's easy to adapt and great for making up a big batch as you can easily double or triple it.
If you are looking for some more warm festive drinks, why not try our Chai Tea Latte, Slow Cooker Mulled Wine or Baileys Hot Chocolate.
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Ingredients and Substitutions
- Cider - Whilst you can use any cider, the type of cider you use is important. Use a really good quality one for the best flavour. You could even use a flavoured cider, like orange or pear, for some added flavour.
- Apple juice - This adds some extra sweetness to the mulled cider and helps it go further, without having to add some more alcohol.
- Brown sugar - We like this really sweet and using brown sugar adds a caramel flavour. You could use a liquid sweetener like maple syrup if you prefer.
- Mulled spices - The spices is a combination of all of the best festive flavours like cinnamon, orange, cloves, allspice and star anise. Cinnamon is a must when it comes to anything festive. Just a few sticks of cinnamon added to the pan add so much flavour, and they look nice served up in the glass too.
- Rum - Just a little splash to give it an extra kick.
- Orange - Is it even a Christmas drink without some orange? Just the juice and zest of one orange adds so much citrusy flavour.
- Apple - As well as adding extra apple flavour, we think it looks really nice.
Mulled Cider Variations
There aren't too many ways that you can change this mulled apple cider recipe, but there are a couple of options. Firstly, if you wanted a non-alcoholic version of this, why not try our Mulled Apple Juice?
We used a splash of rum to give it an extra kick. You could swap that for brandy or even an orange flavoured gin. We like using a spiced dark rum as it just adds to the spices.
To give this mulled cider recipe even more of a festive twist, add some fresh cranberries in.
How to Make Mulled Cider
- Step one: Put all of the ingredients into a large pan.
- Step two: Simmer over a low heat for 10-15 minutes. Pass through a sieve and serve.
Serving Suggestions
We think this is the perfect addition to any Christmas party. If you are thinking of a serving platter, then why not try our Greek Meze Platter, Antipasto Platter, Vegetarian Charcuterie Board or Tapas Platter?
Some other delicious party canapés that could be served with this is Christmas Sausage Rolls, Easy Melba Toast, Salmon Pate, Mushroom Tartlets or Smoked Salmon Canapes.
Serving Tip
This will be hot when served, so you can't use normal glasses. Either serve in mugs or these heatproof glasses.
Slow Cooker Mulled Cider
What we love about this mulled cider recipe is that it only takes 15 minutes to warm through. However, if you want to get ahead of yourself and have this ready and warming when your guests arrive, then why not try making slow cooker mulled cider?
Put everything in the slow cooker and cook on low for 2 hours. You can then turn it down to warm and keep it like that all evening.
Storage
Store: You can store this in a bottle in the fridge for up to 3 days, so make a big batch of it for Christmas. Make sure that it has fully cooled before you put it in the fridge. The bottle needs to have a lid on it and be air tight. I would recommend removing the spices before storing, as they will intensify otherwise, but some people might not like that.
Freeze: We don't recommend freezing this.
Reheat: You can drink it cold, however it is best enjoyed warm. You can heat it through on the hob.
Dannii's Top Tips
- This is also a really good recipe to make when camping, as even in the summer it gets pretty cold at night and this is a nice way for the adults to warm up.
- A splash of cranberry juice also adds a nice burst of flavour.
- There might not look like a lot of spices in the pan, but trust us on this. They all have such strong flavours, so you don't need to go overboard.
- Make sure you strain all the spices from the cider mixture, as nobody was soggy cloves in their drink.
- Don't let the mixture boil. It just needs to simmer gently.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, you could leave the sugar out, but we really like the sweetness.
Some of the alcohol will cook off, however not all. How much alcohol you are left with will depend on a few variables. Such as: how much alcohol you start with, how long it is cooked for and at what temperature, and what kind of vessel it was cooked in. Cooking it in an open shallow pan will evaporate faster compared to a slow cooker with a lid.
More Christmas Drink Recipes
If you've tried this mulled cider recipe, let us know how you got on in the comments below.
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Recipe
Mulled Cider
Ingredients
- 1.5 litre (3 pt) of Cider
- 1 Orange - Juice and then sliced
- 300 ml (1.25 cups) of Apple juice
- 1 pack of Mulled spices
- 4 tablespoon of Brown sugar
- 2 Apples - Quartered
- 75 ml (0.33 cups) of Dark rum
Instructions
- Put all of the ingredients into a large pan.
- Simmer over a low heat for 10-15 minutes. Pass through a sieve and serve.
Recipe Tips
- This is also a really good recipe to make when camping, as even in the summer it gets pretty cold at night and this is a nice way for the adults to warm up.
- A splash of cranberry juice also adds a nice burst of flavour.
- There might not look like a lot of spices in the pan, but trust us on this. They all have such strong flavours, so you don't need to go overboard.
- Make sure you strain all the spices from the cider mixture, as nobody was soggy cloves in their drink.
- Don't let the mixture boil. It just needs to simmer gently.
Nutritional Information
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The nutritional information provided is approximate and is calculated using online tools. Information can vary depending on various factors, but we have endeavoured to be as accurate as possible.
As all appliances vary, cooking times are a guide. Please note that by changing the serving size, the cooking time may also need to be altered.
Anjali says
I love mulled wine, but I had never tried mulled cider until I came across your recipe! This was so warming, comforting and delicious! Great for this time of year!
Andrea says
I feel like I smell this amazing mulled cider. It looks so warm, cozy and delicious. Yum!
Shadi Hasanzade says
I'm hosting next weekend and this is definitely happening! Love the addition of rum!
Saif says
The cidar drink looks refreshing. So sweet and tasty.