Nothing says fall like a steaming mug of spiced apple cider — and this Slow Cooker Mulled Cider fills your kitchen with the best cozy aroma. It’s the kind of recipe that makes your house smell amazing, keeps guests happy, and takes almost no effort. Just toss everything in the slow cooker, let it simmer, and serve it warm all day long!
September 30th is National Mulled Cider Day. Celebrate by making your very own homemade slow cooker mulled cider! Share this cider with everyone around you. It’s such a delicious, warm-you-up beverage! You might also like to try our other warm beverages: pumpkin spice latte and white chocolate and peppermint hot chocolate.
The heat of autumn is different than the heat of summer. One ripens apples, the other turns them into cider.
-Jane Hirshfield
Ingredients Needed:
- apple cider
- oranges
- lemons
- cinnamon sticks
- brown sugar
- ground cinnamon
- ground nutmeg
- ground cloves
How to make Slow Cooker Mulled Cider:
The complete, printable recipe is in the recipe card at the end of this post.
Add apple cider to your slow cooker insert. Add slices oranges and lemons, cinnamon sticks and brown sugar. Heat on high for two hours. Then sprinkle in some cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves. Simmer on low for another hour.
The History of Mulled Cider:
Mulled Wine (spiced and heated wine) dates back to 2nd century Rome.
Mulled Cider is a descendant of Wassail– an old English beverage made from roasted apples. Wassail means, “good health.” The story goes that a young maiden presented the drink to Prince Vortigen saying “waes hael” in a toast. The term wassailing refers to the act of the pewter bowl of wassail being carried into the room with a grande display of singing and serving.
Originally, wassail was made from mulled ale, curdled cream, roasted apples, eggs, cloves, ginger, nutmeg and sugar.
Nowadays, there isn’t a difference between mulled cider and wassail. It has evolved into a non alcoholic, warmed and spiced apple cider.
Move over hot chocolate! Grab a cup or two of slow cooker mulled cider, and plan a wassailing tour around your neighborhood this fall!
Recipe Tips:
- Add whole cloves or allspice berries for more flavor.
- You can add apple slices, if desired.
- Add bourbon or rum to create an adult beverage!
- Use fresh apple cider for the richest flavor.
- Swap the brown sugar for maple syrup for a different flavor.
- To make ahead: Store cooled cider in the fridge and reheat gently in your slow cooker the next day.
What You’ll Love About This Recipe:
- The slow cooker does all the work.
- It’s the perfect beverage for parties.
- It smells incredible!
Fun Facts About Mulled Cider:
- Wassail has been mentioned on television too- making appearances on Mystery Science Theater, the Frank Sinatra Show, The Simpsons, Frasier and Alton Brown’s Good Eats.
- Hot mulled cider is a popular beverage to make during the fall and winter months.
- Mulled cider is now a popular beverage to make and enjoy on Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas.
- Wassail (a hot mulled cider) was served while wassailing, a medieval southern English drinking ritual intended to ensure a good cider apple harvest the following year. These ceremonies still exist today!
- Wassailing is now used as a verb describing caroling from house to house during the holidays.
- The combination of spices varies, but it usually consists of cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg. Sometimes star anise is added in too. It can include fresh or dried fruit- apples, oranges or orange zest, lemons and raisins).
- References to wassail and wassailing appear in many songs from rock bands and folk singers.
Slow Cooker Mulled Cider
Ingredients
- 1 gallon apple cider
- 2 medium oranges
- 2 medium lemons
- 2 whole cinnamon sticks
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 dash ground cinnamon
- 1 dash ground nutmeg
- 1 dash ground cloves
Instructions
- Add apple cider to the slow cooker. You’ll need to add the fruit to it, so if you cannot fit the whole gallon, don’t worry about it.
- Add the fruit to the cider. Add the cinnamon sticks. Stir in the brown sugar.
- Heat, covered, on high for 2 hours. Add the light sprinkle of spices. Cover again, turn down to low and heat for one more hour. At this point, it’s ready to serve.
- You can add in more cider as the mulled cider in the slow cooker begins to disappear. Just stir it in, and the spices will combine with the newly poured cider.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
