Spiced Cider with Cinnamon (Printable)
Aromatic apple cider blended with cinnamon sticks, spices, and orange slices for a comforting hot drink.
# What You’ll Need:
→ Cider
01 - 4 cups apple cider (unfiltered if possible)
→ Spices
02 - 2 cinnamon sticks
03 - 4 whole cloves
04 - 2 star anise pods
05 - 4 allspice berries
06 - 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
→ Citrus
07 - 1 small orange, thinly sliced
→ Sweetener (optional)
08 - 2 tablespoons brown sugar or honey, to taste
# How To Make It:
01 - In a medium saucepan, combine apple cider, cinnamon sticks, cloves, star anise, allspice berries, and nutmeg.
02 - Add thinly sliced orange to the saucepan.
03 - Place saucepan over medium heat and bring to a gentle simmer without boiling.
04 - Simmer uncovered for 15 to 20 minutes to allow spices and citrus to infuse the cider.
05 - Taste and stir in brown sugar or honey as desired until fully dissolved.
06 - Strain the cider through a fine mesh sieve to remove the spices and orange slices.
07 - Ladle hot cider into mugs and optionally garnish with a fresh cinnamon stick.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- It fills your whole home with the kind of aroma that makes people stop and ask what smells so good.
- Takes barely longer than boiling water, but tastes like you spent hours planning it.
- Works perfectly as a casual gift when you show up to someone's door with a thermos of this.
02 -
- Never let this boil hard or you'll cook off the volatile flavor compounds that make it special; gentle simmering is the whole secret.
- Whole spices are non-negotiable here—ground spices will turn the cider murky and bitter, trust me on this.
03 -
- Make this when you have time to stand nearby; the smells alone are worth the 20 minutes of your attention, and you can catch it at its peak.
- If your orange is particularly thick-skinned, peel it first so the slices steep better and release their oils more fully.