Mulled Apple Cider delivers warmth and cozy spices for the cold weather season. This homey brew is made in a slow cooker for an easy recipe!
Originally published December 2016; updated October 2018
With fresh apple cider readily available, don’t miss the opportunity to whip up a batch of Mulled Apple Cider in the slow cooker.
Whole spices, fruit and cider simmer to make a comforting hot drink to fight the chill of fall and winter.
What is Mulled Apple Cider?
Hot Mulled Wine is winter tradition originating in Northern Europe. Red wine is heated and combined with aromatic spices to make a cozy beverage to sip fireside in the winter.
An example of this is a Scandinavian version of mulled wine called Glogg. It’s delicious and the spices can be combined (dry) with a bottle of wine and the recipe as a great hostess gift!
For youngsters and those preferring not to drink alcohol, mulled apple cider is a great alternative! Anything taking advantage of the fix-it-and-forget-it ease of the slow cooker is my speed this time of year too.
Difference Between Apple Juice and Apple Cider
Apple cider is made of fresh apples ground into a pulp and juice is extracted from the pulp. This is why apple cider is often cloudy or labeled as ‘unfiltered’. Because of the extra apple matter, apple cider always must be refrigerated and is perishable.
Apple juice is solely juice from apples with no other part of the apples. It’s clear and a golden color.
TIP: apple cider can be frozen! If you can find it freshly made in the fall, stick a container in the freezer ensuring some space at the top for expansion when freezing. You can enjoy it and use it in recipes all year!
What Ingredients are in Mulled Apple Cider?
I love the availability of fresh apple cider at this time of year. Personally, I love the more rustic quality of the apple particles that swirl around as you drink it.
It has a naturally sweet flavor as well, making it easy to build on for this delicious slow cooker mulled apple cider recipe.
Spices in Mulled Apple Cider
This mulled cider recipe uses whole cloves, allspice berries, fresh ginger root, cardamom pod and cinnamon sticks. Some orange slices and lemon peel for great flavor.
This recipe uses whole spices for a few reasons:
- Whole spices are easier to strain out before serving.
- Ground spices can create an undesirable gritty texture to hot drinks in my opinion.
If you don’t want to deal with straining the cider, the allspice berries, cloves and cardamom pods can be wrapped in a sachet made of cheesecloth, tossed into the cider and then easily removed once the cider is done simmering.
Personally, I love the look of clove-studded fruit and find adding the cloves to the rind of the orange slices to be both pretty as well as it keeps them out of the way of scooping into a mug!
TIP: to easily insert the cloves into the orange slices, make a small hole with the sharp end of a bamboo skewer then insert the clove. This helps prevent the clove stem from breaking when being inserted.
How to Make Mulled Apple Cider in the Slow Cooker
This almost seems silly to include. Combine all ingredients are added to the slow cooker and cook on LOW for 3-4 hours.
Strain the mulled apple cider through a fine mesh sieve before serving.
OR line a larger strainer wtih a double thickness of cheesecloth and strain.
Can Mulled Apple Cider be Spiked?
Why not?! I suggest adding your preferred liquor to individual servings (bourbon, whiskey, rum would all be great). By doing so the base mulled apple cider is available for those not spiking it.
Keeping it available in the slow cooker on warm is great for gatherings and parties!
More Slow Cooker Drink Recipes
I love making hot drinks in the winter using the slow cooker. Slow Cooker Hot Buttered Rum is another favorite. It is made adding the alcohol in serving cups so those wishing the warm, buttery drink booze-less can enjoy it too ‘as is’ from the slow cooker. A dash of rum extract can also be added for the warming flavor of rum and no alcohol.
Slow Cooker Vampire Punch is a fruity easy recipe for Halloween (but great any time really) with a spicy addition! This punch can also be served cold.
Slow Cooker Mulled Wine is a great option for adult parties for a soul-warming libation.
Slow Cooker Pumpkin Spice Lattes let you make fall’s most iconic drink in a large batch!
There is nothing better than coming inside after a chilly outing to pick up a Christmas tree, decorating the house outside with lights or some holiday shopping, to be greeted with a house smelling of spiced cider! I really think it is the homiest smell ever.
It’s great to make up a batch before going out to do some Christmas caroling too (does anyone do that anymore?) so it’s piping hot when you return home.
If you’ve tried this Mulled Apple Cider recipe please RATE THE RECIPE below!
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Slow Cooker Mulled Apple Cider
Ingredients
- 1 gallon Apple Cider
- 1 large Orange , cut into ½ inch slices
- Peel from 1 medium Lemon (use a vegetable slicer or paring knife and avoid the pith)
- 2 teaspoons Whole Cloves
- 2 teaspoons Allspice Berries
- 1 inch fresh Ginger Root , thinly sliced
- 6 Cardamom Pods
- ¼ cup Brown Sugar
- 3 Cinnamon Sticks
Instructions
- In a large (6 quart or larger) slow cooker add all the ingredients and cook on LOW for 3-4 hours. Spices can be strained before serving by using a sieve.
- Tip: to add the cloves to the rind of the orange slices, make small holes with the sharp end of a bamboo skewer first, then the cloves will insert easily and not break in the process.
Stacie @ Divine Lifestyle says
That sounds so delicious! Mulled cider is one of the coziest things you can have on a cold, winter day. I can’t wait to try this.
Jen Rattie says
I think it’s time to bust out the slow cooker! That sounds fully awesome. I might just add a splash of bourbon to it for an adult twist.
Toni Dash says
I will admit spiking it also crossed my mind LOL! I think you could let people spike a serving and still have it for those who don’t want alcohol too.
Janell Poulette says
I have never had apple cider, but this sounds so comforting on a long winter day. It has been so rainy and cold here the last few days, i almost wish it would just know already! I think ill have to ask my husband to bring these ingredients home so i can prep this for tomorrow!
Toni Dash says
This would be perfect to take the edge off the damp chill Janell!
dawn says
oh my this looks so delish. and thirst quenching. love it
Tracey says
Well I’ll be getting my slow cooker out this holiday season! What a delicious looking way to make apple cider.
Toni Dash says
Glad you like it Tracey! So easy too.
Jeanette says
I would love something like this. For Christmas I’m getting my husband a crockpot and I think this might be one of the first things we make in it.
Connie says
This looks absolutely delicious. I bet it makes your house smell heavenly.
Cassie Tucker says
This is a great recipe for Christmas parties! I know plenty of people that prefer not to drink and I don’t want them to feel left out with traditional, alcoholic punch as the only option.
Kelly Hutchinson says
This is the perfect holiday drink. It is as pretty as it looks tasty!
Anne Parris says
I bet this smells amazing! We by a lot of cider this time of year since there are so many great orchards here in Virginia. I need to jazz it up like this. Pinning this for later.
Shauna says
This reminds me of the apple cider we used to drink in Europe at the holiday events. It was so cold, that year and the hot cider was amazing. I will definitely be making this, this year. Thanks for sharing
Nancy @ whispered inspirations says
Yummy! This would be an awesome drink to welcome your guest that come over for the holidays! And your house would smell delicious!
Marcie W. says
I have never attempted a beverage in my slow cooker, but this is a fabulous idea. I love that it makes the entire house smell amazing too!
Gabriel says
This is beyond amazing. We do it for special occasions and it tastes and smells great.
Stacie says
I love using my slow cooker to make hot drinks. It’s nice to have them ready to serve when you come in after an outing.
Amy says
Mulled cider is my favorite holiday drink! I could enjoy it every day!
Ann Bacciaglia says
This slow cooker mulled apple cider looks so delicious. I have never tried to make my own before. I bet it smells amazing when it is cooking.
gingermommyrants says
I love a nice hot mug of mulled apple cider in the Winter. I will have to try this recipe on the weekend. My kids are going to love it.
Kathy says
This looks very good. I’ve never had mulled apple cider, but I’ve had just apple cider. I’ll have to give this a try. I’m sure it will taste great too.
Pam says
I want to serve a fun and festive drink for Christmas, but a lot of my family doesn’t or can’t drink alcohol. This mulled apple cider would be perfect.
Crystal says
There’s nothing more Christmasy-y than the smell of cinnamon. Can’t wait to try this recipe over the weekend while we decorate and bake.
Hali @daytodayMOMents says
This sounds and looks amazing! I have never made it before, so thanks for the recipe!
Seattle Travel Blogger says
This looks like an unique preparation!
I bet it is yummy.
Maureen says
What an easy way to make some mulled apple cider, I am not sure why I hadn’t thought of using the slow cooker for this before. Appreciate the recipe to make this!
Melissa@thestatenislandfamily.com says
We are hosting a dinner party this weekend and we’re still narrowing down our drink menu! After reading this post I know what I will be adding to our menu!
Kristin says
This sounds so delicious. I love having a hot apple cider on a cold day. I love that the recipe is so easy! Thank you
Brianne says
I’ve been looking for a recipe for this and yours looks delicious! So making this over the weekend!
Toni Dash says
I’m so glad! We just got our first snow storm with temps in the single digits today. I have the slow cooker plugged in and warming some up now.
Tess says
Slow cookers are great for great recipes that add great smells in the house. I bet that would fantastic!
Autumn Reo says
This is a great recipe for a party! It definitely checks all the boxes. Start it ahead of time. Let it smell up your house beautifully. When it’s time to serve, you can just have a cinnamon whisky there for the grown ups to add. I love this.
Toni Dash says
I couldn’t have said it better myself. I will say I added a bit of rum to a mug of it last night and it was great!
Jeanine says
Yum this looks delicious. I love apple cider but haven’t ever made it myself, this looks tasty and easy enough for me to make!
Annemarie LeBlanc says
Another reason why the slow cooker is best to have in the kitchen! I am saving this recipe. It would be so nice to have spiced apple cider on a cold winter night.
Christina Aliperti says
This cider looks so good. I can almost smell the scent in the air as it heats in the slow cooker.
Tonia @TheChattyMomma says
I especially love this season for the cider.
I haven’t made any yet, but I bought some K-cups and that’s been great.
Toni Dash says
I have hot cider Kcups too; don’t you love that? This slow cooker recipe is really delicious too!
Lindsey Paris says
This looks super delicious. I have never made an apple cider before but this looks easy enough.
Aysegul says
This look very smooth and easy to do. Will be great for weekends
Liz says
This is a fabulous fall and holiday beverage! I’m making it again for our Christmas cookie exchange!
sheenam | thetwincookingproject.net says
Yum!!!
Allison says
This looks like the perfect drink for warming up on a chilly day!
Jennifer Farley says
Delicious! One of the best parts of fall.
Joanne says
So easy to make this in the slow cooker, and very low stress. Love it!
Amanda says
Just in time for fall this looks so amazing !!
Kimberly says
No cold weather is complete without this!
Paula says
Love the tip about inserting the cloves! I’m definitely going to try that.
Jessica. | The Novice Chef says
This is one of my favorite cold day drinks!
Alyssa Brantley says
This is a delicious way to warm up on a cold night! Plus, the house will smell amazing while it simmers!
Anna says
This is perfect for fall get-togethers! So tasty!
Lori @ RecipeGirl says
Everyone needs to make this in the chilly months. It’s so good!