Mulled Apple Cider

How to mull apple cider with fruit and spices, turning everyday supermarket-variety apple cider into something special and irresistible. Mulled apple cider is such a refreshing autumn treat, I serve it hot on chilly days and over ice when it's warm.

Real Food, Fresh, Seasonal & Family-Tested. Budget Friendly. Weeknight Easy, Weekend Special. Fall Potluck & Party Friendly. Not just vegan, Vegan Done Real. Naturally Gluten Free.

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Ahhhh, Autumn ...

Such a warm, warm fall we're having here in eastern Missouri – hot, even.

So when it turned halfway cool-ish a couple of weekends back, we made the most of it, building a fire in the firepit and declaring a cooking holiday. Supper that night? Popcorn drizzled with salty butter and hot apple cider mulled with apples, citrus and spices.

The cider is so easy to make! Just pour a no-name supermarket-variety apple cider into a big pot, add a few spices (cinnamon sticks, star anise, fennel seed, coriander, a even a couple of peppercorns) and slices of apple, orange and lemon, then let it simmer for an hour or so, concentrating the apple cider essence, "mulling" it with the spices and fruit.

So good! We sat outside for the longest time that night, sipping on cider ...

Make It Your Way.

Still, there was lots leftover so I took to pouring a glass over ice for each of us before dinner – a non-alcoholic cocktail perfect for fall. (Ummm ... except for the evening when I slipped in a shot of bourbon and a twist of lemon.)

And when the grandkids came to visit on Sunday? I made another pot. How'd it go over? Two thumbs up from this wonderful seven-year old!

What Does "Mulled" Mean? How Do You "Mull" Something?

Let's "mull over" the definition of mulling, shall we? Yeah, pun and ponder both intended. Dang the complexity of the English language ...

Let's focus on the culinary uses of the words mull, mulled and mulling.

MULLED COCKTAILS Before adding the liquor and other liquids, a bartender might "mull" or "muddle" sugar and other tasty ingredients in the bottom of a cocktail shaker or cocktail glass, pulverizing them into mush to release and merge their flavors.

MULLED WINE & NOW, MULLED CIDER Mulled drinks are warmed with sugar and spices (and sometimes other liquors and/or fruit) to entirely change their taste profile.

OTHER NAMES FOR MULLED WINE I fell in love with mulled wine as a student in Finland, my much-beloved Finnish Glögi (Hot Red Mulled Wine), the Scandinavian-style hot red wine mulled with spices, fruit and for good luck, an almond.

But you might know mulled wine as "spiced wine" or "glow wine," that's the traditional Glühwein that warms shoppers in Germany during the famous outdoor Christmas markets.

But wait! There are more names, too. Think vino caliente, glögg, vin brulé, bisschopswijn, vin chaud, candola, vinho quente.

Across the globe, hot mulled drinks warm us from the inside out during the winter months. Wine? Of course! But now, apple cider too.

Why I Love Mulled Apple Cider

• It turns everyday inexpensive supermarket apple cider into something special
• It's non-alcoholic, perfect for kids and people who don't imbibe or like wine
• It's easy to drink, especially on cool fall afternoons with leaves falling all around
• It's served hot, a great option for people who don't drink dairy in hot chocolate
• It's an easy, inexpensive and make-ahead beverage to offer to guests at fall gatherings, especially Thanksgiving
• It's a surprising taste, something you're just not expecting

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MULLED APPLE CIDER

Hands-on time: 10 minutes
Time to table: 60 minutes
Makes about 12 cups (easily halved)

• 1 gallon apple cider
• 1 apple
• 1 orange
• 1 lemon
• 1 - 2 cinnamon sticks
• 1 - 2 star anise
• 3 - 4 cardamom seeds
• 3 - 4 whole coriander
• 1 - 2 whole peppercorns
• Pinch fennel seeds
• Pinch salt

Pour the cider into a large, heavy pot and begin to heat up. Cut the fruit cross-wise into rounds, discarding the end pieces. Add the fruit and spices to the pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to maintain a slow simmer for about 45 minutes, reducing the liquid by about a quarter. Remove the fruit and strain out the spices. Serve piping hot or, once cooled, over ice.

MAKE-AHEAD TIPS Make this ahead of time, it keeps beautifully in the fridge for a couple of weeks, I just strain it back into the original apple cider container.

VARIATIONS Cranberries? Pears? Get creative!

ALANNA's TIPS Save the poached apple slices, they're wonderful! I made smoothies with the first batch, the second batch went into supper salads. Eagle-eyed readers may notice lime slices in the photos but not in the recipe. That's because when I took photos, I added some lime but we all found it slightly too sour. Lemon and orange, however, are lovely. I suspect many spices would work here but I especially like the mix of cinnamon, cardamom and star anise.

NUTRITION INFORMATION Per Cup: 160 Calories; 0g Tot Fat; 0g Sat Fat; 0mg Cholesterol; 33mg Sodium; 41g Carb; 0g Fiber; 35g Sugar; 0g Protein. WEIGHT WATCHERS Old Points 3 & PointsPlus 5 & SmartPoints 9 & Freestyle 9 & myWW green 9 & blue 9 & purple 9 & future WW points

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More Ideas for Cooking with Apple Cider

more
~ apple cider recipes ~

• THE RECIPE Thick Chops with Sauerkraut & Apples A Quick Supper, moist chops in apple-chunky sauerkraut. (PIN This)
• ANOTHER TAKE Thick Iowa Chops with Easy Stuffing Crust Thick Iowa chops capped with a stuffing-like crust. (PIN This)

• THE RECIPE Chicken with Apple & Creamy Cider Gravy Another one-skillet dinner, chicken thighs in a mahogany-colored sauce. (PIN This)
• ANOTHER TAKE Chicken Cacciatore The classic Italian dish, chicken slow-cooked in a rich tomato sauce. (PIN This)

• THE RECIPE Chicken Cider Stew Another Quick Supper, one skillet perfect for fall. (PIN This)
• ANOTHER TAKE Chicken with Creamy Cider Gravy Another Quick Supper, moist chicken in a mahogany sauce. (PIN This)

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Favorite Hot Drinks for Cold Weather

~ Finnish Glögi (Hot Red Mulled Wine) ~
~ Homemade Hot Chocolate Mix ~
~ Pumpkin Spice Lattes ~
~ more hot drinks ~

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Kitchen Parade is written by second-generation food columnist Alanna Kellogg and features fresh, seasonal dishes for every-day healthful eating and occasional indulgences. Quick Suppers are Kitchen Parade favorites and feature recipes easy on the budget, the clock, the waistline and the dishwasher. Do you have a favorite recipe that other Kitchen Parade readers might like? Just send me a quick e-mail, you'll find my current address in the FAQs. How to print a Kitchen Parade recipe. Never miss a recipe! If you like this recipe, sign up for a free e-mail subscription. If you like Kitchen Parade, for more scratch cooking recipes using whole, healthful ingredients, you're sure to like my food blog about vegetable recipes, too, A Veggie Venture. If you make this recipe, I'd love to know your results! Just leave a comment below.

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