Warm Mulled Cider with Star Anise

Any opportunity to feel like a kid again is an opportunity worth jumping into head first. That’s personally why I love the holidays. For the majority of the year, adulthood rules with a tyrannical fist, but when the holiday season rolls around, adulthood must concede the throne.

The experiences that bring a feeling of childhood back to life are mostly sensory. The smell of baking, the sight of the tree, the sound of my favorite Christmas tunes, the feel of a well-packed snowball, and the taste of warm apple cider.

If you too have fond cider sipping memories (or if you’d like to make some!), consider upping the ante and making things fancy this year with a mug or two of mulled cider.

Originating from a mead called a Wassail, mulled cider is a delightful gift from our friends across the pond (Thanks, Britain!).

It’s perfectly spiced and a little sweet, and it smells heavenly.

The best part is that mulled cider is pretty simple to make (because nobody needs another complicated recipe to undertake during the holidays). So whip up a batch, grab an ethically made mug, and watch the snow fall!

Recipe adapted from Simply Recipes

1/2 gallon of non-alcoholic apple cider

1 orange

12 whole cloves

4 3-inch sticks of cinnamon

15 allspice berries

1/4 teaspoon of freshly ground nutmeg

7 pods of cardamom

Star anise for garnish

1. Heat up the apple cider in a covered saucepan over medium-high heat
2. Peel a few strips of orange rinds
3. Press half of the cloves into the peeled section of your orange
4. Uncover your saucepan and add the orange, orange peels, the other half of the cloves, and the rest of the ingredients to the warm cider
5. Cover the saucepan and simmer for 20 minutes on low heat
6. Strain the spiced cider away from the orange and other ingredients
7. Garnish with star anise and a cinnamon stick and serve warm!

And there you have it – a warm cup of holiday spirit. Love and joy come to you, and to you your wassail too!