The Ultimate Mulled Apple Cider Recipe

Hot mulled cider is the perfect beverage to sip on when the air gets colder and the evenings get longer. Sweet, spicy, and delicious, this festive drink is a great one to make for your next holiday shindig or autumnal get-together. 

The base of this recipe is our Farm Boy™ Sweet Apple Cider, which is made with just one ingredient—fresh apples picked in Dundela, Ontario. With no added sugar, all that natural sweetness comes from the apples themselves. Delicious hot or cold, we’ve made it even more fall-friendly in this mulled cider recipe. Spiked or non-alcoholic, all you have to do is sit back, relax, sip, savour, and enjoy. 

Mulling Spices

To capture those warming spices of the fall season, we use mulling spices in this recipe to transform regular apple cider into mulled cider. While mulling spice blends can be available for purchase, we like the control that comes with creating our own. Our recommended spices for mulled cider are: 

Allspice: While its name might have you think that allspice is a combination of “all spices”, it’s actually its own thing! Allspice berries have a warming, peppery flavour that tastes like a combination of cloves, cinnamon, and nutmeg. It is a bit earthy and fruity. You can use 1-2 Tablespoons of allspice berries in this recipe if you wish, adding them at the same time as the other spices. We would not recommend ground allspice for this recipe, as it can be too potent. 

Cardamom: If you’re a fan of chai lattes, consider adding cardamom to your mulled cider recipe. Cardamom pods have a peppery, spicy, and almost herbal flavour, with a hint of citrus. This is an optional mulling spice, but one that could add complexity to hot mulled cider. Add 1-2 Tablespoons of cardamom pods to this recipe if you like. 

Cinnamon: The most recognizable spice of autumn has to be cinnamon! In our recipe, we used Farm Boy™ Cinnamon Sticks, rather than ground cinnamon. Cinnamon sticks are sweet, woodsy, and slightly spicy. They also make a beautiful garnish for a cup of hot mulled cider. 

Cloves: Cloves can be an intense spice to work with, which is why we’ve used Farm Boy™ Whole Cloves rather than the ground version. Cloves are subtly sweet, warming, and slightly bitter, which helps them from becoming too saccharine. They are a must-have for this mulled cider recipe. 

Ginger: We used fresh ginger in this recipe for a sweet and spicy kick. While we like dried ginger for baked goods and stews, fresh ginger is better in this mulled cider recipe. Simply peel and slice it before adding to this recipe. (Chef’s Tip: Use a spoon to peel your ginger to get around the uneven, bumpy surface.) 

Nutmeg: Nutmeg, often associated with pumpkin during the fall season, also works really well with apple flavours. It has a warm, slightly sweet flavour and a distinct, potent aroma. Using too much nutmeg can overwhelm a dish, but a sprinkle of freshly grated Farm Boy™ Whole Nutmeg can add a little extra flavour to this recipe. 

Star Anise: Not only does star anise look beautiful floating in hot mulled cider, it also adds some much-needed spice, too. Star anise has a sweet flavour with a hint of licorice, and warm, spicy notes. Some mulled cider recipes may suggest it only as an option, but we’ve chosen to use Farm Boy™ Star Anise for the extra flavour it brings. 

Mulled Cider Alcohol Choices

You do not need to include alcohol in your mulled cider. In this recipe, we’ve only suggested it as an option. However, if you do want to include alcohol in your recipe, we have a few suggestions for the best taste: 

Brandy: A liquor made from distilled wine, brandy has a fruity, subtly sweet flavour. It’s often used in cooking and baking to lend a more intense taste. The complex flavour of this spirit works extremely well in this mulled cider recipe, if you want an alcohol that isn’t too overpowering. 

Dark Rum: If you’re going to add rum to this apple cider recipe, we recommend using a dark rum. White rum doesn’t have the deeper, more caramelized notes, while spiced rum might be jarring with the spices you’ve already added. Dark rum is made from sugarcane and has notes of molasses and spices like cinnamon and nutmeg. Perfect for mulled cider! 

Rye Whisky: The third liquor we would recommend adding to this mulled cider recipe is rye whisky. Made from rye, this spirit is spicier than the other two, with hints of black pepper and clove. If you want to add a more robust flavour to this apple cider, this is the alcohol we would suggest. 

Tips To Make the Best Mulled Cider

1. Use whole spices rather than ground or powdered spices. In addition to being too potent, powdered spices will make your mulled cider appear cloudy during simmering. 
2. You can use a slow cooker to keep your mulled cider warm. Keep your slow cooker set on low to ensure every mug of cider is warm and delicious. 
3. For a boozy cider, add your chosen alcohol towards the end of the cooking period. This ensures that the alcohol won’t evaporate. You can allow the alcohol to simmer—not boil—to fully incorporate into your mulled cider. 
4. Keep your cider at a simmer on a low heat. Boiling it can cause the cider to reduce, which will make it thicker and sweeter. That’s great if we wanted to make apple cider syrup, but not mulled apple cider. 
5. If you don’t want pieces of spices floating around in your cider, you can put them in a large tea ball or a sachet made of cheesecloth. The perforations in either of these will still allow the spices to perfume the cider. Alternatively, you could individually strain each cup before serving by using a ladle and sieve. 

Mulled Cider Garnish Options

If you’re looking to serve this mulled cider to a crowd, you’ll want your glasses to look beautiful, festive, and fragrant. For a pretty presentation, try some of these simple garnish ideas. 

Orange Slices: Fresh orange slices are a nice pop of colour in this apple cider recipe. The juiciness of the orange also adds a delicious burst of fresh citrus flavour. You can cut wheels of a fresh orange and pop them directly into your glass before serving. 

Cinnamon Sticks: If you’ve strained out your spices before serving, you can still add a festive garnish with a cinnamon stick. It also makes a helpful stirring stick!  

Fresh or Frozen Cranberries: We’ve included cranberries in our recipe, and we like them for the added colour they offer to our mulled cider. If you’re serving this in fall or winter, keep the cranberries for colour as well as their tart flavour. We like to leave them loose in the cider. 

Orange Peel: For an elegant presentation, take a vegetable peeler and peel off a ribbon of rind from an orange. Drape the peel over the rim of a glass or pop it in the cider itself. The citrusy aroma of the peeled orange will add some extra oomph to your cider. 

Storing and Reheating Mulled Cider

If you’d like to store your leftover mulled cider, there are a few things you need to know: 

1. Allow your hot apple cider to cool completely before storing. 
2. Strain out any fruits and spices before storing. Otherwise, your cider may become too strong for an enjoyable taste. 
3. Pour your cooled, strained cider into an airtight container and place in the fridge. Stored this way, it can remain fresh for up to three days. 
4. You can enjoy your leftover mulled cider warm or cold. If you’d like to reheat it, simply place it in a pot on the stove or zap a mug in the microwave until it’s completely warmed through, stirring as necessary for an even temperature.