As the temperature drops and the holidays draw near, it’s time to find ways to toast your insides and spread thanksgiving warmth and cheer.
This hot and fruity holiday cider recipe is a sweetly spiced way to make your guests feel at home. Don’t bother with cider mixes from the store, which are often cloying and sugary and lacking flavor. Cooking up this cider on your stovetop will fill your house with a rich and delicious welcoming aroma.
As the temperature drops and the holidays draw near, it’s time to find ways to toast your insides and spread thanksgiving warmth and cheer.
This hot and fruity holiday cider recipe is a sweetly spiced way to make your guests feel at home. Don’t bother with cider mixes from the store, which are often cloying and sugary and lacking flavor. Cooking up this cider on your stovetop will fill your house with a rich and delicious welcoming aroma.
And for responsible fun loving adults, this recipe also makes for a great seasonal hot toddy cocktail!
Ingredients
2 quarts apple juice
2 red or yellow apples, sliced
1 large orange
2 tsp whole cloves
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1 tbsp ground cinnamon
Whipped cream and cinnamon sticks to garnish
In a large pot over medium-high heat, begin warming your apple juice. Core and slice apples and add them to the juice. (You can also cut the apples into bite-sized chunks, which taste delicious when cooked soft in the cider after absorbing all the flavors.)
Cut the orange into large slices, then stud the orange skin with the sharp end of your cloves and add them to the mixture. Let the juice and fruit cook for seven minutes. Add in nutmeg, brown sugar, ginger and cinnamon, and stir until all are thoroughly incorporated.
Give your cider at least five more minutes to cook, allowing all of the spices and fruit to properly flavor the juice. The longer the cider cooks, the better it tastes! Serve in mugs with a spray of whipped cream and a cinnamon stick or a light dash of brown sugar to garnish.
There are two tasty ways to make this recipe into a hot toddy. Once the cider is cooked, stir in one cup of spiced rum. Or, for an extra fruity addition, you can add in three cups of your favorite red wine to the mix. Both make for scrumptious cocktails that serve up swell alongside your holiday dinner.
