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Warm Spiced Wassail

Warm spiced wassail is a cozy apple-and-orange drink simmered with cinnamon, cloves, ginger, and nutmeg. Simmer the cider with citrus and fruit until fragrant, then add thin apple slices at the end for a sweet-tart, gently spiced finish.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Drink
Cuisine: American
Calories: 155
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Apple cider
  • 8 cup apple cider
Orange juice
  • 2 cup orange juice
Pineapple juice
  • 2 cup pineapple juice
Brown sugar
  • 0.25 cup brown sugar packed
Oranges
  • 2 oranges sliced into rounds
Cinnamon sticks
  • 4 cinnamon sticks
Whole cloves
  • 1 tsp whole cloves
Star anise
  • 4 star anise whole
Ground ginger
  • 0.5 tsp ground ginger
Ground nutmeg
  • 0.25 tsp ground nutmeg
Apple
  • 1 apple thinly sliced
Vanilla extract
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
Fresh cranberries
  • 1 fresh cranberries for garnish

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Simmer the base
  1. Pour the apple cider, orange juice, and pineapple juice into a large Dutch oven or heavy pot.
  2. Stir in the brown sugar until mostly dissolved.
  3. Add the orange slices, cinnamon sticks, whole cloves, star anise, ground ginger, and ground nutmeg.
  4. Heat over medium heat for 8–10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is hot and beginning to gently simmer (look for small bubbles around the edges).
Develop flavor
  1. Reduce the heat to low and simmer uncovered for 25–30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the spices become fragrant and the flavors develop.
  2. Add the apple slices during the final 10 minutes and keep the heat low so the fruit retains its shape (watch for tender slices, not a boil).
Finish and serve
  1. Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract.
  2. Strain out the whole spices if desired, while reserving some orange and apple slices for serving.
  3. Ladle the warm wassail into mugs and garnish with fresh cranberries, apple or orange slices, and a cinnamon stick.

Notes

Pro tip: keep the heat on low during the last stage so the apple slices stay shaped. Store leftovers in the fridge up to 4 days; rewarm gently on the stove. Freezing is not recommended because the fruit texture can soften. For a dairy-free option, this recipe is naturally dairy-free; for a lower-sugar version, reduce brown sugar to 2 tbsp and add an extra splash of orange juice for balance.