The Easiest Most Delicious Mulled Cider Recipe

It's so simple to make and so good. Homemade mulled apple cider. The perfect accompaniment to your holiday celebrations. Sweet, spicy, warming and oh so cosy.

Mmmmm the scent of warm alcoholic mulled cider recipe wafting though the house smells just delicious.

This is a great drink to serve to guests as they arrive at autumn or winter parties. And our hot apple cider is perfect for sipping as you sit around a bonfire.

And best of all, it's really, really easy to make.

Mulled Cider Recipe

Serves – 4 (easy to make more - plus see the slow cooker recipe below for serving a crowd)

Prep Time – 5 minutes 

Cook Time – approx 10 minutes

Total Time – 15 minutes 

Equipment Needed To Make Mulled Cider

• Chopping Board
• Sharp Knife
• Large Saucepan (or Crockpot or slow cooker)
• Sieve - for straining
• Ladle - for serving
• Cups or Hot Drink Glasses

Mulled Cider Spices

To make our delicious hot mulled cider recipe you'll need a few warming spices. For every 1.5 litres of hot apple cider we use the following spice mix

• 1 large cinnamon stick

• pinch of freshly grated nutmeg

• 2 star anise - pick up whole spices in the herbs/spice section in the supermarket

• 6 whole cloves

You can add a couple of allspice berries or juniper berries to the mix if you like.

Mulled Cider Ingredients

You'll just need a handful of ingredients for this seasonal mulled cider recipe

• 1.5 litres of cider - this is nice made with apple cider or cranberry apple cider works really well too and has a bit of a festive vibe.

• 2 thick slices of fresh orange

• 1 set of mulled cider spices - see above for mulling spices recipe

How To Make Mulled Cider

To make our best mulled cider recipe it's super easy!

Step One - add the ingredients for hot apple cider to the saucepan

• Just pour 1.5 litres of apple cider into a saucepan, add a couple of orange slices, a cinnamon stick, a pinch of grated nutmeg, a few cloves and a couple of star anise.

Step Two - simmer the mulled cider on the hob

• Gently simmer on the stove, no need to boil, let the warming spices flavour the cider.

Step Three - serve your hot apple cider recipe

• Pour into mugs, and decorate with apple shapes if you like. I ladle this into mugs through a sieve to strain out any of the larger spices.

Loads more ideas for family celebrations here!

Cooks Note! To make the floating apple decorations for on the top of the cider just thickly slice a couple of apples and then use a cookie cutter to cut out the star shapes.

Make Warmed Apple Cider Your Way...

• Use pear cider or the flavoured apple ciders like apple and cranberry or apple and blueberry.

• Add juniper berries - I do sometimes add juniper berries - although they remind me of Medieval Halls for some reason!
• If using cranberry cider, for a festive vibe, I serve this with some fresh cranberries and a sprig of rosemary as garnish.
• You can also serve the apple cider with a shot of brandy, whisky, bourbon, or rum if you like.
• And if you want to make this an alcohol free drink, just use apple juice, and mull the apple juice with the same mulling spices, when I do mulled apple juice I add in some fresh ginger too for a more earthy flavor.

Make Mulled Apple Cider In The Slow Cooker

If you're throwing a winter party, and want to make a large batch of mulled cider, here's how

Ingredients for 6 litres of mulled cider - party batch

• 6 litres apple or cranberry cider
• 6 slices of fresh orange
• 4 cinnamon sticks
• 1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 8 star anise
• 24 whole cloves

How to make mulled apple cider in the slow cooker

• Pour the cider into the slow cooker dish.
• Add the orange slices
• Add the mulling spices
• Heat on low for 8-10 hours.
• Strain before serving to remove the whole spices

Get more alcohol drinks recipes here

What Food To Serve With Mulled Cider

Sausages and pork go great with cider - check our delicious pork based recipes below!

• Pulled Pork - deliciously slowly cooked in a rich smoky BBQ sauce, pulled and stuffed into toasted brioche rolls. So good!

• Sausage Rolls - not just any sausage rolls! These ones have cheese and chutney tucked up with the sausage filling too. Perfect with mulled cider.

• Ultimate Sausage Sandwich - oh these are just the BEST sausage sandwiches, lightly toasted bread topped with caramelised onions, rocket, sausages and Parmesan shavings. Delicious!

More Warming Winter Drinks To Try

• Mulled wine - simmer up a pot of festive mulled wine with this really simple recipe.

• Salted caramel hot chocolate - up your hot chocolate game with our delicious caramel chocolate recipe - sparkler optional!

• Peanut butter hot chocolate - the creamiest, most delicious hot chocolate recipe ever. Perfect for snuggling up with on a cold day.

• Baileys Hot Chocolate - a wintery, cosy alcoholic hot chocolate that's perfect for warming up with on a cold day!

• Hot Vimto - a warming, cosy wintery drink to wrap your hands around!

Get more easy Christmas recipes here

Get more drink recipes here

Save our warming apple cider recipe to Pinterest for later!

Loads more ideas for Christmas celebrations here!

Hey - we hope you enjoy the hot mulled cider recipe and when you make it don't forget to tag us your creations on Twitter @daisiesandpieUK or Instagram @daisiesandpie

Get more delicious meal ideas and easy recipes here

Your friends at Daisies & Pie advise you to drink responsibly, for further information please visit www.drinkaware.co.uk