Delicately Fragrant Mulled Cider (in the Crockpot) Recipe on Food52 (2024)

Make Ahead

by: ody

December8,2010

3.5

2 Ratings

  • Cook time 2 hours 30 minutes
  • Serves a crowd

Jump to Recipe

Author Notes

I find most mulled things to be tongue-numbingly over-spiced, so this is pretty subtle (hey! you can tell there's apple under there somewhere!), but don't be too hasty to pile on extra spice, because the flavors do get stronger the longer it mulls. The recipe is a combination of ideas I found on the internet, inspiration from ingredients I happened to have on hand (the pear: a real winner), and memories of studding oranges with cloves as a child. A slow cooker makes for an easy, low-maintenance time, but you can also simmer this in a pot on the stove if you must. —ody

Test Kitchen Notes

This is the cider you want mulling in a corner of the kitchen all day long during colder months -- ideally in a slow-cooker (so you can ignore it), but warming on a back burner works too. You can dip in for a mug whenever a new visitor comes in from the chill, and the sweet perfume will beckon them to the kitchen. Ody's spicing is spare, so be sure to choose a great apple cider to start. Unlike more aggressively spiced ciders, you'll really be tasting apple, just tinged with pear, citrus, ginger and spice. - A&M —The Editors

  • Test Kitchen-Approved

What You'll Need

Ingredients
  • 1 pear, not too soft; bosc highly recommended
  • 1 orange
  • 1 to 2 tablespoonswhole cloves
  • 1 lemon
  • 3 to 5 whole allspice berries
  • 3 to 5 inches peeled fresh ginger root, cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 1 medium stick of cinnamon (or a half of a large stick of cinnamon---they're easy to snap, especially if you have some holiday stress to get out!)
  • 2 to 3 gallonsapple cider
Directions
  1. You know your slow cooker best: Get this started in time to allow at least 30 minutes of simmering.
  2. Stud the pear and orange with cloves.
  3. Using a vegetable peeler or sharp knife, peel large pieces of rind from the lemon, trying to avoid the white pith. Give each piece a little twist to release some of the lemon oil.
  4. Put fruits and spices in your slow cooker, pour a gallon of cider over it all, and put it on high heat for a few hours, allowing for at least half an hour at a full simmer. As you drink the cider, top it off every now and then with new cider—the mixture can keep mulling and spicing all day.

Tags:

  • American
  • Pear
  • Clove
  • Fruit
  • Make Ahead
  • Serves a Crowd
  • Slow Cooker
  • Christmas
  • Winter
  • Thanksgiving
  • Fall
  • Vegan

See what other Food52ers are saying.

  • Victoria Maynard

  • EmilyC

  • WCmom

  • hardlikearmour

  • gingerroot

Popular on Food52

14 Reviews

Paula M. October 21, 2020

I have been making some form of this in the crockpot for years for Thanksgiving and Christmas, but never thought of using pear. It stays on all day and I just keep adding more cider to replenish the supply as we drink it. We also add a splash of Tuaca liquor, some whipped cream and a cinnamon stick to the mugs!

Victoria M. October 28, 2016

This was delicious! The 2-3 gallons of cider made a giant batch for a party. If I wanted to enjoy this at home, I might only add 1 gallon of cider, but keep the spices/fruit the same amount.

Barrecudette December 20, 2015

Thanks for the recipe! I'm making this for tonight and I'm not clear what happens with the lemon; how much of the rind do you use, and when you say to put the fruit in, are you including the lemon? Thanks again.

Chasmosaur January 17, 2015

We're having people over for hot winter drinks and dessert next week. Since we're attempting to duplicate the hot toddy at one of our favorite restaurants - one that is heavy on lemon and cinnamon to begin with - I made a batch of this today to test it out as the base.

What a LOVELY recipe. It tastes so wonderful with all the other components of the drink, and my house smells fantastic. Thanks for sharing!

shecooks October 17, 2012

I guess I must be a minimalist -- I just toss a couple of cinnamon sticks in a tea kettle of cider, put it on the back burner for awhile, & when it smells good, turn the heat off. After the cider cools, I pour it back into the jug, put the jug in the fridge, & my husband nukes himself a mug whenever the want arises.

EmilyC November 14, 2011

Just a quick note to let you know that I made a batch of this cider yesterday and let it simmer away in my crock pot. This is one of the best mulled ciders I've had because of the delicate spicing and the flavors from the pear, orange, and lemon. I'll be making this throughout the holidays!

ody November 27, 2011

Thanks so much for letting me know---your comment made my day!

ody October 6, 2011

Thanks everyone! What a wonderful surprise to get the wildcard....WCmom, yes, you could spike this with anything you like, or even use the recipe to mull wine instead of cider.

WCmom October 6, 2011

Sounds great! Would spiking this with a little bourbon work?

boulangere October 6, 2011

Love you and your bourbon ideas!

hardlikearmour October 5, 2011

Congrats! This sounds like a stellar version of mulled cider.

gingerroot October 5, 2011

Congratulations! My family is headed to the East Coast for Christmas so this will definitely be made and enjoyed.

aargersi October 5, 2011

Congratulations! Love the idea of a low all day simmer for dipping ...

EmilyC October 5, 2011

Congrats on your wildcard win! I'm saving your recipe to make when I have a house full of guests.

Delicately Fragrant Mulled Cider (in the Crockpot) Recipe on Food52 (2024)

FAQs

What is the difference between cider and mulled cider? ›

Here's the difference between apple cider and apple juice: Apple cider is just unfiltered apple juice that can be served hot or cold. 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.

What can I add to cider to make it taste better? ›

Mulling spices

Combine classic warming spices like clove, allspice and cinnamon in your cider for an especially autumnal treat.

How long will mulled cider keep? ›

Storage: Mulled cider can be refrigerated for up to a week. Just bring it to a simmer before serving. Garnish: Orange wheels, a curled orange peel, thin apple slices, a cinnamon stick, or nothing at all.

What is the word for hot mulled cider? ›

Wassail (/ˈwɒsəl/, /-eɪl/ WOSS-əl, -⁠ayl, most likely from Old Norse "ves heill") is a beverage made from hot mulled cider, ale, or wine and spices, drunk traditionally as an integral part of wassailing, an ancient English Yuletide drinking ritual and salutation either involved in door-to-door charity-giving or used to ...

What scent is mulled cider? ›

A spicey bouquet of apple, clove, orange and cinnamon topnotes with a sweet background.

Does the alcohol cook out of mulled cider? ›

Spiking Mulled Cider

Add alcohol to a single mug or the batch of cider after cooking so the alcohol doesn't cook off.

What is the best alcohol to add to cider? ›

Traditionally cider is spiked with dark spirits, like the rum and bourbon in the recipes above. But what if you want something a little lighter? Vodka can do the trick. Since it doesn't contribute much in the way of flavor, we add fresh ginger for its distinctive, peppery-sweet flavor.

How do you reduce the bitterness in cider? ›

Back sweetening reduces perceived sourness, bitterness and saltiness, but may take time to blend in and not give a “raw” impression of unfermented sugar or juice. Higher carbonation adds carbonic acid to the cider, which gives a “bite” to the finish and can help balance sweetness.

How do you make cheap cider taste nice? ›

Flavor tip one: Add 1/4 of a 12oz can of frozen apple juice concentrate. I add the frozen apple juice concentrate when I am using the grocery store apple cider, in an effort to make it more like the fresh stuff.

What goes well with mulled cider? ›

The Ultimate Food & Cider Pairing Guide
  • Squeeze. Tomato Based Dishes, Spinach Salad. ...
  • Raspberry. Sweets, Chocolates. ...
  • Berries. Soft Cheese, Crackers. ...
  • Caramel Apple. Apple Slices, Ice Cream. ...
  • Cranberry Orange. Grilled Meat, Pecan Pie. ...
  • Original. Nuts, Sharp Cheese, Grilled Brats. ...
  • Porch Sittin' Cinnamon. Donuts, Pear Slices.
Aug 5, 2022

How much mulling spices for a gallon of cider? ›

ingredients
  1. 1 gallon apple cider.
  2. 2 tablespoons whole allspice.
  3. 2 tablespoons whole cloves.
  4. 5 -6 cinnamon sticks.
  5. orange slice.
  6. additional cinnamon stick (optional)

What is wassail vs cider? ›

Wassail is like the tastier sister to Apple Cider. Traditional wassail was made with hard liquor, apples, brandy, and other spices. This recipe is made with cloves, apples, cinnamon, lemon, orange, ginger, and nutmeg and is a nonalcoholic wassail recipe.

What does mulled mean in slang? ›

(mʌl ) Word forms: 3rd person singular present tense mulls , present participle mulling , past tense, past participle mulled. verb. If you mull something, you think about it for a long time before deciding what to do.

What are the 4 types of cider? ›

A summary:
Cider TypeCharacteristics
Still CiderSmooth texture, akin to wine
Sparkling CiderPlayful fizziness, akin to champagne
RegionalAmerican, French, Spanish styles
OrganicMade from organically grown apples, richer apple flavour
9 more rows
Dec 21, 2023

What is mulled cider made of? ›

Preferably, it is made with cloudy, unfiltered sweet cider, the fresh juice of pressed apples, which I combine with cloves, allspice berries and cinnamon sticks.

What are the benefits of mulled apple cider? ›

It's rich in vitamin C from apple juice and citrus, supporting a robust immune system and fending off illnesses. The warming spices, including cinnamon, cloves, and allspice, aid in digestion and offer relief from common digestive discomforts.

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