Hot Spiced Drunken Apple Cider Recipe on Food52 (2024)

Make Ahead

by: Cordelia

November24,2009

4

9 Ratings

  • Prep time 10 minutes
  • Cook time 20 minutes
  • Serves 8

Jump to Recipe

Author Notes

Not just tasty but also elegant and beautiful, and should nicely decorate a holiday table. The white wine keeps the nice color of the cider and the cranberries make it festive and give it a pinkish hue. —Cordelia

Test Kitchen Notes

A more refined version of mulled cider, this punch also calls for an off-dry white wine and fresh cranberries. The cider is quickly steeped in spices -- cloves, cinnamon, vanilla and nutmeg -- before you add the wine and cranberries, which give the punch a light rosy hue. Cordelia's concoction goes down easy, so sip slowly if you can restrain yourself! - A&M —The Editors

  • Test Kitchen-Approved
  • Your Best Holiday Punch Contest Winner

What You'll Need

Ingredients
  • 1/2 gallonapple cider (I have used unfiltered)
  • 3/4 bottle of gewurztraminer (or other white wine which is not too dry, or you can use even semi sweet one like Muscat)
  • 4 to 5 sticks of cinnamon
  • 4 to 5 cloves
  • 1/4 teaspoonnutmeg
  • 1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
  • 3 tablespoonsto 4 tablespoons honey (depends on how sweet the wine you're using)
  • 1 cupfresh cranberries (or cubes of apple if not in cranberry season)
Directions
  1. Put the cider and all spices in a pot and bring to a boil.
  2. Reduce the heat and simmer for about 10 minutes.
  3. When on low heat add the wine. Do not boil again so the alcohol won't evaporate too much, just let it warm.
  4. Add the cranberries and simmer for a few more minutes until they color the liquid a bit.

Tags:

  • co*cktail
  • Hot Drink
  • American
  • Fruit
  • Apple
  • Make Ahead
  • Serves a Crowd
  • Fall
  • Winter
  • Christmas
  • Thanksgiving
  • Buffet

See what other Food52ers are saying.

  • MeghanVK

  • eatingandediting

  • Maria Teresa Jorge

  • TasteFood

  • Cordelia

Popular on Food52

13 Reviews

MeghanVK December 16, 2012

Made a double batch of this last night for our holiday party, and it turned out great. The guests loved it (although the wine flavor is so subtle that people assumed it was nonalcoholic and began spiking it with whiskey... whoops!).

Allie89104 February 19, 2012

any advice on where to get apple cider after the fall season? or make some?

eatingandediting January 4, 2012

I made a double batch of this for a New Year's Eve party -- and it was all gone before midnight. It was a warm-ish night, but still cold enough to enjoy a cup of this outside sans jacket. A perfect party drink!

dancerslikefood November 22, 2011

This was truly delicious! I made it for a gathering of friends for a pre-Thanksgiving celebration and it was a hit. I am amazed how much flavor the cider picked up in such a short amount of time and the wine is a lovely and unexpected addition (I used gewurztraminer). It complemented the cheese and nut appetizer course perfectly. Thanks for a great recipe! I cannot wait for a reason to make it again!

Maria T. December 25, 2009

Hi Cordelia, just wanted to say congratulations for your winning recipe and all the other fabulous resipes you post.
Happy Holidays,
Maria Teresa

TasteFood December 23, 2009

Congratulations on your win! I love the idea of using white wine in a warm drink. I'll certainly try this recipe when we are skiing next week!

megeretta December 22, 2009

Any ideas on making this non alcoholic with the option of adding wine to individual drinks??? Thanks!

Cordelia December 22, 2009

Well, I have a chilled version with similar ingredients (some more spices) but with bubbly wine that added on top, posted on my page (http://www.food52.com/recipes/2197_chilled_spiced_and_bubbly_cider_punch). This way you can add the bubbly wine for those who can drink and for the rest top it with bubbly none alcoholic cider.
Otherwise, I guess you can make the recipe without the wine and warm the wine separately and just add it to some of the glasses, anyway it is not supposed to be cooked for too long. Let me know how it worked for you.

laura_robichaux January 25, 2011

here's a recipe for orange wassail - it's great in the colder months and alcohol is optional. http://cookmarked.com/recipe.aspx?eID=AlkjUJ88

Cordelia December 21, 2009

Thanks so much for the kind word and thanks for making me a finalist, this is so exciting.

anatshi December 21, 2009

looks amazing!

foodfun December 20, 2009

Looks great! I am going to try it!

Janneke V. December 20, 2009

It looks beautiful, never had warm white wine but I'll definitely try it.

Hot Spiced Drunken Apple Cider  Recipe on Food52 (2024)

FAQs

What liquor is best for hot spiced cider? ›

For these spiked apple cider co*cktails, I like using spiced rum the best. Bourbon is my second favorite. Vodka also works great, and tequila can be used too.

What is the difference between apple cider and spiced apple cider? ›

The process for making apple cider and spiced apple cider is the same. The main difference is that spiced apple cider is, well, spiced! It typically has been infused with flavors of different warm spices (like cinnamon, clove, and nutmeg) versus regular apple cider which gets its flavor solely from the apples.

Can you heat up cold apple cider to make hot apple cider? ›

1. Combine apple juice or apple cider with cloves and cinnamon in a microwaveable mug, cup or glass. 2. Heat in the microwave oven, uncovered, for 2 to 3 minutes.

What do you eat with spiced apple cider? ›

Hot Spiked Cider Pairings
  1. Apple Pie or Apple Crisp. ...
  2. Cheddar Cheese and Crackers. ...
  3. Cinnamon-Sugar Donuts. ...
  4. Sausage and Sage Stuffing. ...
  5. Pumpkin or Butternut Squash Soup. ...
  6. Caramel Popcorn. ...
  7. Grilled Cheese Sandwiches. ...
  8. Spiced Nuts.

What whiskey is good for apple cider? ›

Looking for the best whiskey for apple cider? Reach for BLACKENED's award-winning, super-premium blend, crafted using only the finest hand-selected, well-aged bourbons and ryes. Want to kick your apple cider whiskey co*cktail up a notch? Try BLACKENED's cask strength whiskey.

Is hot spiced apple cider good for you? ›

It has been known to moderate blood sugar levels, lower cholesterol and has even been known to relieve some of the symptoms of acid reflux. Nice! But aside from being good for you, it just happens to make a mean mug of hot apple cider when mixed with just a few common pantry ingredients!

Is hot apple cider good for your stomach? ›

As it's not filtered, the drink does keep some of its pectin content. Pectin is a soluble fiber that can keep you regular. Apple cider can also help to relax your intestines, which can help create a healthier digestive system and alleviate symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome.

What is alcoholic apple cider called? ›

Apple cider is apple juice that has not been filtered and still contains all the apple pieces, pulp, and sediment. It is the raw, purer version of apple juice. To make an alcoholic cider, yeast is added which converts the sugar into alcohol. Simple right? Hard cider is the adult version of apple cider.

Is Captain Morgan good in hot apple cider? ›

Best rum for spike hot apple cider:

My favorite is good old Captain Morgans!

What alcohol to mix with apple cider? ›

Dark liquors like bourbon (my pick) or dark rum are traditional, but they are by no means the only option. Vodka pairs well with apple cider and is a good light option. You can even let guests each pick their own.

What is healthier apple juice or apple cider? ›

Cider contains more of apples' polyphenol compounds than clear commercial apple juice. Fresh cider from cider apples may contain from two to four times the amount of these healthful compounds compared to clear commercial apple juice because of the apple varieties used and the extra processing to make clear juice.

How much alcohol is in apple cider? ›

On average, most hard ciders are 4.5% - 7% alcohol by volume (ABV), while some ciders have an ABV as high as 10% or 12%. Drier ciders usually have a higher ABV because the yeast consumes a majority of the cider's natural sugars.

What pairs well with warm apple cider? ›

16 caramel and toffee desserts that pair well with a warm apple...
  • Salted caramel and pretzel cheesecake. This cheesecake is salty, sweet and nutty to boot.
  • Salted chocolate and caramel tarts. ...
  • Caramel apple pies. ...
  • Little pots of caramel. ...
  • Caramel walnut slice. ...
  • Salted caramel and chocolate tart. ...
  • Caramel cups. ...
  • Toffee apples.

How long does spiced apple cider last in the fridge? ›

When buying apple cider, pay attention to shelf life. The standard refrigeration period for unpasteurized cider is two weeks, or one week after it's opened. For pasteurized cider, it's four weeks or more. Preservatives will add approximately one week to shelf life.

Is spiced apple cider good for diabetics? ›

Yes, just in small quantities since the cider has sugar (meaning 6 oz. max). Don't add any more sugar (including cinnamon which often has sugar mixed with it).

What rum is best for hot apple cider? ›

The best rum

Sailor Jerry Spiced Rum has bold flavors of cloves and cinnamon spice finished with vanilla and oak and is light on sweetness. At times, you can pick up hints of toffee and caramel, which would be perfect with hot apple cider.

Is vodka good in hot cider? ›

Spiked Hot Apple Cider – hot apple cider is a classic fall drink, this version is spiked with caramel vodka for a fun and delicious drink! Fall co*cktails are a must for fall entertaining. Warm Vanilla Cider is great for carving pumpkins and having fall get togethers. But sometimes you want a grown up version.

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Zonia Mosciski DO

Last Updated:

Views: 5681

Rating: 4 / 5 (51 voted)

Reviews: 82% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Zonia Mosciski DO

Birthday: 1996-05-16

Address: Suite 228 919 Deana Ford, Lake Meridithberg, NE 60017-4257

Phone: +2613987384138

Job: Chief Retail Officer

Hobby: Tai chi, Dowsing, Poi, Letterboxing, Watching movies, Video gaming, Singing

Introduction: My name is Zonia Mosciski DO, I am a enchanting, joyous, lovely, successful, hilarious, tender, outstanding person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.