Winter Warmer: Mulled Cider Recipe

With winter just around the corner, what better way to ring in the season than with a warming drink of your own creation? Using one of our Fresh Ciders you can make a warming, spiced, mulled cider to have as the winter festivities begin and the nights draw in. 

Ingredients for 6-8 servings

2 litres of cider (fresh is obviously best, shop here)

6 cloves

3-4 star anise

¼ nutmeg, finely grated

1 cinnamon stick

1 vanilla pod, halved

Juice of 1 orange

Juice of 2 clementines

4–5 tablespoons of caster sugar

Add a little more spice

If you fancy experimenting with different flavour combinations, ginger, five-spice, peppercorn, bay leaf, and cardamom all add a delicious twist to traditional mulled cider. Try to use whole spices when you can, as ground spices can make a cider seem "muddy."

What kind of cider should you use?

Any of our Fresh Ciders would work for this recipe. Home Wood brings a crisp and tangy apple flavour, Whole Nine Yards is tart and moreish (and the highest ABV if you’re interested), and Waltham forest with its notes of dark fruit and citrus would also work with the spices.

Browse Fresh Cider: https://pinter.co.uk/collections/fresh-beer-cider

If you need to balance the flavour, just think: too sweet? Add some acid with a squeeze of lemon at the end. Too acidic? Add some extra sugar. 

Method

Pour your cider into a large pan on low heat and let it warm through for a few minutes. Make sure that there’s enough room at the top to stop overboiling. Add all the spices and juices and turn the heat up. Once boiling, turn down to a simmer and leave to infuse for 5–8 minutes. Be careful at all times when around hot and boiling water.

As everything infuses, you’ll start to smell the aromas, reminiscent of the most wonderful time of the year. 

Taste and add sugar by the spoonful until it’s to your preference. You probably don’t want it to be too sweet, you just want the sugar to balance the other flavours.  

Once it’s to your liking, strain or ladle into glasses or mugs and enjoy warm. 

Optional

To make it extra boozy, you can add a shot of brandy into the glasses before topping them up with cider. 

And there you have it! Winter is saved ♨️🍏🍺