Wassail, or mulled cider, is a beverage made from hot mulled spices added to apple juice or cider. It is traditionally served during the Christmas season, but it can be enjoyed all year. It is one of our favorite holiday drinks. We serve it instead of Christmas punch.
If you enjoy the fragrance of Christmas, you will enjoy a simmer pot on days when you are not serving wassail.
You will want a pot simmering on the stove to serve any door-to-door Christmas carolers or hot chocolate with gingerbread cookies.
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Ingredients
You can achieve the perfect blend of fragrant mulling spices by trying different combinations of spices.
- Apple cider
- Cinnamon sticks
- Ground ginger
- Whole nutmeg
- Whole cloves
- Star Anise
- Orange juice
- Lemon juice
- Apples
- Light brown sugar
Recipes Supplies
- Spice Grater
- Measuring spoons and cups
- Slicing knife and cutting board
- Strainer
- Dutch Oven (large pot)
- Ladle
Wassail Recipe Step-by-Step
You will want to use a heavy pot or Dutch oven to make mulled cider.
Place the cloves into a fresh orange, or you can use an apple then place it in the pot.
Juices
Pour the apple cider into the pot over the orange with cloves.
Next, add the juice of one to two oranges.
Then, add the juice of one lemon to the mixture.
Sweetener
The light brown sugar can be omitted, but I like the rich flavor of it, so I add it to my Wassail.
Mulling Spices
You can add and subtract spices until you are satisfied to achieve the perfect blend of fragrant mulling.
Begin by adding ground ginger.
Nutmeg is a must for Wassail, but a little goes a long way.
Nothing tastes and smells more like the holiday than cinnamon.
I like to add a few star anise to my mulled cider; the flavor and scent are intoxicating.
Fresh Fruit
To add a fresh twist, top the wassail pot with slices of fresh fruit, such as apples and oranges.
Christmas Wassail Drink Recipe
You can add a bit more holiday to your wassail pot with the addition of fresh cranberries.
How to Serve Wassail
Serve mulled cider hot in clear mugs with an orange slice garnish, cinnamon stick, and star anise.
Wassail with Cranberries is a traditional yuletide beverage.
Wassail
Ingredients
- 8 cups apple cider
- 2 cups freshly squeezed orange juice
- ⅓ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 12 whole cloves
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 Tablespoon light brown sugar
- 2 apples sliced with seeds removed
- 2 oranges sliced
Optional – Christmas Wassail
- 2 cups Fresh cranberries
Instructions
- Poke cloves into an orange and place in a heavy Dutch oven.
- Add the remaining ingredients to the Dutch oven.
- Bring to a simmer. Continue to simmer for 45 minutes.
- To serve, strain the Wassail and garnish each mug with cinnamon sticks, orange slices, star anise, and cranberries.
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