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Cozy Apple Cider Bar with Mulling Spices – Easy Recipe

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This Cozy Apple Cider Bar with Mulling Spices is a warm, aromatic drink that fills your home with the scent of fall. Made with simple ingredients like apple cider, fresh fruit, and whole spices, it’s perfect for gatherings or a quiet, cozy day.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 64 ounces apple cider (not apple juice)
  • 1 medium orange, sliced into rounds
  • 1 medium apple, sliced into rounds (Honeycrisp or Fuji)
  • 4 cinnamon sticks
  • 1 tablespoon whole cloves
  • 3 star anise pods
  • 1 teaspoon whole allspice berries
  • 2 strips orange peel (no white pith)
  • 2 tablespoons honey or maple syrup (optional)

Instructions

  1. Prep your fruit: Wash the orange and apple thoroughly. Slice the orange into rounds about ¼-inch thick. Do the same with the apple. Use a vegetable peeler to remove two long strips of orange peel. Set aside.
  2. Toast the spices (optional): Place cinnamon sticks, star anise, and allspice berries in a dry skillet over medium heat. Shake gently for about 60 seconds until fragrant. Be careful not to burn them.
  3. Combine everything in the pot: Pour the apple cider into a large pot or Dutch oven. Add the sliced orange and apple rounds, toasted spices, whole cloves, and orange peel strips. If using honey or maple syrup, add it now. Stir gently with a wooden spoon.
  4. Simmer gently: Place the pot over medium-high heat and bring to a gentle simmer (small bubbles, not a rolling boil). Reduce heat to low and let simmer for 20-30 minutes. Taste every 10 minutes to check flavor development.
  5. Taste and adjust: After 20 minutes, ladle a small amount into a mug and taste. Adjust sweetness, citrus, or spice as needed. If too weak, simmer another 10 minutes. If too spicy, remove a clove or two.
  6. Set up your garnish bar: While cider simmers, arrange garnishes in small bowls: extra cinnamon sticks, fresh apple slices, star anise pods, caramel sauce, and whipped cream (optional).
  7. Serve and enjoy: Ladle hot cider into mugs, trying to include a slice of orange and apple in each. Let guests add their own garnishes. Cinnamon sticks double as stirrers.

Notes

Use whole spices, not ground, for best flavor and clarity. Simmer low and slow for at least 20 minutes. Adjust clove count carefully—they are potent. For parties, make in a slow cooker on low for 2-3 hours. Leftover cider keeps in the refrigerator for up to 5 days and tastes even better the next day.

Nutrition

Keywords: apple cider, mulling spices, warm drink, fall recipe, cozy drink, holiday drink, non-alcoholic, easy recipe

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