One of my favorite things about cold weather is that it is a perfect excuse to drink hot drinks. Ever since I had my first hot apple cider at a family Thanksgiving, I’ve always been partial to the drink. I learned a recipe that involved counting out whole cloves, all spice and cinnamon sticks. One thing that is important is to start off with a really good apple cider base. If your base apple liquid is too sweet or doesn’t have enough of the apple flavor, then it will throw off the flavor of the whole hot apple cider.
I had the opportunity to make a hot apple cider using Musselman’s Apple Cider. Let me tell you that this cider is the real deal, complete with tiny pieces of apple “stuff” that collect on the bottom on the jug. It’s like the mark of a true apple cider is that you cannot see through it because it is so chock full of apple.
I used Musselman’s Apple Cider to make up the Musselman’s Hot Mulled Cider and let me tell you, this recipe ranks right up there when it comes to cider. I was happy to see many familiar ingredients so I knew that this would taste delicious. It was the perfect drink to sip on while cozying up on the couch to watch TV or to read. It definitely warms you from the inside out.
If you’re feeling adventurous, you can add a dollop of caramel to your mug, making sure to heat and stir it in to mix well. This adds a little extra sweetness to the cider.
Recipe
Muesselman’s Hot Mulled Cider
Ingredients:
One gallon Musselman’s® Fresh Pressed Cider
3 cinnamon sticks
1 Tbsp. whole cloves
1 tsp. whole allspice
½ orange, sliced, rind and all (optional)
Cheesecloth
Directions:
1. Pour one gallon of Musselman’s apple cider into a large pot on the stove or into a crock-pot/slow cooker.
2. Place the cinnamon sticks in the cider.
3. Wrap the whole cloves and whole allspice in a square of cheesecloth and tie closed. Add to the pot.
4. Add orange slices if desired.
5. Heat the cider until it just starts to boil, lower the setting to simmer for another 15 minutes to allow for infusion of the spices. Stir occasionally.
6. Leave the pot uncovered so that you and your family can enjoy the warm, delicious aroma.
7. Remove the spices and oranges from the pot and ladle hot mulled cider into mugs.
Tips:
- If you don’t have cheesecloth on hand, use a tea ball or a coffee filter to hold the spices.
- Add a splash of rum or brandy when serving to make a festive adult beverage.
- If you are leaving the crock-pot out for your guests at a party, you can stud an apple with cloves and allow that to float in your cider. Or leave the cinnamon sticks and oranges in the cider for decoration.
Recipes courtesy and copyright of Musselman’s (www.musselmans.com.)
Disclaimer: This post consists of my (and/or fellow tester) opinions only. Your experiences may be different. No compensation was given for this review/giveaway. I did receive a free product from the manufacturer or their representing PR agency to use and test for the purposes of this review. This did not affect the outcome of this review.
Oh Definitely Yum!
I would love to try this out. Apple cidar is one of my “holiday” scents (they always remind me of christmas), along with freshly baked ginger snaps and pine trees. All spicy scents!