Mulled Cranberry Cider

This hot cider blends cranberry juice and apple cider with cinnamon, cloves, allspice, orange peel, and fresh ginger for a clear, spiced holiday drink. A brief simmer extracts flavor without turning the fruit notes muddy, and a final splash of maple syrup rounds out the tartness. Serve it steaming in mugs or heatproof glasses.

By Julienne

Cook time: 20 minutes

Servings: 8

Ingredients

• 720 ml unsweetened cranberry juice none
• 720 ml apple cider none
• 120 ml water none
• 1 fruit orange thinly sliced
• 15 g fresh ginger peeled and thinly sliced
• 2 stick cinnamon stick whole
• 8 count whole cloves whole
• 6 count whole allspice berries whole
• 30 ml maple syrup none
• 1 g fine salt none

Instructions

1. Combine the cranberry juice, apple cider, water, orange slices, ginger, cinnamon sticks, cloves, allspice berries, maple syrup, and salt in a large saucepan. The liquid is mixed and the spices are evenly distributed in the pot.
2. Set the saucepan over medium heat and bring the mixture just to a gentle simmer, then reduce the heat to low. Simmer uncovered for 15 minutes so the spices infuse without boiling hard. Small bubbles are breaking at the surface and the drink smells strongly of citrus and spice.
3. Remove the pan from the heat and let it steep for 5 minutes. Strain through a fine-mesh strainer into a serving pitcher or directly into mugs. The cider is clear, hot, and free of spice bits or ginger fibers.
4. Serve hot in mugs or heatproof glasses. Each serving is steaming and aromatic, with a balanced sweet-tart spice flavor.