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Mulled apple cider made from scratch at home served in three glasses along with garnishes.
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4.89 from 9 votes

Mulled Apple Cider

The rich, warm taste of mulled apple cider is hard to resist, especially during cold winter months. Learn how to make this gingery, cinnamon-spiced, holiday drink right here.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time30 minutes
Course: Drinks
Cuisine: American
Servings: 10 cups
Calories: 123kcal
Cost: $7

Ingredients

  • 6 Apples I used mix of Granny Smith and Gala Apples. cored and quartered
  • 2 Oranges quartered - Remove the peel to avoid bitter taste
  • ½ Cup Cranberries
  • 2 Cinnamon Stick
  • 2 Star Anise
  • 10 Cloves
  • ¼ Cup Brown Sugar
  • Enough Water to cover the fruits

Instructions

To Make Mulled Apple Cider In Instant Pot

  • Add all the ingredients (apples, oranges, cranberries, brown sugar and spices) to the inner stainless steel pot of the Instant Pot.
  • Pour enough water to cover the fruits. I added 8 cups. Secure the lid and turn the vent to sealing position Pressure Cook on HIGH for 15 minutes.
  • Allow the pressure to release naturally for 10 minutes. Release the leftover pressure by moving the valve to venting. When the silver pin drops, open the Instant Pot Lid.
  • Mash the fruits with the potato masher until most of the pulp is squeezed out. Transfer the mashed fruit pulp and the juice through a fine mesh to obtain a smooth apple cider drink.
  • Pour the juice in glasses. Garnish with a apple or orange wedges, cinnamon stick, star anise and serve. Enjoy !

To Make Mulled Apple Cider in Slow Cooker or Crock Pot

  • Add all the ingredients to the crock pot. Turn Crock Pot to LOW and cook for 2-3 hours. Mash the fruit and strain as above. Serve hot or cold as desired.

To Make Mulled Apple Cider on Stove Top

  • Put all the ingredients in large stock pot. On a medium heat, bring to a boil and let simmer for 2-3 hours. After fruit is cooked through, turn heat off. Mash the fruit and strain the liquid. Serve warm garnished with cinnamon stick and orange wedges. Enjoy!

Notes

This recipe makes non alcoholic apple cider suitable for kids and adults alike. You can however, easily make it adult beverage by adding warming liquor to it. To make it “spiked” add in rum, brandy or bourbon and simmer for additional 10 minutes. 
If you use ripe and sweet apples, you can skip adding sweetener altogether.
You can also use unfiltered apple juice instead of water to make concentrated version of this delicious cider.
Make sure to remove the outer layer of oranges -the peel. Often it makes the cider bitter. You can save and dry the peel for other desserts and teas.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cup | Calories: 123kcal | Carbohydrates: 32g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Sodium: 10mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 23g